India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train is set to debut today on the Kolkata-Guwahati route, offering overnight semi-high-speed travel between eastern India and the Northeast. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal and Assam on January 17 and 18 where he will flag off India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train between Howrah and Guwahati.
The prime minister will visit Malda in West Bengal on Saturday around 12.45 pm and flag off India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train connecting Howrah with Guwahati (Kamakhya) at the Malda town railway station, an official statement said.
The Vande Bharat sleeper is a fully air-conditioned train set built specifically for overnight travel. Unlike the existing Vande Bharat chair car services, this version focuses on comfort during long journeys, with cushioned berths, quieter cabins and night-friendly lighting.
According to Indian Railways, the train will benefit several districts along the route.
Assam:
Kamrup Metropolitan, Bongaigaon
West Bengal:
Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Maldah, Murshidabad, Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, Howrah
Vande Bharat Sleeper Train: Fare Structure
Each Vande Bharat sleeper train will have 16 coaches, with a total passenger capacity of 823.
Coach breakup:
- 11 AC 3-tier coaches
- 4 AC 2-tier coaches
- 1 AC First Class coach
“In Vande Bharat, the 3rd AC fare will be around Rs 2,300, including food, 2nd AC around Rs 3,000, and 1st AC around Rs 3,600. The fares have been designed keeping the middle class in mind,” according to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s statement.
At present, Guwahati-Howrah air travel costs around Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Train: Features
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains have several features aimed at providing passengers with a safe, comfortable, and world-class travel experience. These include:
- comfortable sleeper berths
- advanced suspension systems
- automatic doors
- modern toilets
- fire detection and safety monitoring systems
- CCTV-based surveillance
- digital passenger information systems
- energy-efficient technologies
Earlier this month, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had announced that PM Modi will be flagging off the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train between Kolkata and Guwahati. The testing and certification of Vande Bharat sleeper trains have been completed, the Union Railway Minister said on January 1, adding that the first route proposed for the train is Guwahati to Kolkata.
“The services will become operational in the next 15-20 days, possibly around January 18 or 19. We have requested the prime minister, and everything is clear. I will announce the exact date in the next two to three days,” the minister said.
