From today, SWR to run five pairs of MEMU express special trains to Bengaluru Airport

From Friday, air passengers and people working at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will have an economical option to travel between the city and the airport. The South Western Railway (SWR), on Thursday, announced that five pairs of MEMU trains will be introduced on the newly electrified line connecting the airport.

Operational difficulties that included the presence of a transmission line over the track had delayed the commissioning of MEMU services for a long time. Recently, the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) replaced the old transmission line, heightening the line as per the safety standards. Thereafter, the SWR carried out the trials of MEMU trains and decided to operate the new services.

Introduction of the new service is expected to benefit people travelling to the airport as they can travel paying ₹10 to ₹15 from city points.

Divisional Railway Manager (Bengaluru) Shyam Singh told The Hindu that the new train schedules have been fixed after consulting the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of the Bengaluru airport. “After clearing all safety hurdles for running MEMU trains, we are introducing the new services from Friday. The services have been introduced in consultation with the BIAL.”

In 2021, the SWR for the first time introduced five pairs of the DEMU services to the airport. However, the services received poor patronage. Eventually, the services were stopped owing to poor patronage and other operational constraints.

Rail activist K.N. Krishnaprasad said: “Reintroduction of the train services is a good development. The SWR should explore the possibility of running trains at other times also. In addition to this, there is a need to run trains from other locations in the city.”

Commuters have also demanded that the SWR to run trains to KIA from Yeshwantpur, Hosur, Whitefield, and other destinations. 

Schedule

The trains will be operated from KSR Bengaluru, Bengaluru Cantonment, and Yelahanka to Devanahalli. Train number 06531 leaves KSR Bengaluru at 4.55 a.m. and reaches the halt station located on the boundary of the Bengaluru airport at 6.20 a.m. From the opposite direction, train number 06532 leaves KIA halt station at 7.58 p.m. and reaches KSR Bengaluru at 9.20 p.m.

Train number 06533 will leave Devanahalli at 6.30 a.m. and reach Yelahanka at 7 a.m. The pairing train 06534 leaves Yelahanka at 7.45 a.m. and reaches KIA halt station at 8.03 a.m.

Train number 06535 will leave Devanahalli at 8.50 a.m. and reach Bengaluru Cantonment at 10.10 a.m. Train 06536 leaves Cantonment at 12.20 p.m. and reaches KIA halt station at 1.20 p.m.

Train number 06537 leaves KIA halt station at 2.07 p.m. and reaches Cantonment at 3.15 p.m. Train 06538 leaves Cantonment at 4 p.m. and reaches KIA halt station at 5.14 p.m.

Train number 06539 leaves KIA halt station at 5.58 p.m and reaches Yelahanka at 6.20 a.m. From the opposite direction, train 06540 leaves Yelahanka at 7.15 p.m. and reaches KIA halt station at 7.37 p.m.

SWR has also introduced a MEMU train from Sir. M. Visvesvaraya Terminal in Baiyappanahalli to KSR Bengaluru. The train 06523 leaves the new terminal at 3.15 a.m. and reaches Majestic at 4 a.m. On the opposite direction, the train 06524 leaves Majestic at 9.30 p.m. and reaches the Baiyappanahalli terminal at 10.05 p.m.