Indian Railways is preparing to launch 20-coach Vande Bharat Express trains, a significant upgrade from the current 8-coach and 16-coach versions. The Northern Railway General Manager has approved the running of these extended trains on various routes, aiming to reduce the challenges passengers face in securing confirmed tickets, especially during peak travel seasons.
In August, a successful trial run of the 20-coach Vande Bharat Express was conducted on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route at a speed of 130 km/h. The Northern Railway has also been authorized to operate the extended trains at a maximum speed of 130 km/h on other routes.
Key Benefits of the 20-Coach Vande Bharat Express
- More Passengers: The increased number of coaches will allow more passengers to travel, alleviating the issue of waitlisted tickets.
- Better Availability: The extra capacity will benefit passengers traveling from Delhi and other cities served by Northern Railway, especially on routes with high demand, such as Varanasi and Katra.
Currently, 11 Vande Bharat Express trains operate from Delhi, and many of them are often fully booked, especially during festivals and holiday seasons. The addition of more coaches will significantly increase the seating capacity, making it easier for travelers to secure confirmed seats.
Seating Capacity
A 16-coach Vande Bharat Express currently offers:
- 2 Executive AC Chair Cars with 56 seats each
- 14 AC Chair Cars with 78 seats each
- Total Capacity: 1,204 seats
With the increase in the number of coaches, there will be a 25% rise in seating capacity, further enhancing travel convenience.
High-Speed Testing and Future Plans
Five years ago, Indian Railways announced the goal of increasing train speeds to 160 km/h on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes. Currently, speed tests are being conducted on various sections at 130 km/h, with plans to increase to 160 km/h by March next year. This speed boost is expected to improve overall travel efficiency on these major routes.
Vande Bharat Express Routes from Delhi
Below are the major Vande Bharat Express trains that operate from Delhi, along with route and other relevant information:
| Train | Route | Departure | Arrival | Approx. Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Delhi – Varanasi Vande Bharat | New Delhi → Kanpur → Prayagraj → Varanasi | 06:00 AM (NDLS) | 02:00 PM (BSB) | ₹1,760 (Exec.) / ₹1,000 (CC) |
| New Delhi – Katra Vande Bharat | New Delhi → Ambala → Ludhiana → Katra | 06:00 AM (NDLS) | 02:00 PM (SVDK) | ₹3,015 (Exec.) / ₹1,655 (CC) |
| New Delhi – Amb Andaura Vande Bharat | New Delhi → Chandigarh → Una → Amb Andaura | 05:50 AM (NDLS) | 11:05 AM (AADR) | ₹1,365 (Exec.) / ₹750 (CC) |
| Hazrat Nizamuddin – Rani Kamalapati Vande Bharat | Hazrat Nizamuddin → Agra → Gwalior → Jhansi → Bhopal (Rani Kamalapati) | 02:30 PM (NZM) | 10:25 PM (RKMP) | ₹3,025 (Exec.) / ₹1,665 (CC) |
| New Delhi – Ajmer Vande Bharat | New Delhi → Jaipur → Ajmer | 06:10 AM (NDLS) | 12:15 PM (AII) | ₹1,895 (Exec.) / ₹1,025 (CC) |
| New Delhi – Dehradun Vande Bharat | New Delhi → Haridwar → Dehradun | 06:45 AM (NDLS) | 12:30 PM (DDN) | ₹1,655 (Exec.) / ₹945 (CC) |
| Hazrat Nizamuddin – Khajuraho Vande Bharat | Hazrat Nizamuddin → Agra → Jhansi → Khajuraho | 03:00 PM (NZM) | 08:30 PM (KURJ) | ₹1,795 (Exec.) / ₹1,015 (CC) |
| Old Delhi – Amritsar Vande Bharat | Old Delhi → Ludhiana → Jalandhar → Amritsar | 07:20 AM (DLI) | 01:45 PM (ASR) | ₹2,085 (Exec.) / ₹1,195 (CC) |
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Journey is very good but meal not upto the standard so keep meal should very perfect so that many travellers prefer meal in train not collect from their homes. Jai Hind