Jump to content

Vande Bharat Express: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
No edit summary
Tags: Visual edit Mobile edit Mobile web edit
Line 92: Line 92:
Note: Do not forget to add a reference in all scenarios. -->
Note: Do not forget to add a reference in all scenarios. -->


The following table provides the list of trains in service {{as of|2023|5|lc=y}}:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vande Bharat Express Trains - Railway Enquiry |url=https://indiarailinfo.com/trains/vandebharat |access-date=8 February 2023 |website=indiarailinfo.com}}</ref>
The following table provides the list of trains in service {{as of|2023|6|lc=y}}:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vande Bharat Express Trains - Railway Enquiry |url=https://indiarailinfo.com/trains/vandebharat |access-date=8 February 2023 |website=indiarailinfo.com}}</ref>


{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 80%;"
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 80%;"
Line 381: Line 381:
|{{Convert|120|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|120|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|75|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-goa-vande-bharat-express-speed-likely-to-be-restricted-23289787 |title=Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat Express speed likely to be restricted|date=1 June 2023 |work=mid-day.com}}</ref>
|{{Convert|75|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-goa-vande-bharat-express-speed-likely-to-be-restricted-23289787 |title=Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat Express speed likely to be restricted|date=1 June 2023 |work=mid-day.com}}</ref>
|'''''05 June 2023'''''
|'''''TBC'''''
|-
|-
|}
|}

Revision as of 19:45, 5 June 2023

Vande Bharat Express
Vande Bharat Express in Thane
Overview
Service typeSemi-high-speed rail
StatusActive
PredecessorShatabdi Express, MEMU
First service15 February 2019; 5 years ago (2019-02-15)
Websiteindianrail.gov.in
Route
Line(s) used18 (operational)
1 (to be commissioned)
On-board services
Class(es)CC Chair (Economy Class)
Executive Chair (Premium Class)
Seating arrangements
  • Airline style
  • Rotatable seats
Catering facilitiesOn-board catering
Observation facilitiesLarge windows in all carriages
Entertainment facilities
Baggage facilitiesOverhead racks
Other facilities
Technical
Rolling stockVande Bharat (trainset)[1]
Track gaugeIndian gauge
1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead line
Operating speed160 km/h (99 mph) in a part of Rani Kamalapati (in Bhopal) - Hazrat Nizamuddin (in Delhi) Route,
110-130 km/h (68-81 mph) in other routes
Average length384 metres (1,260 ft) (16 coaches)
192 metres (630 ft) (8 coaches)
Rake maintenanceIntegral Coach Factory, Chennai

The Vande Bharat Express[2] is a short-distance train service operated by Indian Railways. Similar to Shatabdi Express, these are day train services that connect major Indian cities which are in a distance of less than a day's time. The trainsets can support semi-high speeds due to the railway track speed capacity and traffic constraints, the operating speed of the services are limited to 160 km/h (99 mph) on the Delhi-Bhopal service and 110–130 km/h (68-81 mph) on other services.[3][4]

The train, then known as Train 18, was designed by the RDSO and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF).[5] The specifications were also standardized by the RDSO.[6] It was made for low-cost maintenance and operational optimization. The cost of a 16-coach Vande Bharat train is about 115 crore (US$14 million).[7]

On 27 January 2019, the services using Train 18 sets were named Vande Bharat Express with the first service commencing on 15 February 2019.[8]

History

Background

The first electric multiple unit (EMU) service in India was introduced in Mumbai's suburban railway on 3 February 1925.[9] Indigenously built EMUs started entering service in the 1960s after Integral Coach Factory of Chennai, a government-owned manufacturer of rail coaches started developing EMUs indigenously.[10][11]

India operated EMU services within urban areas as Suburban rail services. For regular long-distance travel, India relied on its locomotives to do the job. The inefficiency of these locomotive-hauled trains was soon felt while the developed world already had well-built EMU high-speed technology by the 1990s. EMUs for longer distances were conceived on the long-distance main lines, giving birth to Mainline Electric Multiple Units (MEMU) services.[10] A decade later, India had several MEMU services operating across the country's electrified routes as a short-distance inter-city service. India still had to rely on its locomotives for long-distance travel.[12]

Efforts to increase speeds

For most of Indian Railways' history, speed and punctuality were not of primary concern as safety was of utmost importance. While India saw 325 accidents in 2003-04, this number was down to 106 in 2015-16.[13] The replacement of old ICF coaches by the modern and safer LHB coaches also helped the cause significantly.[14] After tackling the safety concerns to an extent, speed and comfort were finally on the Indian Railways agenda. Proposals were made to introduce semi-high-speed (160-200 km/h) services between major cities.[15] In 2016, Gatimaan Express was inaugurated as the country's first semi-high-speed service. The train ran on the newly upgraded Grade A line between Tughlakabad and Agra Cantonment that supported speeds up to 160 km/h.[16]

Talgo train at New Delhi railway station for its 3rd leg of the trial.

In June 2016, Indian Railways had sought Requests For Qualification (RFQ) to jointly manufacture 5000 modern EMU sets and they were met with a good response from countries like Canada, China, France, Germany, and Switzerland. Native companies like Medha and BHEL also made the cut.[17] Spanish Talgo trains went as far as conducting a trial run on the Mumbai - Delhi route. The train completed the journey in ten hours (almost six hours quicker than Rajdhani Express) with an average speed of 117.5 km/h.[18] However, the ministry said that Indian Railways could not come with a direct agreement and wanted them to go through a tendering process. Since there was no other bidder, the procurement of these trains was deemed impossible. The Make in India campaign also fueled the cause for developing the next generation EMU semi-high-speed trainsets indigenously.[19]

The first Vande Bharat Express service

After foreign proposals for introducing semi-high-speed capable EMUs were unsuccessful, Indian Railways at ICF headed by general manager Sudhanshu Mani, started developing a new EMU trainset at half the imported cost. Since these trains were planned to be ready by 2018, they were named 'Train-2018' and later 'Train 18'. They were designed to be fully air-conditioned and equipped with automatic plug doors, on-board Wi-Fi, and infotainment out of many other modern facilities. With these modern facilities along with modern technical features, the train was one of its kind in the country and marked a leap into the future.[20] The Train 18 with sixteen chair cars and a 160 km/h speed, the technology was set to replace Shatabdi services.[21][22]

During its trial runs, Train 18 became the fastest EMU train India after attaining a speed of 180 km/h, 4 km/h shy of India's overall best record of 184 km/h achieved by WAP-5 Class locomotive back in 1997.[23][24] Train 18 was renamed as 'Vande Bharat' as an acknowledgement for the fact that it was completely built in India by the Indian engineers the services were thus named 'Vande Bharat Express'.[25]

Inauguration

Inauguration of the first Vande Bharat Express between Delhi and Varanasi at the New Delhi railway station

On 15 February 2019, the first Vande Bharat Express between New Delhi and Varanasi was flagged off at the New Delhi railway station by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[26][27] The train ran from New Delhi to Varanasi via Kanpur and Prayagraj, connecting Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi to the capital city and reduced the exisiting travel time along the route by 15%.[28] The 8-hour journey from New Delhi to Varanasi station covered a total distance of 762 km (473 mi) between the two cities. However, while returning from Varanasi, the train broke down due to a cattle run over. According to reports, four cars of the train experienced an electrical outage and the brakes were reported to be jammed as the train was halted for over an hour at Tundla Junction railway station before resumption.[29] Later in the year, the second Vande Bharat service was launched between New Delhi and Katra, it is one of the only two first version trainsets of Vande Bharat Express.[30]

Replacement of Shatabdis

Since the Vande Bharat Express was built to provide a short-distance, fast and modern service between major cities, similar to the Shatabdi Express which was introduced back in 1988 for similar purposes, several train sets were supposed to be built to replace the existing Shatabdis on all routes. But after the inauguration of first two services, the Indian Railways had stopped the production of new sets owing to internal issues.[31] After the intervention of the Railway Minister, they decided to resume tenders for the production of new sets. However, they wished to provide more time for the manufacturers for them to come up with the cheapest bid and the fact that the train would require a major upgrade from scratch, as per one of the officials.[32] These second generation trainsets were developed in 2022 and they entered service on 30 September 2022. These trainsets started replacing Shatabdi services on major routes.[33]

Facilities

Vande Bharat's Chair Car (CC) seating
Vande Bharat's Executive Chair Car (EC) seating
File:Vande Bharat Express toilet.jpg
Western style toilet in the train

The on-board facilities of the train feature reclining seats that rotate upto 180 degrees.[34] The lighter body weight of the train offers comfort travel at higher speeds. The trains are equipped with 32-inch TV screens in every coach that provide infotainment for the passengers. On-board wifi, air purification system, touch free sliding doors are some of the features of the Vande Bharat services.[35]

Earnings and occupancy

Northern Railway stated that the New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express, which was launched in 2019, had a cumulative earning of 92 crore (US$11 million) with 100% occupancy after one year of service.[36] According to Southern Railway authorities, more than 200% booking rate on the Thiruvananthapuram - Kasaragod Vande Bharat Express points to the wide acceptance of the train in Kerala. The trip from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram earned ₹ 1.17 crore.[37]

According to data shared by the Indian Railways, between 1 April 2022 and 8 February 2023, the Vande Bharat Express had an average occupancy of 99%. The Vande Bharat Express from Nagpur to Bilaspur had the lowest occupancy rate of 52.86%.[38] In comparison, from 2019-2020, Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto express trains had an occupancy of 97.01% with Flexi Fare schemes.[39]CAG found faults in Railway's Flexi-fare scheme, hence it was scrapped in many premium trains.[40]

In the near future, for routes with low occupancy, Mini Vande Bharat trains will replace the normal 16-coach Vande Bharat trains.[41] The sixth Vande Bharat train was temporarily replaced by a Tejas Express rake in May 2023.[42]

Speed restrictions

The maximum permissible speed of the train is 160 km/h (99 mph)[43] and the Vande Bharat Express held a trial run with the train clocking a speed of 183 km/h (114 mph)[44] but most of the Indian railway tracks are not capable of supporting a speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) and for this reason, most of the Vande Bharat Express trains have a maximum permissible speed which is lower than 160 km/h. According to maximum permissible speed, the Gatimaan Express and Hazrat Nizamuddin - Rani Kamalapati Vande Bharat Express are the fastest trains in India as their maximum permissible speed during the Tughlakabad–Agra segment only is 160 km/h (99 mph).[45][46] A full list of trains with their maximum operational speed can be found in the table below.

Services

The following table provides the list of trains in service as of June 2023:[47]

Sr. No. Train Name Train Number Originating Station Terminal Station Operator Rake Version Frequency Distance Travel Time Speed Inauguration
Maximum permitted Average (including stoppage)
In Service
1 New Delhi - Varanasi Vande Bharat Express 22435/22436 New Delhi Varanasi Junction NR VB2[48] Except Thursdays 759 km (472 mi) 08h 00m 130 km/h (81 mph)[49] 95 km/h (59 mph)[50] 15 February 2019
2 New Delhi - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express 22439/22440 New Delhi Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra NR VB2[citation needed] Except Tuesdays 655 km (407 mi) 08h 00m 130 km/h (81 mph)[49] 82 km/h (51 mph)[50] 3 October 2019
3 Mumbai Central - Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express 20901/20902 Mumbai Central Gandhinagar Capital WR VB2 Except Wednesdays 522 km (324 mi) 06h 25m 130 km/h (81 mph)[49] 82 km/h (51 mph)[51] 30 September 2022
4 New Delhi - Amb Andaura Vande Bharat Express 22447/22448 New Delhi Amb Andaura NR VB2 Except Fridays 412 km (256 mi) 05h 15m 130 km/h (81 mph)[49] 78 km/h (48 mph)[50] 13 October 2022
5 MGR Chennai Central - Mysuru Vande Bharat Express 20607/20608 MGR Chennai Central Mysuru Junction SR VB2 Except Wednesdays 496 km (308 mi) 06h 30m 130 km/h (81 mph)[52] 79 km/h (49 mph)[50] 11 November 2022
6 Bilaspur - Nagpur Vande Bharat Express 20825/20826 Bilaspur Junction Nagpur Junction SECR VB2[a] Except Saturdays 412 km (256 mi) 05h 30m 130 km/h (81 mph) 75 km/h (47 mph) 11 December 2022[53][54]
7 Howrah - New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express 22301/22302 Howrah Junction New Jalpaiguri Junction ER VB2 Except Wednesdays 565 km (351 mi) 07h 30m 130 km/h (81 mph) 75 km/h (47 mph) 30 December 2022
8 Visakhapatnam - Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express 20833/20834 Visakhapatnam Junction Secunderabad Junction ECoR VB2 Except Sundays 698 km (434 mi) 08h 30m 130 km/h (81 mph) 82 km/h (51 mph) 15 January 2023
9 Mumbai CSMT - Solapur Vande Bharat Express 22225/22226 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Solapur CR VB2 Except Wednesdays
(22225)

Except Thursdays
(22226)

452 km (281 mi) 06h 30m 110 km/h (68 mph) 70 km/h (43 mph)[55] 10 February 2023
10 Mumbai CSMT - Sainagar Shirdi Vande Bharat Express 22223/22224 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Sainagar Shirdi CR VB2 Except Tuesdays 339 km (211 mi) 05h 20m 110 km/h (68 mph) 64 km/h (40 mph) 10 February 2023
11 Rani Kamalapati (Habibganj) - Hazrat Nizamuddin Vande Bharat Express 20171/20172 Rani Kamalapati Hazrat Nizamuddin WCR VB2 Except Saturdays 702 km (436 mi) 07h 30m 160 km/h (99 mph)[56] 94 km/h (58 mph)[57] 1 April 2023[58]
12 Secunderabad - Tirupati Vande Bharat Express 20701/20702 Secunderabad Junction Tirupati SCR VB2[59] Except Tuesdays 661 km (411 mi) 08h 15m 130 km/h (81 mph) 80 km/h (50 mph) 8 April 2023[60]
13 MGR Chennai Central - Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express 20643/20644 MGR Chennai Central Coimbatore Junction SR VB2[a] Except Wednesdays 495 km (308 mi) 05h 50m 130 km/h (81 mph) 85 km/h (53 mph) 8 April 2023[61]
14 Delhi Cantonment - Ajmer Vande Bharat Express 20977/20978 Delhi Cantonment Ajmer Junction NWR VB2 Except Wednesdays 428 km (266 mi) 05h 15m 110 km/h (68 mph)[62][63] 82 km/h (51 mph) 12 April 2023[64]
15 Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express 20633/20634 Kasaragod Thiruvananthapuram Central SR VB2 Except Thursdays 587 km (365 mi) 08h 05m 110 km/h (68 mph) 73 km/h (45 mph) 25 April 2023[65]
16 Howrah - Puri Vande Bharat Express 22895/22896 Howrah Junction Puri SER VB2 Except Thursdays 500 km (310 mi) 06h 25m 130 km/h (81 mph) 78 km/h (48 mph) 18 May 2023[66]
17 Anand Vihar Terminal - Dehradun Vande Bharat Express 22457/22458 Anand Vihar Terminal Dehradun Terminal NR VB2[a] Except Wednesdays 304 km (189 mi) 04h 45m 130 km/h (81 mph) 64 km/h (40 mph) 25 May 2023[67]
18 New Jalpaiguri - Guwahati Vande Bharat Express 22227/22228 New Jalpaiguri Junction Guwahati NFR VB2[a] Except Tuesdays 407 km (253 mi) 05h 30m[68] 110 km/h (68 mph) 74 km/h (46 mph)[68] 29 May 2023[69]
Future Services (Received rakes/Completed trial run)
19 Mumbai CSMT - Madgaon Vande Bharat Express[70] 22229/22230 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Madgaon Junction CR VB2[a] Except Fridays[71] 586 km (364 mi) 07h 50m 120 km/h (75 mph) 75 km/h (47 mph)[72] TBC
  1. ^ a b c d e Mini Vande Bharat (8-car) service

Mini Vande Bharat services

Senior railway officials said that allocation has been made for Vande Bharat 2.0 Expresses with reduced car configuration (for a lower demand) known as Mini Vande Bharat Express. It will cost about ₹65 crores per rake for an 8-car configuration, at a cost of ₹8.125 crores per car. The Indian Railways is looking at manufacturing 1,000 Mini Vande Bharat rakes, of 8-car configuration. During the financial year of 2023-24, an allocation of ₹10 lakh has been made for designing the concept and primary research.[73]

The primary objective of the Mini Vande Bharat Express is to serve shorter routes with a travel time of 4–5 hours, as opposed to the 6-7 hour journeys of the current trains. The railways are planning to operate these trains on smaller sections where passenger demand is lower.[74]

The MGR Chennai Central - Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express and Secunderabad - Tirupati Vande Bharat Express (due to high demand and occupancy rate, the Secunderabad - Tirupati Vande Bharat Express has been converted from 8 coach rake to 16 coach rake[59]) are classified as part of the Mini Vande Bharat Express as they have 8 coaches instead of 16 coaches, costing only 70 crore (US$8.4 million).[75] There may be a 12-car Vande Bharat Express in the near future as per ICF.

The Bilaspur - Nagpur Vande Bharat Express has been notified to be replaced by the Mini Vande Bharat since May 2023 as its average occupancy is only 52%.[41]It will be swapped with current 8 coach Secunderabad - Tirupati Vande Bharat Express until and unless new 16 coach arrives for Secunderabad - Tirupati Vande Bharat Express.[76][77]

Proposed services

  1. Delhi - Kota[78]
  2. Delhi - Bikaner[78]
  3. Delhi - Jhansi[79]
  4. Delhi - Khajuraho[80]
  5. Rewa - Jabalpur - Indore[78]
  6. Jaipur - Kanpur[78]
  7. Jaipur - Indore[78]
  8. Chitrakoot - Prayagraj - Lucknow[81]
  9. Gorakhpur - Prayagraj[82]
  10. Gorakhpur - Lucknow[83]
  11. Patna - Lucknow[citation needed]
  12. Patna - Ranchi[84]
  13. Ranchi - Varanasi[85]
  14. Howrah - Jamshedpur - Ranchi[78]
  15. Howrah - Patna[78]
  16. Howrah - Bokaro Steel City[78]
  17. Howrah - Varanasi[78]
  18. Bengaluru - Dharwad[86]
  19. Bengaluru - Coimbatore[78]
  20. Bengaluru - Tirupati[87]
  21. Ahmedabad - Bhopal[78]
  22. Ahmedabad - Jaipur[78]
  23. Ahmedabad - Pune[78]
  24. Raipur - Bhubaneswar[88]
  25. Yesvantpur - Secunderabad[78]
  26. Pune - Secunderabad[78]
  27. Nagpur - Secunderabad[89]
  28. Chennai Central - Secunderabad[78]
  29. Chennai Central - Vijayawada[78]
  30. Chennai Egmore - Kanyakumari[78]
  31. Chennai Egmore - Madurai[78]
  32. Visakhapatnam - Chennai Central[citation needed]
  33. Visakhapatnam - Tirupati[78]
  34. Visakhapatnam - Bhubaneswar[90]
  35. Visakhapatnam - Shalimar[78]
  36. Jammu - Srinagar[91]

Vande Metro

"Vande Metro" is a proposed service that will operate on a short distance, intercity rail network that connect major cities within a distance of around 100kms. The design speed of Vande Metro will be 130 km/hr and the train is likely to run at a very high frequency (4-5 times a day). Vande Metro will become a replacement for the existing MEMU services for regional rail connectivity between any two big cities, which are at a distance of 100 to 120 kms.[92][93] As per sources Vande metro will connect routes such as Kanpur-Lucknow, Bhopal-Indore, Bhilai-Raipur-Naya Raipur, Varanasi-Prayagraj , Puri-Bhubaneswar-Cuttack etc.[94][95]

List of proposed Vande Metro services

  1. Kanpur - Lucknow[94]
  2. Puri - Bhubaneswar - Cuttack[95]
  3. Varanasi - Prayagraj[96]
  4. Mumbai - Lonavala[97]
  5. Mumbai Suburban Railway[98]
  6. Delhi - Meerut[97]
  7. Kolkata - Haldia[97]
  8. Chennai - Tirupati[97]
  9. Bongaon - Barasat - Sealdah[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Vande Bharat Express Trainset (V2.0) - Maintenance Manual, Specification name IRCAMTECH/GWL/2022-23/T-18/MM/2.0" (PDF). rdso.indianrailways.com. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  2. ^ "India's fastest to be called Vande Bharat Express". Indian Express. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Bhopal Delhi Vande Bharat Express: TOP SPEED of 160 kmph! Is food free in Delhi to Bhopal semi high-speed train? Know time, route, ticket price". TimesNow. 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Jaipur-Delhi Vande Bharat to take 1.45 hours at 150 kmph, schedule, launch month revealed". DNA India. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  5. ^ "RDSO design light aluminum coaches of Train-18 which can cruise at 200 KMPH". The Times of India. 23 June 2022.
  6. ^ "RDSO Specification name IRCAMTECH/GWL/2020-21/T-18/MM/1.0" (PDF). rdso.indianrailways.gov.in. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  7. ^ "New, upgraded Vande Bharat trains to cost about Rs 115 crore: Officials". 28 May 2022.
  8. ^ PTI (7 February 2019). "Train 18: PM Modi to flag off Vande Bharat Express on 15 February from New Delhi". Business Today. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  9. ^ "Age is just a number, she can keep Mumbai's life on track even at 90". Indian Express. 9 February 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Electrical Multiple Units" (PDF). Indian Rail Info. 15 October 1999.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Historical Background of Railway Electrification". core.indianrailways.gov.in. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  12. ^ "MEMU". www.irfca.org. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  13. ^ "What Explains the High Number of Railway Accidents?". The Wire. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  14. ^ "LHB coaches reduced number of casualties". Deccan Herald. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Rail Budget 2014: High-speed trains proposed to connect major cities". The Economic Times. 8 July 2014. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Delhi-Agra at 160 kmph: 10 points about Gatimaan, India's fastest train". Hindustan Times. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  17. ^ PTI (2 May 2017). "Indian Railways to invite bids for manufacturing modern coaches". The Statesman. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  18. ^ Dhoot, Vikas (24 July 2015). "Train from Spain: Government considering Talgo proposal to run trial runs of faster trains between Mumbai, Delhi". Economic Times. New Delhi. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  19. ^ Rakesh Ranjan (2 January 2018). "Talgo high-speed trains stop in their tracks after government waves red flag". India Today. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  20. ^ "Indian Railways to roll out 'Make in India' 160 kmph self-propelled 'world-class' train sets at half the cost of import!". Financialexpress. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Indian Railways enters new league! Swanky 160 kmph engine-less Make in India train is too good; 15 features". Financialexpress. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Indian Railways to Replace Shatabdi Express with 'Made in India' Semi-High Speed, Engine-Less Train 18 | India.com". www.india.com. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  23. ^ "[IRFCA] Evolution of High-Speed Haulage on Indian Railways". www.irfca.org. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  24. ^ "Train 18 becomes India's fastest train". The Economic Times. 26 December 2018. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Train 18 named Vande Bharat Express: Piyush Goyal". The Economic Times. 27 January 2019. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  26. ^ "Vande Bharat Express flagged off: How to book, fares and more". Hindustan Times. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  27. ^ "Train 18: PM Modi to flag off Vande Bharat Express on February 15 from New Delhi". Business Today. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  28. ^ "Train 18, India's first engine-less train, set to hit tracks on October 29", The Indian Express, 24 October 2018
  29. ^ "Vande Bharat Express hits a cow and breaks down on Day 1". India Today. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Vande Bharat Express: Reach Katra in 8 hours from Delhi - Amit Shah flags off Vande Bharat Express". The Economic Times. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  31. ^ "Fresh Tender System For Vande Bharat Express After "Favouritism Charges"". NDTV.com. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  32. ^ "40 new Vande Bharat Express trains by 2022". Hindustan Times. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  33. ^ "Vande Bharat Express 2.0: PM flags off a new train between Gandhinagar and Mumbai, here's all to know". Business Today. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  34. ^ "Vande Bharat Express to get aircraft-style passenger amenities - All details". Zee Business. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  35. ^ "Vande Bharat Express 2.0: PM flags off new train between Gandhinagar and Mumbai, here's all to know". Business Today. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  36. ^ "Vande Bharat Express completes 1 year, earns ₹92 crore for railways". Mint. 19 February 2020.
  37. ^ Ilankath, Ullas (5 May 2023). "Vande Bharat Express collects Rs 2.7 crore in ticket revenue from Kerala within 6 days". Manorama. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  38. ^ "Vande Bharat running at an average capacity of 99%". Deccan Herald. 11 February 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  39. ^ Panda, Sushmita (24 July 2019). "Flexi fares in trains like Rajdhani and Duronto Express to continue: Piyush Goyal". indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  40. ^ "CAG finds faults in Railways' flexi-fare scheme, hints makes more sense for travellers to take flights". Business Today. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  41. ^ a b "Mini Vande Bharat trains may be introduced on Nagpur-Bilaspur route". The LIVE Nagpur. 8 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  42. ^ Mondal, Anish (16 May 2023). "Indian Railways temporarily replaces country's 6th Vande Bharat Express with Tejas rake – Details Inside". The Finiancial Express. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  43. ^ "VANDE BHARAT EXPRESS TRAINS HAVE BECOME AN INSTANT HIT AMONGST THE PASSENGERS" (Press release). Mumbai: Western Railways. 18 February 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  44. ^ Mitra, Chandrajit (6 September 2022). "Watch: Vande Bharat Train's "Glass Filled To The Brim" Test At 180 Kmph". Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  45. ^ "Gatimaan Express, India's fastest train, launched on the Delhi-Agra route". New Delhi: The Indian Express. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  46. ^ Chauhan, Arvind (27 March 2023). "From April 1, Vande Bharat Express to connect Bhopal with Delhi via Agra". The Times of India. Lucknow. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  47. ^ "Vande Bharat Express Trains - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  48. ^ "Upgraded Vande Bharat 2.0 starts playing between Delhi and Varanasi". Hindustan Times. 22 March 2023.
  49. ^ a b c d "Vande Bharat train reaches 16 minutes early; activists bat for more speed". The Times of India. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  50. ^ a b c d "Vande Bharat Express: From fastest to slowest semi-high speed trains in India – Full List HERE". Zee News. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  51. ^ "PM to flag off Vande Bharat 2 from Gandhinagar to Mumbai on Sept 30". Indian Express. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  52. ^ "Speed of Vande Bharat will be increased, say railway officials". The Hindu. 12 November 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  53. ^ "6th Vande Bharat train to be inaugurated on December 11". Hindustan Times. 4 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  54. ^ "तेजस 3 दिन में ही बंद वंदे भारत आज से फिर पटरी पर, अब 16 की जगह केवल 8 कोच". Dainik Bhaskar. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  55. ^ "CR strengthening tracks to increase speed of Vande Bharat trains". The Indian Express. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  56. ^ Gautam, Prateek (29 March 2023). "The Vande Bharat Express will travel at a top speed of 160 km per hour on the route and will take you to your destination in 7 hours and 50 minutes". News24 Online.
  57. ^ "Vande Bharat Express trains are running at a speed much lower than permissible, RTI reveals". Zee Business. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  58. ^ Chauhan, Arvind (21 March 2023). "From April 1, Vande Bharat Express to connect Bhopal with Delhi via Agra". The Times of India.
  59. ^ a b "Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express to get faster, have additional coaches. Check revised timings". 16 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  60. ^ "Tirupati-Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express train likely to hit tracks from April 8". The Times of India. 25 March 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  61. ^ செல்வகுமார் (21 March 2023). "சென்னை - கோவை இடையேயான வந்தே பாரத் ரயிலை தொடங்கி வைக்கிறார் பிரதமர் மோடி". tamil.abplive.com (in Tamil). Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  62. ^ "For the first week, its trial speed will be 72 km/h. If all goes well, the train's speed will be increased to 150 km/h". indiatoday.in. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  63. ^ "Jaipur-Delhi Vande Bharat to take 1.45 hours at 150 kmph, schedule, launch month revealed". Daily News and Analysis. 25 March 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  64. ^ अजमेर, सुमित सारस्वत (21 March 2023). "रेल मंत्री अश्विनी वैष्णव ने की बड़ी घोषणा, अब जयपुर की जगह अजमेर से चलेगी वंदेभारत". www.abplive.com (in Hindi). Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  65. ^ "PM Flags Off Kerala's First Vande Bharat Express". NDTV. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  66. ^ "Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express: Check route, fare, timing, speed and how to book ticket". Zee Business. 11 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  67. ^ "PM Modi flags off Delhi-Dehradun Vande Bharat Express. Check timings, ticket price". India Today. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  68. ^ a b Roy, Joydeep. "22228/Guwahati - New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express - Guwahati to New Jalpaiguri NFR/Northeast Frontier Zone - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  69. ^ "PM Modi to flag off Northeast's first Vande Bharat Express on May 29". India Today. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  70. ^ Mehta, Mathank (1 June 2023). "Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat Express to leave city at 5.25am". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  71. ^ Adimulam, Sweety (1 June 2023). "Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat to run on all days except Fridays, cover 10 stations". The Indian Express. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  72. ^ "Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat Express speed likely to be restricted". mid-day.com. 1 June 2023.
  73. ^ "8-car mini Vande Bharat trains get funds from budget; to run intercity". Hindustan Times. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  74. ^ "Mini Vande Bharat Express: 8 coach mini express train launch scheduled for March-April 2023". TimesNow. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  75. ^ "Vande Bharat Express Trains To Soon Have Their Mini Versions: Reports". News18. 8 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  76. ^ Mondal, Anish (16 May 2023). "Indian Railways temporarily replaces country's 6th Vande Bharat Express with Tejas rake – Details Inside". Financialexpress. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  77. ^ "Tejas Express Replaces Bilaspur-Nagpur Vande Bharat Express Due To Poor Passenger Response". Business World. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  78. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Check list of 31 proposed routes of Vande Bharat Express train". News9live. 11 April 2023.
  79. ^ "दिल्ली से चलेगी एक और वंदे भारत एक्सप्रेस ट्रेन, आगरा से जोड़ेगी कई शहर; यह होगा रूट". Hindustan (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  80. ^ "Vande Bharat Train To Connect Delhi And Khajuraho Via Agra Soon". News18. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  81. ^ Tiwari, Madan (27 April 2023). "Vande Bharat: रामभक्तों के लिए खुशखबरी, इस रूट पर चलेगी वंदे भारत; लाखों लोगों को होगा फायदा". Hindustan (in Hindi). Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  82. ^ "U.P.: Vande Bharat train likely between Prayagraj and Gorakhpur". Hindustan Times. 24 September 2022.
  83. ^ "Vande Bharat Trains To Soon Run On Ranchi-Patna And Lucknow-Gorakhpur Routes". News18. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  84. ^ "Vande Bharat Train: पटना-रांची वंदे भारत एक्सप्रेस ट्रेन इसी महीने होगी शुरू, महज इतने घंटे में पूरा होगा सफर". Hindustan (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  85. ^ "Vande Bharat Express: रांची-वाराणसी के बीच चलेगी वंदे भारत ट्रेन, रूट-किराया और कितने घंटे का होगा सफर... जानिए सबकुछ". Navbharat Times.
  86. ^ "Vande Bharat Express to be launched between Bengaluru - Dharwad by July. Details". Hindustan Times. 1 June 2023.
  87. ^ "'Vande Bharat' train sought between Tirupati, Bengaluru". The Hindu. 27 August 2022 – via www.thehindu.com.
  88. ^ "Odisha demands introduction of Vande Bharat trains on three routes - ET Infra". ETInfra.com.
  89. ^ "New Vande Bharat Exp from Ngp to Secunderabad". The Live Nagpur. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  90. ^ "Vande Bharat express train will be started from Visakhapatnam soon, says DRM". The Hindu. 23 September 2022 – via www.thehindu.com.
  91. ^ "Vande Bharat Express may soon run between Jammu and Srinagar | See details". TimesNow. 14 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  92. ^ Rao, Lingamgunta Nirmitha (14 April 2023). "'Vande Metro' to be rolled out by Dec 2023; Check features, other details". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  93. ^ "Vande Metro: Know all about India's fastest and next generation intercity train | Metro Rail Today".
  94. ^ a b "UP : 500 करोड़ से जमीन पर उतरेगी लखनऊ-कानपुर वंदे भारत मेट्रो, 130 किमी की रफ्तार से दौड़ेगी". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  95. ^ a b "Vande Bharat Metro: New update! Good news for passengers! Vande Bharat Metro may start in this state from this month. - informalnewz". 28 May 2023.
  96. ^ "हाईटेक तकनीक और सुविधाओं से लैस: वाराणसी-प्रयागराज के बीच चलेगी वंदे मेट्रो ट्रेन, जानिए पूरी डिटेल".
  97. ^ a b c d "Vande Metro, A Luxury, Full-AC Version of EMUs, Coming Soon to a Train Station near You". 27 May 2023.
  98. ^ "Vande Metro for Mumbai Suburban: Railways Nod for Procurement of 238 Rakes". 21 May 2023.

Media related to Vande Bharat Express trains at Wikimedia Commons