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Indian Railways is planning to start a semi-high-speed sleeper Vande Bharat Express between Patna and Delhi by June, according to railway officials. This move is part of the railways' effort to expand the Vande Bharat train services beyond short daytime routes and introduce them for long-distance overnight travel.
New Sleeper Service
The coaches for this new sleeper service are being built at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, with more rakes being manufactured at other units such as Jhansi. This production is part of the government's Make in India programme. Railway Board sources said that rakes for eight sleeper Vande Bharat trains are likely to be ready between May and June.
12 Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that Indian Railways aims to run 12 sleeper Vande Bharat trains across the country by December 2026. This shows the government's plan to modernise long-distance rail travel and offer better overnight train options.
New Features of Vande Bharat Trains
The sleeper Vande Bharat is designed as a faster and more comfortable alternative to premium trains, including the Rajdhani Express. Each train will have 16 coaches, including 11 Third AC, four Second AC, and one First AC coach. In total, the train will offer 823 sleeping berths, with most of them in Third AC. The train can reach a top speed of 180 kmph and can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in just 52 seconds. Passengers will also be able to order local food, similar to the service on existing Vande Bharat trains.
For comfort and safety, the sleeper coaches will have ergonomic berths, automatic doors, better suspension, reduced noise, and modern safety systems like Kavach and an emergency talk-back feature. Hygiene will be maintained through disinfection technology, and the driver's cabin will have advanced control systems.
Since Patna-Delhi is one of the busiest rail routes in eastern India, officials expect this new train to attract many passengers seeking faster, more comfortable, and modern overnight travel.
