Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 29 (IANS): Kerala State BJP president K. Surendran on Monday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for giving a third Vande Bharat train for the state which will run tri-weekly between Bengaluru and Kochi starting from Wednesday.

"On behalf of all Keralites, I extend heartfelt gratitude to PM @narendramodi Ji and Railway Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw Ji for launching the Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express from July 31. This triweekly service which is Kerala's third Vande Bharat Express will significantly enhance connectivity between Kerala and Karnataka, reducing travel time and providing a comfortable journey for passengers," Surendran said in a post on X.

The tri-weekly train will depart from Ernakulam at 12.50 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. It will stop at Thrissur, Palakkad, Podanur, Tirupur, Erode and Salem and reach Bengaluru at 10 p.m. On its return, the train will depart at 5.30 a.m. and reach Ernakulam at 2.20 p.m. on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays.

As of now, two Vande Bharat Express trains are operating in the state on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru routes.

The two present Vande Bharat trains in the state have been hugely successful with a huge demand for tickets.