Very true-the first 700kms strech of the track is hauled by diesel power before shifting to Electric-and also the strech till Secunderabad is majorly single an dpartly double and has some small ghats and gradients too to be crossed-so considering so many aspects this train is quite good with its performance overall-and overall you lose only one working day where you would well lose 1/2 a woking day travelling by flight(Even if its a 6:30 flight from NDLS, you need to be there at airport by 5:30, then travel for about 2 hrs reaching Bangalore at about 9 in the peak hour and by the time you reach your place in Bangalore it will be well over 11 if traffic is not too bad and place is close to the airport or just inside the city-and you need to get up by 4 in the morning too for reaching airport)

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