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Indian Railways is planning to introduce a second Sleeper Vande Bharat Express between Delhi and Varanasi. The proposed overnight service will pass through Prayagraj and Kanpur, offering passengers a faster and more comfortable travel option on the route. Railway officials are aiming to introduce the service by Diwali, while trials are likely to begin in September.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Express
As per the proposed schedule, the train will depart from Varanasi Cantt at 9.20 pm and reach Prayagraj at 10.45 pm. It will then pass through Kanpur Central at 12.35 am before reaching New Delhi at 5 am. On the return journey, the train will leave New Delhi at 9.20 pm and reach Varanasi at 5 am.
The Sleeper Vande Bharat is expected to operate at speeds between 130 kmph and 160 kmph, depending on track conditions and the progress of the Mission Raftaar project. The higher speeds are expected to reduce travel time between Delhi, Prayagraj and Varanasi.
The proposed train will have 16 coaches with a total passenger capacity of 823. It will include 11 AC three-tier coaches, four AC two-tier coaches and one First AC coach. The train will also have modern facilities associated with Vande Bharat services. Northern Railway will be responsible for its primary maintenance.
Praveen Patel, a member of the Zonal Railway Users' Consultative Committee (ZRUCC), NCR, said the indigenously developed Sleeper Vande Bharat would make travel between Prayagraj, Varanasi and Delhi more convenient while reducing effective travel time.
The proposed service would be Indian Railways' second Sleeper Vande Bharat operation after the Howrah-Kamakhya route. However, the Railway Board has not yet announced the train number, fare structure or date for regular operations. The final timings and speed could also change depending on the trial results and operational clearances.