Bengaluru-Mumbai in 18 Hours? Railways Considers Duronto Express Amidst Slow Superfast Criticism

• Indian Railways is considering a Duronto Express service between Bengaluru and Mumbai to cut travel time to approximately 18 hours.
• This move comes after criticism of a recently approved bi-weekly 'superfast' service that takes nearly a full day for the 1,209 km journey.
• The earlier 'superfast' service (16553/16554 SMVT Bengaluru–LTT Mumbai) was scheduled with 14 stoppages and a longer travel duration than existing trains.
• The proposed Duronto Express would run between KSR Bengaluru and CSMT, Mumbai, with fewer stops and an estimated 18-hour travel time.
• Railway officials confirm no official communication on Duronto yet, while passenger groups advocate for a truly superfast and affordable connection.

Why It Matters: Railways may introduce a Duronto Express to significantly reduce Bengaluru-Mumbai travel time to 18 hours.