Rlys to run five special trains on Bilaspur-Bengaluru route

Raipur: The railway administration on Tuesday announced the operation of special trains between Bilaspur and Yelahanka (Bengaluru) to manage the surge in passenger traffic during the summer vacation season. The service aims to provide additional berths and improve travel convenience for passengers heading to southern India.

According to railway officials, Train No 08261 Bilaspur-Yelahanka Summer Special will run every Wednesday from June 3 to July 1, while Train No 08262 Yelahanka-Bilaspur Summer Special will operate every Thursday from June 4 to July 2. The trains will complete five trips in each direction.

The special train will consist of 20 coaches, including four general coaches, 10 sleeper coaches, four AC III-tier coaches and two SLRD coaches, catering to passengers across different travel segments.

Departing from Bilaspur at 2 pm, the train will halt at major stations including Bhatapara, Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Gondia, Balharshah, Secunderabad, Guntakal, Anantapur and Dharmavaram before reaching Yelahanka at 7 pm the following day.

On the return journey, the train will depart from Yelahanka at 9.30 pm and pass through key stations in Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh before arriving at Bilaspur at 3.30 am on the third day.

Railway officials said the special service has been introduced in response to heavy demand during the holiday season and is expected to benefit passengers travelling between Chhattisgarh and Bengaluru, a major destination for students, professionals and tourists.