We assist interested visitors in easily reaching Nandi Hills, following the commencement of electric train operations from Nandi Hills to Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru along with the train timings and fare
Starting from Monday, December 11, Bengaluru residents now have the option to travel to the popular weekend destination, Nandi Hills, situated approximately 60 km from the city, using an electric train.
Bengaluru to Nandi Hills electric train timings, route, tickets fare, stations and distance details
The South Western Railway, as reported by MoneyControl, has decided to extend the Mainline Electric Multiple Unit trains on the Devanahalli to Chikkaballapur route.
Last year MEMU trains were started to Kempegowda International Airport from different railway stations in Bengaluru and these are significantly cheaper for passengers as the Bengaluru airport express train fare is set at ₹30 – ₹35 per head. This compares to BMTC Vayu Vajra’s average fare of around ₹200 – ₹500 and cab fares through ride-hailing apps that can cost over ₹2,000 depending on the location.
Bengaluru: First electric train service to Nandi Hills from December 11,The trains are: 06531/06532 Bengaluru Cantonment-Chikballapur-Cantonment06535/06538 Chikkaballapur-Bengaluru Cantonment-Chikkaballapur and 06593/06594 Yeswantpur-Chikkaballapur-Yeswantpur😍
Sc-@moneycontrol pic.twitter.com/dd4HQPqs1f— Anirudh Pai (@AnirudhPai5) December 6, 2023
Which routes will these electric trains cover?
The Memu trains involved in this extension are 06593/06594 Yeswantpur-Chikkaballapur-Yeswantpur, 06531/06532 Bengaluru Cantonment-Chikballapur-Cantonment, and 06535/06538 Chikkaballapur-Bengaluru Cantonment-Chikkaballapur. Currently, trains like 16549/16550 KSR Bengaluru – Kolar- KSR Bengaluru Demu and 06387/06388 KSR Bengaluru-Kolar-Cantonment Diesel Multiple Unit make stops at Nandi station.
History enthusiast Siddharth Raja, who lives in Nandi Hills, highlighted that the Bhoganandishwara temple, situated at the foot of Nandi Hills, is approximately 1.4 km away from Nandi Station. To reach the summit of Nandi Hills, visitors must cover an additional distance of 15-18 km. Consequently, Raja proposed that the South Western Railway should focus on minimizing travel time.
Manjuu Nair, a student, voiced concern about the schedule, mentioning that for those who want to catch the sunrise at Nandi Hills, the planned morning Memu train from the city, arriving at Nandi halt station at 6:37 am, could be too late. Rail activist Rajkumar Dugar highlighted the issue of intermediate stations such as Bettahalsoor not being designated as stoppages due to agents refusing to work for a meager monthly salary of ₹1,500 to manage the halt stations.
Previously, the South Western Railway had arranged a one-day tour package featuring the 108-year-old heritage rail route that connects Bengaluru, Devanahalli, and Chikkaballapur. The itinerary encompassed visits to Devanahalli Fort, the Adiyogi bust at Chikkaballapur (Isha Foundation), restoration of heritage stations, and the organization of trains for sunrise at Nandi Hills, along with exploration of other historical sites.
The railway line from Devanahalli to Chikkaballapur holds historical significance as the first in the nation established through private enterprise during Sir M Visvesvaraya’s tenure as the Diwan of Mysore in 1915. It is worth mentioning that Sir M Visvesvaraya was born in Muddenahalli, Chikkaballapur.