Pune to Get Its First Vande Bharat Express to Hubballi from September 15
Pune, September 10, 2024: The city is set to get its first Vande Bharat Express as the Pune-Hubli Vande Bharat Express will begin passenger service from September 15, 2024. This was confirmed by Pune MP and Union MoS for Civil Aviation and Cooperation, Murlidhar Mohol, on his X handle.
मोदी सरकारची पुणेकरांना गणेशोत्सवाची विशेष भेट…
— Murlidhar Mohol (@mohol_murlidhar) September 9, 2024
पुण्याला मिळाली पहिली ‘वंदे भारत’ एक्स्प्रेस…
पुणे-हुबळी वंदे भारत एक्स्प्रेस १५ सप्टेंबर, २०२४ पासून प्रवाशांच्या सेवेत@narendramodi @AshwiniVaishnaw @RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/xekGFsfsNz
Residents of Hubballi, Dharwad, and North Karnataka also have reason to celebrate, as the region will receive its second Vande Bharat Express, which will connect Hubballi to Pune via Dharwad and Belagavi. The need for this service was highlighted by Union Minister and Dharwad MP Prahlad Joshi, who had written to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw requesting the train.
Hubballi-Dharwad, a rapidly growing twin city, is the second largest in Karnataka after Bengaluru. Known for its educational institutions, including IIT and IIIT, Dharwad district is often referred to as “Vidya Kashi.” Despite several trains operated by South Western Railway (SWR) between Hubballi, Pune, and Mumbai, they are typically full, indicating a rising demand for more services, which the Vande Bharat Express aims to meet.
Although the timetable for the new train is yet to be finalized, preliminary reports suggest that it will depart from Hubballi early in the morning and reach Pune by early afternoon. The tentative schedule has the train leaving Hubballi at 5:00 AM and arriving in Pune by 1:30 PM. The service will be daily except Mondays and is likely to operate with an 8-car Vande Bharat Express. Expected stops include Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Miraj, Sangli, Satara, and Pune.
In the return direction, the Pune to Hubballi Vande Bharat Express will depart from Pune at 2:15 PM and arrive in Hubballi at 10:45 PM. Maintenance for the train is expected to be carried out in Hubballi.
This Vande Bharat Express is part of a broader rollout of 10 new routes, scheduled to launch on September 15, 2024, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While official schedules are pending, other routes include Nagpur-Secunderabad, Agra Cantt-Banaras, and Raipur-Visakhapatnam, among others. Additionally, the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat will be upgraded to a 20-coach rake to increase its capacity.
Status of Pune – Nagpur Vande Bharat Express
There have been media reports suggesting the inauguration of a Pune-Nagpur Vande Bharat Express on the same date. However, Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Central Railway denied any such plans and Free Press Journal quoted him as saying, “As of now, there is no such plan.”
