It traverses the Western Ghats and covers a distance of 457 kilometres (284 mi) across Goa, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

[4] In December 1887, The total length of existing meter gauge railway track in the Goan Territory of 43 km between Mormugao-Sanvordem via Vasco da Gama was inaugurated.

An autonomous body named Junta Autónoma dos Portos e Caminhos de Ferro do Estado da Índia ("Autonomous Board of the Ports and Railways of the State of India") constituted by the Portuguese Government took over the administration of the Port and Railway on 1 April 1961 from Western India Portuguese Railway on the termination of the contract.

[citation needed] However, in 1962 upon the annexation of Goa on 19 December 1961, administration of the Port and its connected railway was taken over by the Government of India on 8 January 1962.

[citation needed] In 1996-1997 the Konkan Railway was connected with the Mormugao Railway, in a contiguous stretch of approximately 15 km between Margao and Vasco da Gama.