SWR to cancel Hubballi-Bengaluru Express permanently

According to SWR officials, the train has less than 34% seat occupancy occupancy and has been getting a poor response from the passengers.

Due to poor occupancy, Bengaluru-Hubballi Daily Express Special (train no.07353/07354) will be permanently cancelled from July 16.

The South Western Railway (SWR) started this daily express special train on March 23 this year with limited stoppages. The express train provides stoppages at Davangere, Birur, Arasikere, Tumakuru and Yeswanthpur before reaching KSR station.

The Bengaluru-Hubballi train departs from Bengaluru at 7:30 am and arrives in Hubballi at 2.30 pm. In the return direction, the train departs from Hubballi at 3.15 pm and reaches Bengaluru at 11.10 pm. The train has 16 coaches, including three AC classes and seven sleeper classes.

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According to SWR officials, the train has less than 34 per cent seat occupancy and has been getting a poor response from the passengers. Since it launched, there is no good response for the train and the railways have been operating this train with losses. Therefore, they have decided to cancel the train from July 16 onwards.

The train from Hubballi to Bengaluru has 30.17 per cent occupancy and the Bengaluru-Hubballi train has 37.15 per cent occupancy. Till July 5, the train completed 94 trips in each direction.

It can be recalled that the recently launched Vande Bharat Express train also leaves Bengaluru in the morning and reaches Hubballi before noon. In the return direction, it leaves Hubballi at noon and reaches Bengaluru late in the evening. Janashatabdi Express train is also operated on this route.