Bangalore-Mysore trains run full, thanks to road widening

Bangalore-Mysore trains run full, thanks to road widening
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Travellers from the city to Mysore are increasingly opting for rail over road, thanks to the ongoing road widening project on the Bangalore-Mysore highway.

The road has been dug up on either side, for six-laning. The project going on for over two years now, delays traffic and many times causes jams also.

In addition to the narrowed roads, there are also close to 80 speed breakers along the way. While a bus to Mysore would earlier take around three hours, it now takes four-and-a-half hours. An express train can make the same journey in two-and-a-half hours. Shatabdi is the fastest and takes a little less than two hours.

“All our trains to have been running full for over six months now. With the highway upgradation works delaying buses, more passengers are switching to trains, so they are always completely booked,” Railways officials told this website’s newspaper.

Trains are also cheaper. While the KSRTC Mysore Mallige (non-stop) fare is Rs 56, it is Rs 46 on any express train. Tickets on the passenger trains, which take around three hours, are priced at just Rs 25. With buses getting delayed routinely, people are now opting for the faster, cheaper means of transport.

“Earlier, I preferred taking the bus as there was one every few minutes, unlike trains, which are less frequent. But the difference in journey time is now so much that travelling by train makes more sense,” says Manasa, a software engineer who commutes between the two cities every weekend.

The Railways operate 13 pairs of trains daily between Bangalore and Mysore, with Chamundi Express early morning and Tipu Express in the afternoon being widely popular. The KSRTC runs 84 non-stop Mysore Mallige, 32 Rajahamsa and six Volvo trips to Mysore daily.