On Wednesday, the Vande Bharat sleeper train reached 180 km/h during a 40-kilometre-long test run between Rohal Khurd and Kota. A day later, on a 30-kilometre stretch between Kota and Laban in Bundi district of Rajasthan, the train once again achieved the same peak speed
File pic
New Year 2025 has brought a significant leap in the evolution of Indian rail travel, as the Indian Railways prepares to roll out world-class travel experiences on long-distance routes with the launch of Vande Bharat sleeper trains, after delivering faster and safer travel for short- and medium-distance commuters via its chair car trains.
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In a groundbreaking move, the Vande Bharat sleeper trains have achieved a peak speed of 180 km/hour during successful trials conducted over the past few days.
The trials, which began in late December, are set to continue through January, with the goal of making this high-speed, world-class experience available to long-distance commuters across the country, the Railway Ministry informed.
On Thursday, the Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share a video of a successful trial in the Kota Division. The video demonstrated the stability and comfort of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train at peak speed. The footage featured a nearly full glass of water placed next to a mobile phone on a flat surface inside the train, showing the water level remained unchanged as the train reached a steady speed of 180 km/h, underlining the smooth and comfortable ride of the high-speed train.
Vande Bharat (Sleeper) testing at 180 kmph pic.twitter.com/ruVaR3NNOt
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) January 2, 2025
On Wednesday, the Vande Bharat sleeper train reached 180 km/h during a 40-kilometre-long test run between Rohal Khurd and Kota. A day later, on a 30-kilometre stretch between Kota and Laban in Bundi district of Rajasthan, the train once again achieved the same peak speed. In addition, during these trials, the train also reached speeds of 170 km/h and 160 km/h on the Kota-Nagda and Rohal Khurd-Chau Mahla sections.
The trials were conducted under the supervision of the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow. Once completed, the trains will undergo a final evaluation by the Railway Safety Commissioner at their maximum speed. After passing this crucial stage, the Vande Bharat Sleeper trains will be officially certified and handed over to Indian Railways for induction into regular service.
Designed with modern amenities to ensure comfort, the Vande Bharat Sleeper trains will offer features such as automatic doors, ultra-comfortable berths, on-board WiFi, and an aircraft-like design. Passengers will enjoy a luxury travel experience reminiscent of air travel, making long-distance journeys far more enjoyable and efficient, the ministry said.
Currently, 136 Vande Bharat Express trains operate across India on short- and medium-distance routes, connecting major cities such as Delhi, Varanasi, and others.
These trains have been lauded for providing a seamless blend of speed and luxury, with a maximum speed of 180 km/h, making them India's fastest trains.
The new Vande Bharat Sleeper trains represent the next step in this evolution, the ministry said. With their added berths and the ability to handle full passenger and luggage load conditions, these trains will deliver the same level of luxury as the existing chair car versions but tailored for longer trips. This is particularly important as the railways endeavours to create a more comfortable, faster, and efficient solution for long-distance travel, including popular routes such as Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Delhi to Mumbai, and Howrah to Chennai.
The introduction of the Vande Bharat sleeper trains will thus have a significant impact on travel times across long-distance routes. For example, the current average speed of the Mumbai-Delhi route is 90 km/h, with the fastest service — the Tejas Rajdhani Express — operating at a maximum permissible speed of 140 km/h.
Once the Vande Bharat Sleeper trains are operational, these routes will experience a substantial reduction in travel time, bringing India closer to the global standard of high-speed rail travel, the ministry informed.
With a focus on both speed and passenger experience, these trains will contribute significantly to India's push towards modernising its railway infrastructure and providing a high-quality, sustainable alternative to air travel, it further added.
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