Mumbai is set to receive its 7th Vande Bharat Express, enhancing rail connectivity between the city and Kolhapur via Pune. This new semi-high-speed train will be the second Vande Bharat service connecting Mumbai to Pune, complementing the existing CSMT-Pune-Solapur route. The introduction of this train aims to make travel between Mumbai, Pune, and Kolhapur quicker and more efficient, thereby boosting regional economic interactions.
Currently, the Mahalaxmi Express is the fastest train linking Mumbai and Kolhapur, covering the 518-kilometer distance in approximately 10.5 hours, with an average speed of 48.94 km/h. The Vande Bharat Express, with its advanced acceleration and deceleration features, is anticipated to considerably shorten this travel time, although the precise schedule has yet to be determined.
With the addition of this train, Central Railway will operate a total of five Vande Bharat Express trains from Mumbai, while Western Railway will maintain two services between Mumbai and Gujarat, including routes to Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. This will bring Maharashtra's total Vande Bharat Express count to 11, with additional routes from Nagpur and Pune, and potentially new services between Nagpur-Secunderabad and Pune-Hubli on the horizon.