After completion of trials, testing and certification, the government is all set to launch Vande Bharat’s first sleeper train on the Guwahati-Kolkata route with prices starting from nearly ₹2,300 up to ₹3,600 for various travel classes to Howrah, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday.
He said during a press conference that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon shut down the first sleeper train, according to ANI. He will reportedly open it within the next 15-20 days, around the 17th-18th. January.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Fare on Guwahati–Howrah route
Compared to Guwahati-Howrah ticket prices, which he said range between ₹6,000 a ₹8,000 and occasionally go as high as ₹10,000, Vaishnaw said, “In Vande Bharat Sleeper, the 3AC fare from Guwahati to Howrah was fixed at approx ₹2,300 which is quite affordable for regular travelers. Meanwhile, the 2AC fare will be around ₹3000. Moreover, considering the middle class, the price of First AC has been suggested at approx ₹3,600.”
The minister said the Vande Bharat sleeper train has been designed for long distance journeys of over 1000 kilometers and aims to offer passengers fast, comfortable and modern travel. He further said that the train is equipped with advanced safety features, improved suspension system and world-class sleeper cars to ensure greater comfort during night journeys.
Read also | ‘I didn’t expect this’: German tourist Vande Bharat’s experience goes viral
“For a long time, there was a demand for new generation trains. The Vande Bharat passenger car ushered in a new era of Indian Railways. People started liking it a lot. There are requests from all corners of the country to run Vande Bharat trains,” he added.
Vaishnaw said around 12 Vande Bharat sleeper trains are expected to be ready and inducted into the rail network by the end of this year, with plans to significantly expand their deployment next year.
The Indian Railways has successfully conducted the final high-speed trial of the indigenously designed and manufactured Vande Bharat sleeper train under the supervision of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS). The test was held on the Kota-Nagda section where the train reached a maximum speed of 180 kmph, marking a major milestone in India’s drive for advanced and self-sustaining railway technology, an ANI report noted.
The test involved extensive technical evaluations that included checks on driving stability, oscillations and vibrations, braking efficiency, emergency braking systems, safety mechanisms and other critical parameters, he said, adding that the CRS found the train’s high-speed performance fully satisfactory and declared the test a success.
Read also | The Vande Bharat Bengaluru-Ernakulam train will reduce the travel time by more than 2 hours
Features of Vande Bharat sleeper train
The 16-car Vande Bharat sleeper rakes used during the trial were designed for long-distance travel and are equipped with modern passenger amenities. These are said to include comfortable sleeping beds, advanced suspension, automatic doors, modern toilets, fire detection and security monitoring systems, CCTV surveillance, digital passenger information displays and energy-saving technologies, all aimed at ensuring safe, comfortable and first-class travel for passengers.
Vande Bharat sleeper trains are equipped with a number of advanced technological and safety features including:
- KAVACH train safety device
2. Impact-resistant semi-permanent tear-free couplings with anti-overhang devices
3. Fire doors at the end of each car
4. Increased fire safety through aerosol detection and fire suppression in electrical cabinets and toilets
5. Regenerative braking system for better energy efficiency
6. Air conditioning units equipped with their own disinfection based on a UV-C lamp
7. Centrally controlled automatic sliding doors and fully sealed wider aisles
8. CCTV surveillance in all buses
9. Emergency call units for communication between passengers and the train driver or locomotive
10. Special toilets in the management buses for passengers in Divyangjan
11. Centralized bus tracking system to monitor equipment such as air conditioning and lighting in real time
12. Ergonomically designed ladders facilitating access to upper beds
