Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that India’s Vande Bharat sleeper trains will start service once the second train rake is ready. One train has already completed all trials and testing and is now stationed at the Shakur Basti Coaching Depot in Delhi.
Vaishnaw said the second train is still under production and is expected to be ready by October 15 this year. “Both the trains will be launched together,” he said, adding, “That’s why we are waiting for a second rake. Once we get it, we will decide [on routes] route and start operations” reported CNBC TV18.
India’s First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train: Routes, Speed, Launch Date and Key Features
Some reports suggest that the first Vande Bharat sleeper train may start operations on the New Delhi-Patna route. The trains are designed to provide comfortable overnight travel with modern facilities, allowing passengers to cover long distances efficiently. The sleeper version aims to make long journeys more convenient while keeping the speed and quality features of the Vande Bharat series.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains: New Railway Projects
During a briefing with the Minister of State for Railways, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Vaishnaw also reviewed ongoing and upcoming railway projects in Punjab. One major project is the proposed 18 km Rajpura–Mohali rail line, which will directly connect the two towns via the shortest route along the Ambala-Amritsar main line. This new line will reduce travel by about 66 kilometres, ease congestion on the Rajpura-Ambala corridor, and shorten the Ambala-Morinda link.
New Routes
Vaishnaw also proposed a new Vande Bharat route between New Delhi and Firozpur Cantonment. The train will pass through Faridkot, Bhatinda (W), Dhuri, Patiala, Ambala Cantonment, Kurukshetra, and Panipat, covering a total distance of 486 kilometres in roughly seven hours. He said, “I will request the Prime Minister to approve the Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat train.”
Railways to upgrade Vande Bharat trains with more coaches on 7 routes amid rising demand
Station Upgrades
The minister announced that 30 railway stations in the region are being modernised under the Amrit Bharat Station Redevelopment Scheme.
On train operations, he highlighted improvements in punctuality, noting that 29 rail divisions including Malda, Mysore, Sialdah, Nagpur, and Trivandrum have achieved 90% on-time performance.
