Vande Bharat Sleeper: Good news for railway passengers. Indian Railways is gearing up to enhance the availability of Vande Bharat sleeper trains for long-distance travelers. To accomplish this, 50 new train sets will be produced at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, each consisting of 24 coaches. Presently, the Vande Bharat Express mainly serves as a chair car for daytime journeys, but there is a growing demand for sleeper trains for overnight travel. In response, the Railways is now emphasizing the sleeper train variant.
This initiative is part of Indian Railways’ strategy to enhance long-distance travel by offering rapid, comfortable, and contemporary trains for overnight passengers. The introduction of the new train sets is expected to elevate the significance of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train in premium railway travel. The design for the 24-coach indigenous Vande Bharat Sleeper train set has been finalized.
The upcoming 24-coach train will accommodate approximately 1.5 times more passengers than the current 16-coach train, providing enhanced convenience for long-distance travelers. The design of the 24-coach Vande Bharat sleeper train has been confirmed, encompassing the coach structure, interconnection system, and undercarriage equipment.
Although the exact number of coaches in different classes for the 24-coach train has not been officially disclosed, it is anticipated to include 17 AC 3-tier, 5 AC 2-tier, 1 AC first class, and 1 pantry car. The current Vande Bharat Sleeper train, operating between Howrah and Kamakhya, comprises a total of 16 coaches, encompassing 11 AC 3-tier, 4 AC 2-tier, and 1 AC First Class coach. Plans are underway to extend this service to additional long-distance routes.
Additionally, Indian Railways is set to introduce 27 new Vande Bharat trains at a cost of Rs 2,700 crore, with progress being made on the development of the indigenous super train. On a different note, Amrit Bharat 3.0 is anticipated to incorporate AC, general, and sleeper coaches, offering passengers better-equipped choices at economical fares. The inclusion of AC coaches in the updated version could broaden the passenger base, as current Amrit Bharat trains predominantly feature general and sleeper coaches.