Mangaluru: The trial run of the Mangaluru-Madgaon semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express was flagged off at the Mangaluru central railway station on Tuesday.

The flag-off ceremony was conducted in the presence of Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, local MLAs and railway officials.

The train which departed Mangaluru central at 8.30 am will reach Madgaon at 1.15 pm. On its return, it will leave Madgaon at 1.45 pm and reach Mangaluru at 6.30 pm. The train has stops at Udupi and Karwar.

The regular operations of the Vande Bharat Express will start on December 30.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the new train along with six other Vande Bharat trains in other states on the day.

An official announcement in this regard is awaited, railway sources said.