Vande Bharat Sleeper Train to begin service within a month

KOCHI: Vande Bharat Sleeper Train, the prestigious project of the Indian Railways, will begin operations within a month. The first service will run from Delhi to Patna via Prayagraj as a Diwali gift. In the initial phase, services will also be introduced on the Mumbai, Howrah, Pune, and Secunderabad routes. Kerala will be included in the next phase, with proposed services on the Thiruvananthapuram–Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram–Mangaluru routes.

The coaches, equipped with modern facilities, are being manufactured by the public sector company BEML. The train will have AC First Class, AC 2-Tier, and AC 3-Tier coaches. Compared to the short-distance Vande Bharat trains, the sleeper version will offer more facilities. However, ticket fares will be higher than those of the Rajdhani Express. The final decision on fares and routes will be taken by the Railway Board.

• Number of coaches: 16
• Maximum speed: 180 km/h

Additional features: Reading lights, laptop charging points, public announcement system, visual information displays, CCTV cameras, modular pantry, disabled-friendly berths and toilets, and hot-water showers in First AC coaches.