Vande Bharat sleeper coach, metro to be rolled out next year: Official

Sep 16, 2023 11:56 AM IST

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Vande Bharat Express, a part of the ‘Make in India’ campaign, is India’s first indigenous Semi High Speed trains launched in 2019.

The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) general manager BG Mallya said Saturday that the company will roll out the first Vande Bharat sleeper train in March 2024. "The first train is under production and will be rolled out in March 2024," said Mallya.

A glimpse of the Integral Coach Factory showing Vande Bharat trains at the facility, in Chennai.

The sleeper train version of the Vande Bharat is expected to be a significant addition to the chain, providing comfort to the passengers to travel long distances overnight.

The ICF is also developing a new type of Vande Bharat train called the Vande Metro. It will be a 12-coach train, designed for short-distance travel. "Vande Metro will be rolled out by January which will have 12 coaches," Mallya added.

In August, a senior railway official had also told that the first non-air-conditioned (AC) Vande Bharat train is expected to be launched in October. The move aims at offering cheaper travel without compromising on speed or comfort.

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Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch would be the latest city to get a Vande Bharat Express soon, Union minister Ashiwini Vaishnav had announced earlier.

Part of the ‘Make in India’ campaign, Vande Bharat Express series is India’s first indigenous Semi High Speed trains launched in 2019. The first train was flagged off on February 15, 2019, by Prime Minister Narendra, running between New Delhi and Varanasi. These trains are manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, Tamail Nadu.

They can run up to to a maximum speed of 160 kmph and have travel classes like Shatabdi train but with better facilities, the government said, endorsing its features on the website.

As per reports, the railways is prepared to launch nine semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express trains on several routes soon. Five out of these nine routes have reportedly been already assigned.