Bangalore to Mangalore by Rail (or bus)

Hello all~~

can someone please direct me to a rail schedule from Bangalore to Mangalore?

how about a bus schedule?

Many thanks!

Have you tried www.redbus.in?

Train 6517 departs Bangalore City Jn daily at 20.55 and gets to Mangalore Central at 08.05

2-tier air con = Rs 835
3-tier air con = Rs 611
Sleeper Class (not air con) = Rs 227

There's a bit of history with the buses and trains on this route, when the rail line closed for gauge conversion the buses started charging 'over the odds' fares (I read Rs600++), the line was closed for a long time (something like 12 years), then when the line was ready to re-open (and trains were in place), there seemed a hundred obstacles preventing the line re-opening, the best reason was that the line may not be safe (though it was safe enough for heavier goods trains), local people thought the bus companies had some MP's helping them to keep the line closed, there were strikes in Mangalore, some people even threatened to set themselves on fire, eventually (more than a year later) the line re-opened.

Now that the bus companies have some competition, I wonder what the bus fares are now?

Whatever the bus fare, Sleeper Class has got to be better value, even though the train is slow.

Sleeper Class details & photos.

Annoying website.

I was searching for 55 days ahead.

You have to first find availability before you can view the timetable and cost, how ridiculous and annoying.

I eventually found availability and times/costs (Try Monday 21st April), maybe the site won't allow booking more than 6 weeks ahead, if that's the case, they should have a separate message explaining this when a user uses a date too far in advance.

I traveled this route by bus in Jan 2007, no problems and no rip off, no need to book, but the roads were in a bad way. Bangalore to Hassan, ordinary bus, road OK, went to the bus station in Bangalore told there was no need to book to get a bus to Hassan, got a seat on a bus going to Mangalore no problem. When I wanted to leave Hassan, just went to Hassan bus station and got on a bus, people I spoke with said just turn up, got on a bus with curtains at the windows 'cos it had a seat, the cheapest buses were quite full by the time they reached Hassan, the delux, not Volvo or AC, cost a little more than the basic bus, but was fine and had plenty of seats. The roads were something else but thanks to my beta blockers the washed away bits and hairpin bends did not cause me any inconvenient alarm. Perhaps I was lucky but the Karnatka state bus service was adequate for a daytime journey. I would have preferrred an overnight train, but wouldn't have got a glimpse of the western ghats and the spice plantations. Got talking to some guys in Mangalore who had taken an overnight sleeper bus from Bangalore and they had no complaints about price or availability.

As far as the timetable went they seemed to leave Bangalore at least every half hour during from the early morning until about 11:00 hrs. When I left Hassan at about 10:30 hrs I just bumbled around the bus station and people directed me to an appropriate bus and reassured me that I just needed to pay the conductor. They were very kind to me and seemed to regard their kindness as normal behavior.

Good Information; thank you my friends!

re. your question - i got an overnight bus quote from about 330-420 rps.

i will try for a train first, but think i won't be able on such short notice (2 days), in which case i will take a day bus, for the experience and scenery.

cheers.

a good bus during day time wud be good

cramped thou

train will be nauseating a bit, rather scenic

i am sure you had a good journey

Rather than train, I would suggest you take a bus. You can get a lot of night AC luxuary buses from the Majestic or Gandhinagar Area of Bangalore. AC sleeper coaches should cost more than Rs 500. Bus typically takes around 8 hours wheres train takes 12 hours.

Dear jeet,

Mr.indiatake1 had already performed journey, must be by Bus, on 21.4.2008 - a month ago!!!
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##It is understood that the Bangalore-Mangalore Road via Hasan(NH.48) is NOT in good condition; and hence, the Buses are taking little bit circutous route.
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##Can you confirm this?

But if you're travelling overnight then a 12-hour journey is almost always going to be preferable to an 8-hour one, as your departure and/or arrival times are going to be more convenient. And even SL class on a train (which I despise) will be more comfortable and safer than a sleeper bus.

Unfortunately, your beta blockers are not going to be of much help if the bus goes over the edge on one of those washed-away bits or hairpin bends...

Having come within a few centimetres of going over the edge on a journey from Kaza to Rekong Peo (due to a lethal combination of oncoming truck, poor brakes, crumbling road surface and blown tyre), I would never again take a bus in India if there were a train going even vaguely the same way.