Pune is set to welcome two new Vande Bharat Express trains, marking a significant boost to the city's connectivity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate Pune’s first Vande Bharat Express on the Pune-Hubballi and Pune-Kolhapur on Monday. Union Minister for Cooperation and Civil Aviation, Muralidhar Mohol, will be present at the Pune station for the event.

Details of trains
The Pune-Kolhapur Vande Bharat Express will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays from September 18, 2024. Departing from Pune at 2:15 PM, it will reach Kolhapur by 7:40 PM, with halts at Satara, Karad, Kirloskarwadi, Sangli, and Miraj. The return journey from Kolhapur to Pune will run on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays, leaving Kolhapur at 8:15 AM and arriving in Pune at 1:30 PM.
Similarly, the Pune-Hubballi Vande Bharat Express will operate on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays starting September 19, 2024. The train will leave Pune at 2:15 PM and reach Hubballi by 10:45 PM, with halts at Satara, Sangli, Miraj, Belagavi, and Dharwad. The return train will depart from Hubballi on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 5:00 AM and arrive in Pune at 1:30 PM the same day.
Both services will feature 8-car Vande Bharat rakes, and reservations for these trains will be available from September 16, 2024, at all computerised reservation centers and on the IRCTC website.