Indian Railways Plans 250+ Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains for Faster Overnight Travel

This is the first of several such trains to be introduced by Indian Railways. This new train has a design speed of 180 kmph and will have an operational speed of 160 kmph if the route permits. However, the project has been delayed several times, and the first ten train sets are running significantly behind schedule.

Indian Railways has stated that the new technology required extensive testing, and feedback from the prototypes is being used to improve subsequent train sets.

A total of 260 Vande Bharat sleeper-style trains will be manufactured. The first ten trains are being manufactured by BEML in collaboration with Chennai-based ICF. The multi-thousand-crore rupee project of 200 train sets has been awarded to two consortia; Of these, 120 trains will be manufactured by the Indo-Russian joint venture Kinet, and the remaining 80 by the Titagarh-BHEL consortium.

According to sources, the first prototype rake manufactured by Kinet is expected to be ready by the first quarter of 2027. In the first year, Kinet expects to produce 12 train sets with 16 coaches each, 18 train sets in the second year, and an annual target of 25 train sets from the third year onwards.

This train will be broadly similar to the BEML Vande Bharat sleeper train; however, Kinet has made several design improvements.

These include improved staircase design, better seat cushioning, reduced external noise and vibration compared to standard trains, optimized lighting, and better space utilization to improve passenger comfort and the overall travel experience.