Vande Bharat Express Train

Indian railways fastest engine-less train, Vande Bharat Express(22436) (also known as Train 18) is all set to be flagged off on February 15 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 10 AM from the New Delhi Railway Station. Piyush Goyal had earlier announced that the train has been named Vande Bharat Express to acknowledge its Made-in-India status. The Vande Bharat Express will cover the distance between Delhi and Varanasi in 8 hours, stopping at only two stations that are Kanpur and Prayagraj. The current fastest train between Delhi and Varanasi- Poorva Express takes about 11 hours and 30 minutes to reach destination. Vande Bharat Express is a semi-high speed intercity electric multiple unit (EMU) that will run between Delhi and Varanasi. It is also India’s first locomotive less train, which means that it doesn’t require a separate locomotive engine that pulls the train from the front but is an EMU that has electric traction motors incorporated within multiple carriages.

The Vande Bharat Express has been shaped like a bullet train, with an aerodynamic narrowing at the end of the train, with 16 air-conditioned coaches, that can accommodate upto 1,128 passengers and is capable to run at a speed of 160 km per hour. It will hence replace the existing train fleet of Shatabdi Express. The fares of Vande Bharat Express are 40-50% higher than the base fare of Shatabdi Express. The train is an all air conditioned chair car with 16 coaches comprising of executive and non-executive classes. There are two executive compartments in the middle with 52 seats each, whereas trailer coaches have 78 seats each. The seats can rotate 360 degrees and can be aligned in the direction of travel. The coach doors open only when the train is at zero kmph and the train starts only when all the coach doors are properly closed.

On the safety front, a Train Management System in the driver's cab ensures precise brake control and automated control of the doors. The driver can also monitor the movement of passengers on the platform via a closed circuit television (CCTV) in his cabin before closing the door. Train 18 is self propelled on electric traction like the metro trains and hence, does not require an engine to run and take off on the journey. There are emergency talk back units (through which passengers can talk to crew in case of emergency) and CCTVs are provided in all coaches for safe and secure travel. The train also has some features to enhance passenger comfort which include inter-connected fully sealed gangways, automatic doors with retractable footsteps, onboard Wi-Fi and infotainment, GPS-based passenger information system, modular toilets with bio-vacuum systems, roller blinds and diffused LED lighting, and disabled-friendly toilets to name a few. We already shared about this wonder train in our previous article- Vande Bharat Express.

Here are a key things Trainman has rounded off about Vande Bharat Express-

1. This train has chair car arrangement whose ticket cost was initially set at Rs 1,850 for Chair Car and for executive class it was Rs 3,520 for a Delhi to Varanasi trip, including the catering service charges. However with the revised ticket fare, it would now be Rs. 1,760 for CC and Rs. 3,310 for EC class. On its return journey, the chair car ticket will cost Rs. 1,700 and the executive car ticket will be priced at Rs. 3,260.



2. The chair car fares are 1.5 times the price of Shatabdi trains running the same distance, the executive class fares are 1.4 times of first class air conditioned seating in the premium train.



3. Passengers traveling from New Delhi to Varanasi in the executive class will be charged Rs. 399 for morning tea, breakfast and lunch, travelers in the chair car will need to pay Rs. 344 for the same. Those traveling from New Delhi to Kanpur and Prayagraj will have to pay Rs. 155 and Rs. 122 for executive class and chair car, respectively.



4. On the way from Varanasi to New Delhi, the passengers will be charged Rs. 349 and Rs. 288 in the executive class and chair car, respectively for the meals.

5. Under the proposed schedule of Vande Bharat Express(22436), the train will depart from Delhi at 6:00 AM to reach Varanasi at 2:00 PM. En route, it will halt on the Kanpur station at 10:20 AM and Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) at 12:25 PM. On the return journey, the Vande Bharat Express(22435) will leave from Varanasi at 3:00 PM to arrive in Delhi at 11:00 PM. On the way, it will stop at Prayagraj at 4:35 PM and Kanpur at 6:30 PM.



6. The train will run for five days a week – Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Monday and Thursday the new self-propelled train will undergo maintenance.

7. Meals on Vande Bharat Express or Train 18 will not be optional for passengers, unlike in premium trains such as Shatabdi, Rajdhani and Duronto express, where they can choose not to avail catering services. However, passengers travelling the last leg on the route of the train, Prayagraj to Varanasi will have the choice of opting out of the meals in advance while booking their tickets.

This is all for now. Let’s hope this train reaches new heights and speeds which will eventually replace the Shatabdis, Rajdhanis and the likes in future. To check the PNR status, train seat availability or running status of any train just download trainman app.