Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate three new Vande Bharat Express trains on Saturday, August 31, further enhancing rail connectivity in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, as announced by the Railway Ministry.
These three new additions will be a part of the expanding network of over 100 Vande Bharat Express trains currently in service, connecting more than 280 districts across India.
Which Vande Bharat trains will PM Modi inaugurate today?
The Prime Minister will inaugurate three Vande Bharat Express trains via video conferencing:
Chennai Central to Nagercoil
Madurai to Bengaluru Cantonment
Meerut City to Lucknow
Chennai Central to Nagercoil Vande Bharat Express: Route, Stops, and Timings
Initially flagged off from Chennai Central, this train will regularly operate from Chennai Egmore, except on Wednesdays.
The service will benefit pilgrims traveling to revered temples like Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai and Kumari Amman Temple in Kanniyakumari.
Train No. 20627 will depart Chennai Egmore at 5:00 AM and reach Nagercoil at 1:50 PM, with stops at Tambaram, Villupuram, Tiruchirappalli, Dindigul, Madurai, Kovilpatti, and Tirunelveli.
The return journey (Train No. 20628) will depart Nagercoil at 2:20 PM and arrive in Chennai at 11:00 PM.
Madurai to Bengaluru Cantonment Vande Bharat Express: Route, Stops, and Timings
Running six days a week, except Tuesdays, this train connects Madurai, a significant temple city in Tamil Nadu, to Bengaluru, Karnataka’s capital.
Train No. 20671 will leave Madurai at 5:15 AM, reaching Bengaluru Cantonment at 1:00 PM, with stops at Dindigul, Tiruchirappalli, Karur, Namakkal, Salem, and Krishnarajapuram.
In return, Train No. 20672 will depart from Bengaluru at 1:30 PM, arriving in Madurai at 9:45 PM.
Meerut City to Lucknow Vande Bharat Express: Route, Stops, and Timings
The regular service for this train will start from Lucknow on Sunday and Meerut on Monday, operating six days a week except Tuesdays.
This train is expected to significantly boost religious tourism by offering faster connections to pilgrimage sites such as Digambar Jain Temple, Mansa Devi Mandir, Surajkund Temple, and Augharnath Temple.
Train No. 22490 will depart Meerut City at 6:35 AM, reaching Lucknow’s Charbagh railway station at 1:45 PM, with stops at Moradabad and Bareilly.
The return journey (Train No. 22489) will depart from Charbagh at 2:45 PM, arriving at Meerut City at 10:00 PM.