Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off, virtually via video conferencing, Karnataka’s second Vande Bharat Express today, connecting Bengaluru and Dharwad. The express train completed a successful trial run on June 19 from KSR Bengaluru station to Dharwad and back.
This launch marks the second Vande Bharat train inaugurated by PM Modi in Karnataka, following the Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai Vande Bharat train introduced in November of the previous year, which was the first for southern India
The Dharwad-KSR Bengaluru Inaugural Special (train number 07305) flagged off from Dharwad at 10:30 am on June 27 and will depart for KSR Bengaluru shortly after. During the trial run, the express train achieved speeds of up to 110 km/hour on the 350 km section of the total 489 km route.

It consists of eight coaches and will cover a distance of 490 kilometers in 6 hours and 13 minutes. The train will depart from Bengaluru at 5:45 am and arrive at Dharwad Railway Station at 11:58 am. With an average speed of 78.82 kmph, the train will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Dharwad by at least one hour.The train, equipped with air-conditioned chair cars and executive cars, will make stops only at Yeshwantpur, Davangere, and Hubballi once it starts regular operations. Yeshwantpur, Davanagere, and Hubballi will serve as commercial stops, while the primary maintenance will be conducted at KSR Bengaluru.

Operating six days a week, except Tuesdays, the express train will connect important cities in Karnataka such as Dharwad, Hubballi, and Davangere with Bengaluru. This will greatly benefit tourists, students, industrialists, and others in the region, offering a faster alternative to existing trains on the route, according to a statement by the Prime Minister’s office.
Ticket fares for the Bengaluru-Hubballi-Dharwad Vande Bharat Express are expected to be around ₹1,205 for the AC chair car class and ₹2,395 for the executive chair car class. The fares include catering charges as well.