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The launch of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train has been postponed to December 2026, according to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited. Earlier, the company had planned to roll out the prototype by June 2026, which was shared by Saleem Ahmad during the company's fourth-quarter earnings conference call.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Project
The Vande Bharat Sleeper project is one of RVNL's major railway initiatives and is valued at around ₹14,400 crore. The project is being executed by Kinet Railway Solutions, a special-purpose joint venture responsible for manufacturing and maintaining the trains for 35 years. RVNL officials expressed confidence that the prototype trainset will be ready by December 2026.
Earlier, in February 2026, Saleem Ahmad stated that the company was aiming to deliver the prototype to Indian Railways by June 2026. At that time, he had said that work was progressing according to schedule and that delivering the prototype would be the first major milestone of the project. However, the timeline has now been revised.
Manufacture of Vande Bharat Sleeper Trainsets
The RVNL-led joint venture will manufacture 120 Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets. Each trainset will consist of 16 coaches, resulting in a total production of 1,920 coaches. These trains are expected to provide comfortable overnight travel with modern facilities and improved passenger amenities.
The Ministry of Railways awarded contracts for manufacturing Vande Bharat Sleeper trains to three entities: BEML, Kinet Railway Solutions, and a consortium of Titagarh Rail Systems Limited and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.
The first operational Vande Bharat Sleeper service, running between Howrah and Kamakhya, was launched in January 2026. This train was developed by BEML using technology from the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Design
In October 2025, Kinet Railway Solutions unveiled the design of the First AC coach for the new sleeper trains. The coach features spacious four-berth cabins designed to provide greater privacy and comfort. It includes easy-access staircases for upper berths, USB charging ports, individual reading lights, and smart storage spaces for passengers.
With modern interiors and advanced amenities, the Vande Bharat Sleeper trains are expected to improve long-distance rail travel in India. Although the prototype launch has been delayed by several months, the project remains one of Indian Railways' most ambitious efforts to modernize overnight train services.