Hyderabad, September 24: Telangana and Andhra Pradesh welcomed the addition of their third Vande Bharat Express, marking a significant advancement in the region’s railway connectivity. The inauguration of the Hyderabad-Bengaluru and Vijayawada-Chennai train services took place on Sunday. These new routes were part of the nine Vande Bharat trains ceremonially flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, connecting various states through a virtual ceremony held in Delhi.
The event at Kacheguda Station was graced by the presence of Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, G. Kishan Reddy, alongside senior officials from the South Central Railway (SCR).
The introduction of the Hyderabad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express is a milestone moment as it links the tech hubs of Hyderabad and Bengaluru for the first time. This becomes the third semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express for Telangana, following the Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam and Secunderabad-Tirupati routes.
The new train service will traverse through 12 districts and four major cities, bridging the 610 km distance between Hyderabad and Bengaluru in just eight hours and 30 minutes. This travel time is approximately three hours faster than the existing fast trains on this route.
Operating every day except Wednesdays, the regular service for this route will commence from Yesvantpur starting from September 25 and from Kacheguda beginning September 26. Comprising eight coaches (7 AC Chair car coaches and one executive Chair car coach), the train has a carrying capacity of 530 passengers.
For Train no. 20703 Kacheguda – Yesvantpur, the departure time from Kacheguda is scheduled for 5:30 a.m., arriving at Yesvantpur at 2:00 p.m., with stoppages at Mahabubnagar, Kurnool, Anantapur, and Dharmavaram. The return journey, Train no. 20704 Yesvantpur – Kacheguda, will depart from Yesvantpur at 2:45 p.m. and arrive at Kacheguda at 11:15 p.m.
In addition to this development, Andhra Pradesh also celebrated the launch of its third Vande Bharat train, the Vijayawada-Chennai express. This eight-carriage train will operate six days a week, excluding Tuesdays. Departing from Vijayawada at 5:30 a.m., it will reach Chennai at 12:10 p.m., with stoppages at Tenali, Ongole, Nellore, and Renigunta. On the return journey, the train will depart from Chennai at 3:20 p.m. and arrive at Vijayawada at 10:00 p.m. This new service promises to enhance connectivity and convenience for travelers in the region.