Trains for daily commute in and around Bengaluru!

You ask any resident of Bengaluru city about the traffic ordeals he/she goes through on a daily basis. You will hear one common answer—it is getting worse every day. Though it is more than seven years for Namma Metro in construction, the city will have to wait for one more year or so, to see its first phase fully implemented. Once completed, it will give some respite to those who live or work in its catchment areas. But, those who do not live or work around the Namma Metro route, keep asking what is in for them.

More than their quest for reliable Public Transport system, it is in Bengaluru City’s interest to have additional mass public transport systems to be sustainable in long run. Now the residents tired of daily traffic ordeals are stepping out and venturing out to find additional modes of Public Transport system other than BMTC Buses without having to wait for Metro to complete. Are there any other choices for daily commute?

Trains are the most sustainable mode of transport

Suburban Train Routes

Much before the Bengaluru city started to encounter the unprecedented growth and traffic issues, city residents from the city and its suburbs including the surrounding towns of Ramanagarm, Tumkur, Bangarpet and Doddaballapur have been using the regular long distance trains for their daily commute. One main reasons being travel by trains is economical, when compared to KSRTC buses. The railway’s monthly and quarterly season passes work out cheaper. KSRTC didn’t offer monthly pass system then.

In 80s, KSRTCS fare from Bengaluru to Ramanagram used to be Rs 6 whereas railway monthly season pass worked out to be Rs 45. Moreover the predictability of arrival/departure timings is the big plus which people like about trains. These two factors weighed very much on people to use trains for their daily commute.

Even today, single fare in train to Ramangaram is Rs 20, the monthly pass works out be Rs 300. Can there be a more economical option than this? Though it may not be the ideal fare given the high cost of operations, this is what the railway offers today. It can go higher to sustain the operational cost. But it will still work out to be cheaper than using personal vehicles or buses. More importantly, it is sustainable and environmental-friendly choice.

Now in 2015, the choice to use trains for the daily commute has much more rationale than before. Incidentally a lot of younger generation is now opting for the trains for their daily commute. According to 2012 RITES report, there are about 1.5 to 2 lakh commuters who use trains on daily basis in and around Bengaluru City. It will only increase, not decrease, even though there hasn’t been much effort from South Western Railway which serves Bengaluru City, suburbs and the surrounding towns to address this segment.

Small gestures

Since 2010, owing to public pressure and pressure from railway ministers from the state, SWR has added a couple of dedicated suburban trains to Hosur, Devanahalli, Nelamangala and the recent DEMU service to Ramanagaram. Though not all of them are at convenient times, still people continue to patronise the services. The services towards the city during morning hours, and from the city during evenings run full. This only points to the urgent need for a full-fledged ‘suburban train’ services. Are the governments, both at the state and centre, listening?

A number of citizens groups have been active on this issue. Prominent among them are Praja-RAAG, Whitefield Rising, Citzens4Better Bengaluru and associations like WACIA, WEPPIA etc. With their constant efforts and liaison with area MPs, in next 6-9 months there would be a new halt station at Hoody/ITPL area in Whitefield. The station is being funded by MPLADS funds of the Bangalore Central MP P C Mohan. Their demand for extending Ramangaram-SBC service to Whitefield is still to be fulfilled, but the demand is being considered.

Suburban train timings

Now a new initiative has been started to publicise the various trains that runs between Bengaluru and various towns around it. Facebook is being used as media to disseminate information on trains and their timings in respective directions. It is being promoted by Namma Railu advocacy group from Praja-RAAG. The promoters of this campaign are hoping that people will benefit from this information and hopefully would start using it based on their convenience.

Towards Chikkaballapur          
No. Name Type From Dep ↑↑ To Arr
76551 Bangalore City – Kolar DEMU SBC* 8:30 CBP 10:50
6595 Yesvantpur – Chikballapur Pass YPR* 10:35 CBP* 12:15
56525 Bangalore City – Chikballapur Pass SBC* 18:10 CBP* 19:45
From Chikballapur          
No. Name Type From Dep ↑↑ To Arr
56526 Chik Ballapur – Bangalore Pass CBP* 7:55 SBC* 9:45
6596 Chikballapur – Yesvantpur Pass CBP* 12:40 YPR* 14:35
76552 Kolar – Bangalore City DEMU CBP 15:55 SBC* 18:00
Towards Doddaballapur            
No. Name Type From Via Dep ↑↑ To Arr
56503 Bangalore Cantt. – Vijaywada Pass BNC* BNC 7:40 DBU 8:54
56523 Bangalore City – Hindupur Pass SBC* YPR 17:45 DBU 18:41
12786 Bengaluru City – Kachiguda SF SBC* BNC 18:20 DBU 19:24
11302 Udyan Express (PT) Exp SBC* BNC 20:30 DBU 21:39
16592 Hampi Express Exp SBC 6 22:00 DBU 22:59
16594 Bangalore City-Hazursaheb Nanded Exp SBC* YPR 22:45 DBU 23:39
From Doddaballapur            
No. Name Type From Via Dep ↑↑ To Arr
16593 Hazur Sahib Nanded-Bangalore Exp DBU YPR 3:20 SBC* 5:30
16591 Hampi Express Exp DBU BNC 4:35 SBC 6:10
12785 Kacheguda – Bengaluru SF DBU BNC 5:04 SBC* 6:25
11301 Udyan Express Exp DBU BNC 7:02 SBC* 8:50
56524 Hindupur – Bangalore Pass DBU YPR 7:52 SBC* 9:25
56504 Vijayawada – Bangalore Pass DBU BNC 14:40 BNC* 17:10
Towards Tumkur          
No. Name Type From Dep ↑↑ To Arr
56925 Bangalore- Tumkur Passenger Pass SBC* 5:30 TK* 6:50
56917 Bangalore – Shimoga Pass SBC* 6:30 TK 7:53
56913 Bangalore- Hubli Fast Pass SBC* 6:30 TK 7:53
56519 Bangalore – Chitradurga Pass SBC* 7:45 TK 9:16
56515 Bangalore City – Hubli Pass SBC* 7:45 TK 9:18
56221 Bangalore Tumkur Passenger Pass SBC* 9:20 TK* 11:05
56225 Bangalore – Tumkur Passenger Pass SBC* 13:40 TK* 15:25
56278 Yesvantpur – Chikkamagalur Pass YPR* 15:15 TK 16:48
16201 Bangalore City-Shimoga Exp SBC* 15:30 TK 16:38
16577 Yeshvantpur – Harihar Exp YPR* 16:15 TK 17:28
56227 Bangalore City – Shimoga Pass SBC* 16:30 TK 18:03
56223 Bangalore Arsikere Passenger Pass SBC* 18:20 TK 20:00
16535 Gol Gumbaz Express Exp SBC 18:45 TK 20:33
16589 Rani Chennamma Express Exp SBC* 21:15 TK 22:25
56909-Slip Bangalore City-Hospet Pass SBC* 22:15 TK 23:43
56909 Bangalore City-Hubli Pass SBC* 22:15 TK 23:43
16227 Bangalore-Talguppa Express Exp SBC* 23:00 TK 0:18
From Tumkur          
No. Name Type From Dep ↑↑ To Arr
16228 Talguppa-Bangalore Express Exp TK 2:35 SBC* 4:30
56912 Hubli Bangalore Fast Pass TK 3:10 SBC* 5:15
56910 Hospet – Bangalore Passenger Pass TK 3:10 SBC* 5:15
16590 Rani Chennamma Express Exp TK 5:40 SBC* 7:00
16536 Gol Gumbaz Express Exp TK 6:30 SBC 8:10
56224 Arsikere- Bangalore Passenger Pass TK 7:20 SBC* 9:10
56926 Tumkur- Bangalore Passenger Pass TK* 8:15 SBC* 9:50
56228 Shimoga Bangalore Passenger Pass TK 8:45 SBC* 11:20
16202 Shimoga Town -Bangalore Exp TK 10:25 SBC* 11:55
56222 Tumkur Bangalore Passenger Pass TK* 11:20 SBC* 13:10
56277 Chikkamagalur – Yesvantpur Pass TK 12:00 YPR* 14:15
56226 Tumkur Bangalore Passenger Pass TK* 15:50 SBC* 17:40
56516 Hubli – Bangalore City Pass TK 17:50 SBC* 20:10
56914 Hubli – Bangalore passenger Pass TK 19:10 SBC* 21:15
Towards Ramanagaram          
No. Name Type From Dep ↑↑ To Arr
16021 Kaveri Express Exp SBC 4:00 RMGM 4:44
56233 Bangalore-Mysore Pass Pass SBC* 5:00 RMGM 5:54
16591 Hampi Express Exp SBC 6:30 RMGM 7:19
16235 Tuticorin – Mysore Exp Exp SBC 7:00 RMGM 7:49
56214 Tirupati – Chamarajanagar Pass SBC 7:30 RMGM 8:24
16536 Gol Gumbaz Express Exp SBC 8:15 RMGM 9:01
56232 Bangalore – Mysore Pass SBC* 9:20 RMGM 10:17
16558 Bengaluru City- Myso… Exp SBC* 10:30 RMGM 11:18
17308 Basava Express Exp SBC 11:15 RMGM 12:01
16024 Malgudi Express Exp SBC 13:20 RMGM 14:08
56282 Bangalore Chamarajanagar Pass SBC* 15:30 RMGM 16:26
6540 Bengaluru City – Ramanagaram DEMU SBC* 16:30 RMGM* 17:40
16216 Chamundi Express Exp SBC* 18:15 RMGM 19:04
56238 Bangalore-Mysore Pass SBC* 19:00 RMGM 19:54
16517 Bangalore City – Kannur Exp SBC* 20:30 RMGM 21:15
16523 Bangalore City – Karwar Exp SBC* 20:30 RMGM 21:15
56264 Night Queen Pass Pass SBC* 23:55 RMGM 0:54
From Ramanagaram          
No. Name Type From Dep ↑↑ To Arr
56263 Night Queen Pass Pass RMGM 2:00 SBC* 4:00
56231 Mysore – Bangalore Pass Pass RMGM 7:38 SBC* 9:00
16215 Chamundi Express Exp RMGM 8:25 SBC* 9:30
16023 Malgudi Express Exp RMGM 9:50 SBC 11:10
56281 Chamarajanagar Bangalore Pass RMGM 10:35 SBC* 12:00
17307 Basava Express Exp RMGM 15:05 SBC 16:40
16557 Mysore – Bengaluru City Exp RMGM 15:50 SBC* 17:10
56237 Mysore-Bangalore Pass RMGM 16:30 SBC* 18:00
16535 Gol Gumbaz Express Exp RMGM 17:05 SBC 18:25
6539 Ramanagaram – Bangaluru DEMU RMGM* 18:35 SBC* 19:50
56213 Chamarajanagar – Tirupati Pass RMGM 18:50 SBC 20:15
16236 Mysore-Tuticorin Express Exp RMGM 19:20 SBC 21:00
16210 Mysore-Ajmer Express Exp RMGM 19:50 SBC 21:30
16592 Hampi Express Exp RMGM 20:15 SBC 21:50
56234 Mysore Bangalore Pass Pass RMGM 20:48 SBC* 22:25
16022 Kaveri Express Exp RMGM 22:00 SBC 23:25
Towards Whitefield          
No. Name Type From Dep ↑↑ To Arr
56510 Bangalore Marikuppam… Pass SBC* 7:00 WFD 7:44
12610 Bangalore-Chennai In… SF SBC 8:12 WFD 8:34
56262 Bangalore – Arakkona… Pass SBC* 8:45 WFD 9:24
66530 Bangalore Bangarpet … MEMU SBC* 9:45 WFD 10:21
76511 Bangalore Marikuppam… DEMU SBC* 12:20 WFD 12:59
66532 Bangalore – Marikupp… MEMU SBC* 14:45 WFD 15:22
16520 Bangalore Jolarpetta… Exp SBC* 17:30 WFD 18:06
56508 Swarna Passenger (Un… Pass SBC* 18:05 WFD 18:47
16522 Bangalore Bangarapet… Exp SBC* 19:35 WFD 20:11
76520 Bangalore city Marik… DEMU SBC* 20:15 WFD 20:49
56213 Chamarajanagar – Tir… Pass SBC 20:45 WFD 21:21
16022 Kaveri Express Exp SBC 23:45 WFD 0:23
From Whitefield          
No. Name Type From Dep ↑↑ To Arr
16021 Kaveri Express Exp WFD 2:25 SBC 3:30
56214 Tirupati – Chamaraja… Pass WFD 5:15 SBC 6:55
16525 Island Express Exp WFD 6:00 SBC* 7:20
76519 Marikuppam Bangalore… DEMU WFD 6:20 SBC* 7:40
16519 Jolarpettai Bangalor… Exp WFD 6:55 SBC* 8:00
56507 Swarna Passenger (Un… Pass WFD 8:05 SBC* 9:15
66529 Kuppam Bangalore ME… MEMU WFD 8:30 SBC* 9:30
76512 Marikuppam Bangalore… DEMU WFD 9:29 SBC* 10:30
17210 Seshadri Express (PT… Exp WFD 11:15 SBC* 12:30
66531 Bangarapet Bangalore… MEMU WFD 13:22 SBC* 14:20
56509 Marikuppam Bangalore… Pass WFD 15:30 SBC* 17:00
56261 Arakkonam – Bangalor… Pass WFD 17:50 SBC* 18:45
12609 Chennai-Bangalore In… SF WFD 19:02 SBC 19:33
16521 Bangarapet-Bangalore… Exp WFD 22:25 SBC* 23:25
Towards Hosur          
No. Name Type From Dep ↑↑ To Arr
6591 Yesvantpur – Hosur Pass Pass YPR* 6:30 HSRA* 8:00
56514 Bangalore City – Karaikal Pass SBC* 7:15 HSRA 8:32
76523 Yesvantpur- Hosur DEMU DEMU YPR* 14:55 HSRA* 16:30
56242 Yesvantpur – Salem Pass Pass YPR* 16:05 HSRA 17:31
17235 Bengaluru City – Nagercoil Exp SBC* 17:00 HSRA 18:09
76553 Bangalore Dharmapuri DEMU SBC* 18:30 HSRA 19:35
16232 Mysore – Mayiladuthur Exp SBC 19:00 HSRA 20:03
16527 Yesvantpur – Kannur Exp YPR* 20:00 HSRA 21:08
16236 Mysore-Tuticorin Express Exp SBC 21:15 HSRA 22:23
11013 Mumbai LTT – Coimbatore Exp SBC 22:15 HSRA 23:13
From Hosur          
No. Name Type From Dep ↑↑ To Arr
16231 Mayiladuthurai – Mysore Exp HSRA 3:45 SBC 5:50
16235 Tuticorin – Mysore Exp Exp HSRA 4:45 SBC 6:40
16528 Kannur – Yesvantpur Exp HSRA 5:10 YPR* 8:00
76554 Dharmapuri Bangalore DEMU HSRA 6:33 SBC* 8:10
17236 Nagercoil-Bengaluru Exp HSRA 7:00 SBC* 9:05
6592 Hosur-Yesvantpur Pass Pass HSRA* 8:15 YPR* 9:50
56241 Salem – Yesvantpur Pass Pass HSRA 8:30 YPR* 10:45
11014 Coimbatore – Mumbai Exp HSRA 14:20 SBC 15:45
56513 Karaikal Bangalore City Pass HSRA 16:45 SBC* 19:00
76524 Hosur-Yesvantpur DEMU DEMU HSRA* 17:50 YPR* 19:20
12678 Ernakulam-Bengaluru City SF HSRA 18:15 SBC* 19:50

The information can also be accessed at https://www.facebook.com/BengaluruSuburbanTrains

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About Khader B Syed 9 Articles
Born in Bangalore, engineer by education and profession, Currently based in USA. Co-Founder, Praja - RAAG (Research, Analysis and Advocacy Group).

4 Comments

  1. sir
    from yeshwantha pura number of trains is departing in between 1 30 p m to 4 30 pm

    this trains are neather full from passingers nor this timings help full to

    traveles so our request is to arrange this trains with regular intervals

    minimum an hour gap

    say 1.15 siddaganga inter city

    2.15 tumkur passinger

    3.15 chikkamangalore

    4.15 shivamoga inter city

    5.15 shivamoga passinger

    6.00 basava experess from tumkur side

    6.30 on wards regular trains

  2. although here are n number of trains commuting between bangalore to tumkur none of them are on time and especially for office goers. either it is too early as 7:45 ( 2 trains ). The conveyance by train is good only for commuters between tumkur bangalore tumkur and not bangalore -tumkur bangalore. A slight change in the train timings bot morning and evening ie from yeshvanthpur at 9 towards tumkur instead of 9:25 and sharp 5:45 from tumkur towards bangalore will help a lot of commuters to save time and money. My earnest request to shedule this timimgs.

  3. Please arrange for some local trains from K.R.Puram to Yeshwanthpur so that the dependabilty on cabs,buses will come down.

  4. It would be interesting to get a chart for stations like Byappanahalli, KR Puram, etc.

    For eg, there are also a few other trains to KR Puram – Sanghamitra express 12295 which leaves around 9 from City station and reaches around 9:30 AM.
    Byappanahalli has some more trains like the ones going towards Kolar. (76551)

    The Arakkonam passenger(56262) that leaves at 8:45 AM is a sad train that is always de-prioritised. I spent 3 months commuting between the City and KR Puram and have seen this train being on time maybe twice max. It is usually made to stand by at Byappanahalli so that the SF Sanghamitra express can go ahead.
    In general, if you have to take a train to get to work in Whitefield the best option is the Chennai SF(12610), which is usually on time, maybe 10 mins late max.

Comments are closed.