Over 2.1 lakh passengers traveled on the premium Belagavi–KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express (Train 26751/26752) during its first ten months of commercial operations, according to official data released by the South Western Railway (SWR) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The data, obtained by RTI activist Varun Rao, tracks ridership from the train’s inaugural commercial run on August 11, 2025, through May 31, 2026.
A comprehensive analysis reveals strong demand across the route, with the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and the commercial hub of Belagavi emerging as the primary ridership drivers for the high-speed service.
Twin Cities and Belagavi Lead the Pack
A cumulative total of 2,10,842 passengers boarded both legs of the service during this period. While the service links north-western Karnataka to the capital, the traffic distribution highlights clear geographic strongholds.
When the ridership of the twin cities of Hubballi and Dharwad is combined, they collectively account for the highest passenger volume across the entire corridor. Individually, the highest absolute traffic flows directly between KSR Bengaluru and Hubballi, followed very closely by the Bengaluru–Belagavi segment.
Directional Breakdown: Demand Stronger Towards Belagavi
The RTI response shows a noticeable variation in patronage depending on the direction of travel, with the return leg from Bengaluru attracting nearly 30,000 more passengers.
- Train 26752 (SBC–BGM Leg): 1,19,052 passengers
- Train 26751 (BGM–SBC Leg): 91,790 passengers
Major Station-to-Station Passenger Volumes
1. Train 26751: Belagavi to KSR Bengaluru
On the morning run toward the capital, Hubballi leads the boardings for Bengaluru, followed closely by passengers departing from the originating station of Belagavi. Travel Sector Total Passengers Hubballi – Bengaluru 24,187 Belagavi – Bengaluru 20,379 Dharwad – Bengaluru 14,143 Davangere – Bengaluru 9,706
2. Train 26752: KSR Bengaluru to Belagavi
The afternoon return service from Bengaluru sees robust demand across all major stations, crossing the 27,000 passenger mark for both Hubballi and Belagavi destinations. Travel Sector Total Passengers KSR Bengaluru – Hubballi 29,029 KSR Bengaluru – Belagavi 27,609 KSR Bengaluru – Dharwad 18,759 KSR Bengaluru – Davangere 13,349
Intermediate Shorter Corridor Dynamics
The RTI data also highlights a steady volume of short-distance intra-state commuters utilizing the semi-high-speed train between intermediate stops.
On the inbound leg toward Bengaluru (26751), sectors like Yeshwantpur–Hubballi recorded 3,054 passengers, closely matched by Hubballi–Davangere (2,996) and Belagavi–Davangere (2,394).
The outbound leg (26752) mirrored this micro-demand, with Yeshwantpur–Davangere registering 4,089 passengers, Yeshwantpur–Hubballi taking 4,034, and KSR Bengaluru–Haveri serving 3,725 travelers.
The consistent baseline of over 21,000 passengers a month across the entire line demonstrates the Vande Bharat’s growing integration into Karnataka’s fast-paced intercity transit network.
