Bengaluru: A year after the Centre promised a superfast train between Bengaluru and Mumbai, there is little to show on the ground. The much-awaited service remains on paper, with passengers still relying on the same limited rail options that have frustrated traders, business travellers and regular commuters for years.On Sept 27, 2025, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya announced through his X account that railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had assured him of a superfast train connecting the two cities. Twelve months later, however, the promised train has not started.For passengers, the situation has changed little. For over three decades, Udyan Express has remained the only daily direct service between Bengaluru and Mumbai that takes roughly 24 hours to cover the journey.There was some movement in May 2026, when railways introduced a bi-weekly SMVT Bengaluru-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express. But the additional service did not address the central demand for a faster connection: that train too takes around 24 hours.The next assurance raised expectations further. In May, Vaishnaw told TOI a Vande Bharat sleeper service on Bengaluru-Mumbai route will be introduced in Aug. That, too, has not materialised.The railway board subsequently allocated a rake that had initially been planned for Bengaluru-Mumbai route to Northern Railway zone, leaving passengers without a launch date for the proposed service.Rail users from across Karnataka have taken to social media to question the delay. Karnataka Rail Users sarcastically marked the first anniversary of the announcement, while other passenger groups accused the Centre and South Western Railway (SWR) zone of making promises without delivering the service.Mahendra Singhi, a member of SWR’s Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee in Hubballi, said the railway board should introduce a Vande Bharat on the route to provide the speed and comfort passengers have been seeking.The BJP’s Karnataka migrant outreach network has also sought an early decision. “Nearly a year has passed since the announcement, yet there has been no official communication regarding the launch date of this service. The train will significantly benefit passengers and strengthen connectivity between Bengaluru, the IT capital of India, and Mumbai, the financial capital,“ Bharat Jain, co-convener (Karnataka), BJP Rajasthani Pravasi Prakoshth, stated.
