The new Vande Bharat Express between Pune and Kolhapur is set to commence operations on September 16. This train will significantly reduce travel time between the two cities to around five hours, compared to the Mahalaxmi Express, which takes six-and-a-half hours, and the Koyna Express, which takes eight hours. Ticket prices for the new eight-coach train are yet to be announced. The train will be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conferencing, with the Minister of State for Railways, V. Somanna, attending the ceremony in Kolhapur.

Initially, a new Vande Bharat Express was planned for the Hubballi-Pune route starting September 15, with a halt at Kolhapur. However, this proposal faced opposition from passengers in Miraj and Karnataka, as they argued it would increase both travel time and distance. In response, MPs and local associations wrote to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, requesting separate Vande Bharat services for the Kolhapur-Mumbai and Hubballi-Pune routes. This led to the decision to operate trains on both the Kolhapur-Pune and Hubballi-Pune routes.

According to MP Dhananjay Mahadik, the Kolhapur-Pune Vande Bharat Express will run on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. It will depart Kolhapur at 8:15 a.m. and arrive in Pune at 1:30 p.m. On the return journey, it will leave Pune at 2:30 p.m. and reach Kolhapur at 7:40 p.m., with stops at Satara, Karad, Kirloskarwadi, Sangli, and Miraj. Meanwhile, the Hubballi-Pune train will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, departing Hubballi at 5:00 a.m. and arriving in Pune at 1:30 p.m., with stops at Dharwad, Belagavi, Miraj, Sangli, and Satara.

The Pune division of Central Railway conducted a trial run of the Kolhapur-Pune Vande Bharat Express on Saturday, with the train departing from Kolhapur at 11:00 a.m.

(ET)