NEW DELHI, Sept 8: The country’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Express designed for a more comfortable travel on routes requiring overnight journey, is all set to be launched by the Indian Railways just ahead of Diwali, 2025, between Delhi and Patna via Prayagraj.
The train is likely leave Patna at 8 pm and reach New Delhi by 7.30 am the next day, cutting the usual travel time of 12 to 17 hours between the two cities to just 11.5 hours with fares projected to be 10–15 per cent higher than the Rajdhani Express, official sources said on Monday.
The new sleeper model would run at a maximum speed of 180 km per hour and comprise berths instead of the usual chair-car service, for a more comfortable commute especially for overnight trips. Equipped with features including CCTV cameras, LED screens for infotainment, automatic doors with sensors for safe boarding, modern fire safety systems and on-board announcement facilities, the Vande Bharat Sleeper has been manufactured using advanced Integral Coach Factory (ICF) technology by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML).
Additionally, the interiors of the train have been designed with an aircraft-style finish, giving passengers a premium travel experience, the sources said adding that with the introduction of the sleeper version the government aims to expand the reach of the service, particularly for long-distance routes where overnight travel is common.
The travel route of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, i.e the New Delhi to Patna, is among the busiest in the country and experiences huge crowds especially during the festive season when thousands of people travel along the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to the national capital and vice-versa. The train is expected to ease congestion, provide passengers with a faster travel option, and boost connectivity for both Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
(Manas Dasgupta)