The fare for the eight-coach Vande Bharat Express is yet to be announced. Minister of State for Railways, V. Somanna, will attend the flag-off ceremony in Kolhapur, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the service via video conference on Monday.

Initially, a proposal for a Vande Bharat Express between Hubbali and Pune, with a stop at Kolhapur, was met with opposition from passengers in Miraj and Karnataka, who argued that it would increase travel time and distance. This led to demands from MP Dhananjay Mahadik, MP Dhairyasheel Mane, and local railway and passenger associations for a separate Vande Bharat Express on the Kolhapur-Mumbai and Hubbali-Pune routes.

In response, the railway ministry decided to run separate Vande Bharat Express trains on the Kolhapur-Pune and Hubbali-Pune routes.

MP Mahadik confirmed that the Kolhapur-Pune Vande Bharat Express will operate on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, departing Kolhapur at 8:15 am and arriving in Pune at 1:30 pm. The return journey will depart Pune at 2:30 pm, reaching Kolhapur by 7:40 pm, with stops at Satara, Karad, Kirloskarwadi, Sangli, and Miraj.

The Hubbali-Pune Vande Bharat Express will run on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, departing Hubbali at 5 am and arriving in Pune by 1:30 pm. The return journey will leave Pune at 2:15 pm, reaching Hubbali at 10:45 pm, with halts at Dharwad, Belagavi, Miraj, Sangli, and Satara.

Meanwhile, the Central Railway’s Pune division conducted a trial run of the Vande Bharat Express between Kolhapur and Pune on September 13. The train departed from Kolhapur railway station at 11 am.