The much awaited Mumbai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Sleeper train, also connecting Pune, is likely to start by next week, although an official confirmation from the Indian Railways is still awaited.

According to sources, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is expected to flag off this train at a special ceremony in Bengaluru on October 10 or 11.

This will be the first Vande Bharat Sleeper train in South India and will operate between SMVT Bengaluru and CSMT Mumbai, six days a week.

Bengaluru-Mumbai leg will take 16 hours and 5 minutes while the Mumbai-Bengaluru journey will be a little faster at 15 hours and 45 minutes.

The train will depart SMVT Bengaluru at 7.50 pm and reach CSMT Mumbai 11.55 am the next day. It will leave CSMT Mumbai for the return journey at 8.10 pm and reach SMVT Bengaluru the next day at 11.55 am.

The service is expected to have stoppages at Anantpur, Guntakal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan besides its originating and terminating stations.

The train would comprise of 16 Vande Bharat Coaches, manufactured by BEML under a program managed by Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.

While the official communication from the Railway Ministry is still awaited, sources indicate the launch is very likely to happen within the next few days.