The main railway station is west of the centre near Kempe Gowda Circle (tel: (080) 2228 7454 or 2287 6288). For the north of the city the station is Cantonment station (tel: (080) 226 8554); for the east there is Bangalore East (tel: (080) 548 5435) and there is Yesvantpur station in the northwest for trains to and from Goa.

The national rail operator is Indian Railways (website: www.indianrail.gov.in) and there are frequent express connections between Bangalore and all the main cities in southern and central India.

Train travel is the cheapest way of travel in India and the higher class prices offer good comfort and cleanliness. The classes are second class, first class non-air-conditioned, and first class air-conditioned. Some journeys can take more than 24 hours and the choice of overnight travel is chair class, executive class (with wide reclining seats), or sleeper class.