<p>Karnataka's exclusive Vande Bharat Express will likely cover 489 km between Bengaluru and Dharwad in six and a half hours, about 30 minutes sooner than previously thought. </p>.<p>During the trial run on Monday, the train took just six hours and 14 minutes to reach Dharwad from KSR Bengaluru, running at a speed of 110 kmph for more than 350 km. Even more promisingly, it covered 469 km from KSR Bengaluru to Hubballi in just 5 hours and 33 minutes. </p>.<p>This, even after stopping at Davangere for 15 minutes and at Hubballi for 19 minutes. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/karnatakas-exclusive-vande-bharat-likely-to-start-ops-on-june-28-1228183.html" target="_blank">Karnataka's exclusive Vande Bharat likely to start ops on June 28</a></strong></p>.<p>The return leg wasn't as fast, though. The train covered the Dharwad-KSR Bengaluru section in almost seven hours. Hubballi-KSR Bengaluru took 6 hours and 19 minutes. The train also stopped at Yeshwantpur and Davangere stations. </p>.<p>These timings will likely reflect once the train starts commercial operations in the coming days, a senior official in the Bengaluru railway division said. Travel time will reduce further once the entire route length (489 km) becomes fit for trains to run at a speed of 110 kmph, the South Western Railway (SWR) said in a statement. </p>.<p>Speaking to reporters at Hubballi, SWR General Manager Sanjeev Kishore said the Vande Bharat Express had the potential to reduce the travel time between Dharwad and Bengaluru by 30-45 minutes compared to other trains. </p>.<p>The railway board is yet to approve the timetable and fares for the regular service. </p>.<p>K N Krishna Prasad of the Karnataka Railway Vedike was one of those who boarded the train during the trial run, travelling from KSR Bengaluru to Yeshwantpur. "It's a welcome development," he said. "Since the train reached Hubballi half an hour early, we hope this reflects in the regular service run." </p>.<p>He also hoped that the railways would increase the number of coaches in the future. </p>.<p>During the day, the railways also ran goods trains with electric traction on the Bengaluru-Hubballi line. The Chikkabanavar-Hubballi line (456 km) was electrified in March by the Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE), Bengaluru. </p>.<p><strong>Trial run timings</strong></p>.<p>KSR Bengaluru-Dharwad: 6 hours, 14 mins. </p>.<p>KSR Bengaluru: 5.45 am; Yeshwanthpur: 5.55 am/5.57 am; Sampige Road: 7.02 am; Davangere: 9.14 am/9.29 am; Hubballi: 11.18 am/11.35 am, Dharwad: 11.59 am. </p>.<p>Dharwad-KSR Bengaluru: 6 hours, 58 minutes. </p>.<p>Dharwad: 12.22 pm; Hubballi: 12.45 pm/1.01 pm; Davangere: 1.45 pm/1.47 pm; KSR Bengaluru: 7.20 pm. </p>.<p><br /><strong>Seats, coach composition</strong></p>.<p>The train will have 542 seats: 80 seats in each of the five chair cars; 45 seats in each of the two chair cars and 52 seats in one executive car. </p>
<p>Karnataka's exclusive Vande Bharat Express will likely cover 489 km between Bengaluru and Dharwad in six and a half hours, about 30 minutes sooner than previously thought. </p>.<p>During the trial run on Monday, the train took just six hours and 14 minutes to reach Dharwad from KSR Bengaluru, running at a speed of 110 kmph for more than 350 km. Even more promisingly, it covered 469 km from KSR Bengaluru to Hubballi in just 5 hours and 33 minutes. </p>.<p>This, even after stopping at Davangere for 15 minutes and at Hubballi for 19 minutes. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/karnatakas-exclusive-vande-bharat-likely-to-start-ops-on-june-28-1228183.html" target="_blank">Karnataka's exclusive Vande Bharat likely to start ops on June 28</a></strong></p>.<p>The return leg wasn't as fast, though. The train covered the Dharwad-KSR Bengaluru section in almost seven hours. Hubballi-KSR Bengaluru took 6 hours and 19 minutes. The train also stopped at Yeshwantpur and Davangere stations. </p>.<p>These timings will likely reflect once the train starts commercial operations in the coming days, a senior official in the Bengaluru railway division said. Travel time will reduce further once the entire route length (489 km) becomes fit for trains to run at a speed of 110 kmph, the South Western Railway (SWR) said in a statement. </p>.<p>Speaking to reporters at Hubballi, SWR General Manager Sanjeev Kishore said the Vande Bharat Express had the potential to reduce the travel time between Dharwad and Bengaluru by 30-45 minutes compared to other trains. </p>.<p>The railway board is yet to approve the timetable and fares for the regular service. </p>.<p>K N Krishna Prasad of the Karnataka Railway Vedike was one of those who boarded the train during the trial run, travelling from KSR Bengaluru to Yeshwantpur. "It's a welcome development," he said. "Since the train reached Hubballi half an hour early, we hope this reflects in the regular service run." </p>.<p>He also hoped that the railways would increase the number of coaches in the future. </p>.<p>During the day, the railways also ran goods trains with electric traction on the Bengaluru-Hubballi line. The Chikkabanavar-Hubballi line (456 km) was electrified in March by the Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE), Bengaluru. </p>.<p><strong>Trial run timings</strong></p>.<p>KSR Bengaluru-Dharwad: 6 hours, 14 mins. </p>.<p>KSR Bengaluru: 5.45 am; Yeshwanthpur: 5.55 am/5.57 am; Sampige Road: 7.02 am; Davangere: 9.14 am/9.29 am; Hubballi: 11.18 am/11.35 am, Dharwad: 11.59 am. </p>.<p>Dharwad-KSR Bengaluru: 6 hours, 58 minutes. </p>.<p>Dharwad: 12.22 pm; Hubballi: 12.45 pm/1.01 pm; Davangere: 1.45 pm/1.47 pm; KSR Bengaluru: 7.20 pm. </p>.<p><br /><strong>Seats, coach composition</strong></p>.<p>The train will have 542 seats: 80 seats in each of the five chair cars; 45 seats in each of the two chair cars and 52 seats in one executive car. </p>
