Let’s agree that the journey to Goa from Mumbai is almost as exciting as the holiday itself. Now, the Mumbai–Goa Vande Bharat Express is making that journey part of the experience, combining the changing Konkan landscape with modern interiors, onboard catering and a considerably faster ride between Mumbai and Goa.The train since its launch has been garnering amazing reviews from travellers. It recently caught attention once again after Bombay Begum famed actress Nauheed Cyrusi, shared her onboard experience. She took to Instagram and posted an interesting video of what she ate during her approximately eight-hour journey from Mumbai to Goa.The videoThe video shared on her social media and captioned,“All I ate on my 8 hr journey!”Her food diary offered a glimpse into the kind of service passengers can expect on board, from early-morning tea and breakfast to snacks and lunch.The video shows that at 6 AM, she was served a cup of hot tea with biscuits. Then the train staff served hot breakfast at 8 AM which consisted of white bread, upma, veg cutlet, and some french fries. The actress loved her lunch which comprises dal, chawal, roti and paneer curry with some dahi. What she did not like was the dessert which was sheera. Throughout the journey, the passengers were served chocolates, cupcakes and more.But food is only one part of why this Vande Bharat has become an increasingly preferred option for travellers heading towards Goa.More about Mumbai-Goa Vande BharatTrain Nos. 22229 and 22230 connect Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai with Madgaon Junction in Goa. The service was introduced in June 2023 and since then has become a preferred choice of travellers. The train was introduced as a faster and comfortable rail link between the two major travel destinations.The service has since become a regular part of travel on the Konkan corridor. As per the Railway Ministry’s 2026 information, the Mumbai CSMT–Madgaon Vande Bharat operates six days a week.What makes the journey different?The Mumbai–Goa route is particularly suited to train travel because of the scenery. As the train moves southwards from Mumbai, the landscape gradually changes from the dense urban surroundings of Mumbai to the greener Konkan belt, with hills, rivers, villages, plantations and stretches of the Western Ghats forming part of the journey.
IRIMEE-Jamalpur and IIT-Kharagpur sign a five-year MoU to provide advanced training on Vande Bharat and MEMU maintenance systems.
The seating is designed for daytime inter-city travel, making it particularly useful for couples, families, solo travellers and business travellers.And unlike air travel, there is no airport transfer at either end of the journey. Travellers starting from central Mumbai can board at CSMT and arrive at Madgaon, putting them directly into Goa’s rail network.It stops at several useful points along the Konkan routeIts scheduled halts include
- Dadar
- Thane
- Panvel
- Khed
- Ratnagiri
- Kankavali
- Thivim
And that’s why more travellers are choosing the train to reach Goa from Mumbai.The Mumbai–Goa route is seeing strong demand of its own. A 2026 report citing Konkan Railway data said the service had recorded occupancy above 105% in recent months, prompting plans to expand the rake from eight to 16 coaches.With rising demand, regular service and onboard catering, the Mumbai–Goa Vande Bharat is increasingly becoming more than just a faster train to Goa, for many travellers, it is becoming one of the ways to start the journey.