The first Vande Bharat Sleeper train in India will soon be available for passengers to board. On Sunday, August 3, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the launch date as September 20, 2025, at a public ceremony in Gujarat. The long-awaited launch of this train service is an attempt to replicate the long-distance success of Vande Bharat's semi-high-speed fleet. The new service boasts state-of-the-art design, lightning-fast service, and unparalleled passenger comfort. Ashwini Vaishnaw, minister of railways, said that the sleeper version would enhance other services, such as Namo Bharat and Amrit Bharat. This scheme is a larger initiative by the government to upgrade the Indian Railways.
Indian Railways (IR) will launch the long-awaited Vande Bharat Sleeper train next month. The country's rail connections will undergo a revolution with the introduction of a new semi-high-speed train. This cutting-edge train, built by BEML with ICF technology, will revolutionise nighttime travel. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the imminent introduction of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train at a ceremony in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, on Sunday. He promised that Vande Sleeper will be out in September. Trains like Namo Bharat, Amrit Bharat, Vande Bharat, and the soon-to-be-built Vande Sleeper would be essential in modernising the rail network in the nation, he said.
The Vande Bharat Cushioned Sleeper train
There will be 16 AC first-class, 2nd-tier, and 3rd-tier coaches on India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper train. There is enough room for 1,128 people on the train. A number of first-rate amenities are standard on the Vande Bharat Sleeper train. These include a reading light that can be charged via USB, a visual information system, inside display panels, security cameras, modular pantries, and designated seating and facilities for disabled passengers. The first air-conditioned vehicle also has hot water showers, which are a nice touch for the passengers. Customers will have to wait a little longer to use the Vande Bharat sleeper; the prototype, made by BEML of Bengaluru, has not yet passed quality checks, but two other companies will release their models by the end of next year.
All the details about the Vande Bharat project
The first Vande Bharat sleeper from BEML was presented in September 2024, with the commercial launch scheduled for the year's end. Nevertheless, BEML was requested to redesign the product when the tendering agency, Integral Coach Factory of Chennai, identified quality concerns. Once the ICF certified the prototype, commercial manufacturing commenced.. There are rumours about certain delays with this project as Kinet Railway Solutions, which is headed by RVNL, has announced that its prototype would be released in June 2026, instead of the previously anticipated September 2025. They plan to supply 120 train sets by 2032, with the first commercial release scheduled for later in September.
Among the sixteen sleeping coaches on board the Vande Bharat sleeper are eleven three-tier coaches, four two-tier coaches, and one first-class AC coach. Automatic doors, very comfy mattresses, in-flight Wi-Fi, and an aeroplane-like shape are all part of their design. With first-class facilities and cutting-edge security measures, travellers may anticipate a trip that is less noisy, less bumpy, and more relaxing.
Using technologies created by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), BEML (Bharat Earth Movers Limited) has constructed the Vande Bharat Sleeper train. A total of sixteen coaches from AC First Class, AC Second Class, and AC Third Class will make it up. The maximum speed that the Vande Bharat Sleeper can achieve is 180 km/h.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper train aims to enhance passenger comfort and ease their lives in numerous ways. Some of the features are new and improved versions of things that trains already have, while others are all new. Some of the anticipated characteristics of Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains are as follows:
- Traveller data systems that are up-to-date
- Bluetooth-enabled nightlights
- Closed-circuit television
- Flexible pantry units
- Showers with hot water in the first AC vehicles
- Cabins and restrooms that are accessible to travellers with disabilities
- Toilets that clean without touching
- Devices that allow passengers and train staff to converse
- Linked, motion-activated entrances
- In order to make the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train even more secure for its passengers, it will incorporate a number of high-tech features. The "Kavach" anti-collision system, anti-climbing technology, and an emergency braking system are all part of it.
Vande Bharat sleeper train routes
The ministry is currently in the early stages of developing the Vande Bharat sleeper train lines. They have not yet decided on a particular one. They are reportedly studying several routes, including New Delhi–Howrah, New Delhi–Mumbai, New Delhi–Pune, and New Delhi–Secunderabad. As an alternative to flying, the Vande Bharat sleeper train would be a good fit. They anticipate reasonable tariffs, as Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw previously stated that Vande Bharat trains cater to middle-class families. In its final stages of development, the service has the potential to revolutionise nighttime travel across the nation.