New Delhi: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will jointly flag off the New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat sleeper train on October 31, senior railway officials said on Wednesday.
Two MEMU trains connecting Varanasi with Prayagraj Rambagh and Varanasi City with Raja Talab will also be flagged off the same day, they said.
The fully air-conditioned, 16-coach New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat sleeper train has a passenger capacity of 823, with one First AC, four AC 2-Tier and 11 AC 3-Tier coaches.
“Only one rake will be deployed for the inaugural run on October 31. It will be flagged off from Varanasi at 4:30 pm and arrive in New Delhi at 1:30 am,” a senior official said.
According to the schedule for its commercial operations approved by the Railway Board, one rake (Train No. 27421) will depart from Varanasi at 8:50 pm and arrive in New Delhi at 5:55 am the following morning. The other rake (Train No. 27422) will depart from New Delhi at 9:40 pm and arrive in Varanasi at 6:45 am.
Besides Varanasi and New Delhi, the train, which will operate six days a week, will stop at Prayagraj, Kanpur Central and Chipyana Buzurg.
Officials said that although the train is capable of operating at speeds of up to 160 kmph, speed restrictions imposed by the Railway Ministry in 2024 prevent express and mail trains from exceeding 130 kmph across the rail network.
Railway ministry officials said the Vande Bharat sleeper version combines modern design, comfort, safety and advanced technology, developed under the Make in India initiative with a high level of indigenous content.
Its interior amenities and comfort features include individual berth reading lights, 3-pin power sockets and USB Type-A/Type-C charging ports, direct and indirect LED lighting, panoramic windows, spacious luggage storage, a shower with hot water in the First AC coach, emergency talk-back systems and onboard Wi-Fi, the officials said.
“Dedicated berths for onboard staff have been provided to ensure service quality during long journeys,” an official said.
Highlighting the train's safety and crashworthiness features, officials said it is equipped with the Kavach collision avoidance system, fire detection and alarm systems in all coaches, fire-barrier doors at the end walls, CCTV surveillance, emergency alarms, and talk-back systems and evacuation provisions, among other safety measures.
“The commercial circular regarding its fares has not yet been released. However, the fares are expected to be slightly higher than those of other trains on this route, given the extensive passenger facilities and amenities offered,” the official said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the first pair of Vande Bharat sleeper trains on the Kamakhya-Howrah route in January.
Compared to the Saraighat Express operating on that route, the Kamakhya-Howrah Vande Bharat sleeper’s fare is higher by 72 per cent for AC 3, 58 per cent for AC 2, and 16 per cent for AC 1.