Panaji, Dec 6 (IANS): Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Sunday flagged off the inaugural service of the Goa-Mumbai double-decker air-conditioned Shatabdi train, which will run thrice a week between Goa's Madgaon railway station and the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) in Mumbai.

The train was flagged off from Panaji via video conference by Prabhu, along with Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Naik.

Speaking on the occasion, Parsekar said the fully air-conditioned double-decker train was the first of its kind in the country and would help in boosting tourism.

"The train will help tourists to come to Goa in more numbers and in a more comfortable way. I am glad that the train, which will bring the tourists over to Goa, is in itself a novelty being the first fully air-conditioned double-decker train of its kind in India," Parsekar said.

The double-decker train has eight compartments with a seating capacity of 120 in each compartment and will cover the distance between Madgaon and LTT in around 12 hours.