The Mangaluru Central – Madgaon – Mangaluru Central Vande Bharat Express will be discontinued from November 15 following the regular run of Yeshwantpur-Madgaon-Yeshwantpur Vande Bharat Express from November 15.
| Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY
The Mangaluru Central – Madgaon – Mangaluru Central Vande Bharat Express, Train No. 20646/645 had their last run on Saturday (November 14, 2026) from Mangaluru and Madgaon respectively.
Unlike the launch ceremony on December 30, 2023, there was no farewell programme for the train at Mangaluru Central on Saturday.
Railway Ministry discontinued the services following the introduction of Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Junction-Madgaon-Yeshwantpur Vande Bharat Express 26655/656 from Sunday (November 15, 2026). Prime Minister Narendra Modi remotely inaugurated the new service from Bengaluru and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the service from Mangaluru Junction on Friday, November 13.
Result of persistent efforts
The Mangaluru Central-Madgaon-Mangaluru Central VB service was launched by Mr. Modi on December 30, 2023, remotely while inaugurating the renovated Ayodhya Dham Railway Station. The VB service was sanctioned due to the persistent efforts of the then Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel who had demanded the service to promote tourism in the region. Mr. Vaishnaw had sanctioned the proposal.
The Mangaluru Central – Madgaon Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 20646) had its last run on November 14, from Mangaluru.
| Photo Credit:
ANIL KUMAR SASTRY
The Mangaluru Central-Madgaon service used to leave Mangaluru at 8.30 a.m. to reach Madgaon at 1.15 pm with halts at Udupi and Karwar. The Madgaon-Mangaluru Central VB used to leave Madgaon at 6.10 p.m. to reach Mangaluru Central at 10.45 p.m. The service, however, did not become popular and its occupancy did not cross even 50% for various reasons. Mr. Kateel, patrons and passenger associations had demanded its extension to Mumbai; however, it did not materialise.
Following commissioning of Railway Electrification on the Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat section of Hassan-Mangaluru sector in December 2025, the demand for a VB service between Bengaluru and Mangaluru got louder. Mr. Vaishnaw on September 29 announced that the Mangaluru-Madgaon-Mangaluru VB Express would be extended to Yeshwantpur to run as Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Junction-Madgaon-Yeshwantpur VB Express.
Fond memories
The loco pilot from Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd., (KRCL) who regularly piloted the Madgaon VB and was driving the train on its last run from Mangaluru Central, said he would carry fond memories of the train even after it was discontinued. “It was a pleasure to drive a VB as the traction motors were fixed beneath the motor coaches resulting in speedy acceleration and deceleration,” the pilot said hoping he would get to drive the newly introduced Bengaluru VB too.
Supretha from Thokkottu in Mangaluru, who was travelling with her husband Vijay Raghavan and two kids to Madgaon on the VB said she was not aware it was the last run of the premium service to Goa. Travelling for a holiday, she said, “We are happy that now the train got extended till Bengaluru. We expect enhanced comfortable journey to both the destinations,” she said.
Published – November 14, 2026 02:58 pm IST
