This travelogue is an account of my short trip from Bangalore Cantonment (BNC) to Jolarpettai (JTJ) on the inaugural Mysore – Chennai Vande Bharat Express. Read on to have a quick glimpse of South India’s first Vande Bharat Express – the arrangements en route, the cab view, the snacks, seating, ride quality, and more.
11.11.22 – The Inaugural Day
Almost a month ago, South India’s first Vande Bharat Express was flagged off by PM Narendra Modi from Bangalore to Chennai Central whereas the commercial run from Chennai Central to Mysore to Chennai Central was to start from the next day, i.e. 12th November 2022.
On the inaugural run, the train was to run on an open schedule (Bangalore City departure – 10:25 & Chennai Central arrival – 17:20) halting at all the stations. Various programmes were also planned at some of these stations by the local leaders/MLAs/Railway union leaders, etc.
The souvenir ticket for the inaugural run looked something like this:
Bangalore Cantonment (BNC) – The Arrangements
At Bangalore Cantt., there were a plethora of people – railway officials, TTEs, media personnel, research students, etc. waiting to board the Vande Bharat Exp. The snacks and lunch were also to be loaded from here for all the passengers onboard the inaugural special. A helpdesk was also set up near the entrance.
The SWR Railfans Gang
(From L to R: Karthik MV, Rakesh Joshi, Vibin Andrews with his son, Ganesh Iyer, Abhilash T, Deepak S, yours truly, & Sathya NT. Missing members are Pawan Koppa & Colin Peter who joined us after a few mins)
The above gang were to board the inaugural Vande Bharat special from Cantt. A couple more members – Shashank K & Akshay Inamdar were to board from Baiyyapanahalli.
The inaugural (at Bangalore City) was on the dot and while we were watching the proceedings on the TV, there was a slight commotion as the RPF started whistling and asking everyone to move away from the tracks.
Around 10:16, the Vande Bharat Exp. made a grand entry into Bangalore Cantt. station.
The whole rake was shining bright and every mobile/camera was busy capturing the Vande Bharat Exp. As the train halted, the automatic doors opened and we made our way inside the coach.
The Interiors
The coach interiors were spick and span. Every seat was provided with a tray table, an adjustable light on the top, a bottle holder, and charging sockets. The windows were huge and there was also a shelf on the top to keep luggage.
The Chair Car seats, in a 2×3 configuration, were hard (maybe since the rake just came out of the factory). The recline was good and comfortable for the long journey.
The Executive Chair Car seats, in a 2×2 configuration, were hard as well. But the good part is, these seats can be rotated to face the window.
Departure from Bangalore Cantt. & Ride Quality
Touted as India’s first indigenous high-speed train, the ride quality is top-notch. The acceleration is superb and in no time, we were out of the station and rushing towards the next stop, Baiyyapanahalli.
No jerks or oscillations are felt inside the coach and, in fact, you can’t even hear any engine or external noise. The ride is silent and as smooth as a butter.
Along the way, we were also greeted by media personnel from Public TV and Asianet Suvarna News who took our interview along with clicking photos. All the passengers were also given a 500ml water bottle along with a paper cup.
Snacks & Lunch
Half an hour into the departure from Bangalore Cantt., we were all given a box of snacks consisting of a samosa, ketchup sachet, laddoo, and Tropicana apple juice.
Around 12:00, lunch was served and consisted of – curd rice, bisibele bath, chole sabzi, pickle, chapati, and a sweet dish.
The efficient catering staff were on their toes making quick rounds up/down the aisle to pick up empty plates and bottles. Tea and coffee were also available on board.
As mentioned earlier, we were stopping at all the stations en route. At some of the stations, school kids waving the Indian flag welcomed us with claps and cheers while at some stations there were local leaders performing puja along with the village folk and IR staff.
Snacks and lunch packets were also distributed to the people at all the stations.
The Cab View
The Loco Pilot cab, on the Vande Bharat Exp., is the best place for a railfan to be in. The IR staff/Loco Inspector were generous enough to let some of the passengers inside and the view was just amazing.
Rest of the Journey, Reaching Jolarpettai, & Bidding Goodbye to VB
With slight drizzle accompanying us all through, the weather was just awesome for the inaugural run. The rest of the journey was uneventful and apart from a few crossings and overtakes, it was a smooth ride all the way to Jolarpettai where I was to get down and catch a train back to Bangalore.
Around 14:00 hrs, the train reached Jolarpettai where it was also the time for crew change – SR (Southern Railway’s) loco pilots taking over from their SWR (South Western Railways) counterparts. Also, quite a few officials from SR boarded the train while officials from SWR deboarded and prepared to head back to their base (Bangalore).
The rains had become heavier and I quickly headed to the catering staff to grab a cup of hot coffee. In the meantime, the Vande Bharat honked and departed for its journey towards Chennai. Within no time, it disappeared in the rain while Sanghamitra Exp. from Danapur pulled into the adjacent platform.
Some More Pictures
End Note
The inaugural ride to Jolarpettai on South India’s first Vande Bharat connecting Chennai & Mysore was a memorable one. It was also a reunion of sorts for the SWR railfans gang.
My return journey to Bangalore was not as pleasant as my train was delayed by almost 2.5 hours but then I had no complaints. Back home, it was time to rest and soak in all the memories of a day well spent. Until next time, goodbye!
Related Post: List of 222 Amazing Books to Discover the Magnificent Indian Railways
Disclaimer – This travelogue is not a review but just an account of the special inaugural run. If you are interested in reading a detailed review, please do check out this post by Mr Sridhar Joshi who travelled from Chennai to Mysore along with a bunch of other railfans.
Nicely penned 👌🏼. Brought back vivid memories of the full trip. A wonderful one!
Thanks, Abhilash. Glad you liked it 🙂
Lovely journey…is there any way by which travel enthusiast like me can board this train on its inaugural run day?
Kindly share….
Well, you need to reach out to the divisional office and see if they can issue a ticket/pass for you.