Railways Plans Third Vande Bharat for Kozhikode, Extending Goa-Mangalore Express

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has revealed the government’s plans to introduce the third Vande Bharat Express for Kerala, bringing a potential ‘surprise’ for Kozhikode. The proposal involves extending the Goa-Mangalore Vande Bharat Express, currently running at a loss, to Kozhikode. This initiative follows discussions between Mangaluru MP MK Raghavan and the Railway Minister, addressing concerns over the Railway Board’s decision to extend the train service from Bengaluru to Kannur via Mangaluru rather than to Kozhikode. The extension of services, including the Bengaluru-Coimbatore, Goa-Mangalore Vande Bharat Express, and Bengaluru-Coimbatore Udai Express to Kozhikode, has been a subject of deliberation.

The introduction of a new Vande Bharat Express from Goa to Mangalore, further extended to Kozhikode, holds potential benefits for the tourism sector. Additionally, the service could address the demand for morning train services from Kozhikode to Mangalore. The Railways is optimistic that extending the Goa-Mangalore Vande Bharat Express to Kozhikode will alleviate the reported losses and enhance passenger engagement.