Indian Railways to Launch First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train by December
High-Speed Overnight Travel with World-Class Amenities Expected to Begin in Gujarat After Successful Trial Runs
Indian Railways' first Vande Bharat sleeper train is expected to be operational by the end of the year. This will be the third edition of the Vande Bharat series after the chair-car train launched in 2019. The first train of the Vande Bharat sleeper train is expected to operate in Gujarat. However, it is not yet officially clear.
U Subba Rao, General Manager, Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai, told a media organization that the first sleeper train of Vande Bharat is expected to leave the Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) plant in Bengaluru by September 20. After this, its trial run will be done. Its trial will last for one or two months. He said that the trial of the high-speed train is likely to be done on the North Western Railway zone.
A source said that based on the feedback received from the chair car Vande Bharat train, improvements are being made to reduce noise and strengthen the front nose cone to better withstand cattle collision. The train will also be equipped with a Kavach collision avoidance system. Other features include a stainless steel car body, crash-worthy passenger protection, GFRP interior panels, aerodynamic design, modular pantry, fire safety compliance (EN 45545), facilities for disabled passengers, automatic doors, sensor-based intercommunication and fire barrier doors. There will also be an ergonomic toilet system and an integrated reading light with USB charging.
In Vande Bharat Sleeper, Indian Railways plans to provide its passengers with a world-class travel experience on overnight journeys similar to Nightjet sleeper trains in Europe. There will be LED strips on the floor under the staircase for passengers going to the toilet when the lights are off at night. There will also be a separate berth for the train attendant.
In May 2023, an order was given to BEML Limited for the design and manufacture of 10 rakes of a 16-car Vande Bharat Sleeper train set. Its maximum operating speed will be 160-180 kmph. After trial runs, it can be commissioned by December 2024.