Nine New Vande Bharat Express Trains Launched Across 11 States

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched nine new Vande Bharat Express trains via video conference on Sunday, September 24. The total number of semi-high-speed trains now stands at 34. According to the Prime Minister, the administration is focusing on multi-modal connectivity and ease of travel to reduce time.

The nine trains will provide faster connection across 11 states: Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gujarat. In a country where train travel is a way of life, the introduction of new Vande Bharat trains offers immense promise. This new service perfectly complements India's growing demand for fast and convenient rail transportation options.

The New Trains

These nine trains will connect religious and tourist locations in 11 states across the country.

The new trains are Udaipur – Jaipur Vande Bharat Express, Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai Vande Bharat Express, Hyderabad –Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, Vijayawada – Chennai (via Renigunta) Vande Bharat Express, Patna – Howrah Vande Bharat Express, Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express, Rourkela - Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express, Ranchi – Howrah Vande Bharat Express and Jamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express.

Shorter Journeys

When compared to the current fastest trains on the route, Rourkela-Bhubaneswar-Puri and Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram, the Vande Bharat trains will reduce travel time by about three hours; Hyderabad-Bengaluru by more than 2.5 hours; and Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai by more than 2 hours.

When compared to the fastest trains currently available between these destinations, the travel time between Ranchi and Howrah, Patna and Howrah, and Jamnagar and Ahmedabad will be cut by around one hour. The journey time between Udaipur and Jaipur would be cut by roughly 30 minutes. The trains from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar to Puri and Tirunelveli to Madurai to Chennai would connect the significant holy towns of Puri and Madurai.

New Features

The introduction of these nine trains, according to a statement by the PMO, heralds a new standard of rail service in the country, with world-class amenities and innovative safety measures like Kavach technology. The statement claims that the coach makers have paid special attention to detail.

According to the PMO, some of the new improvements that passengers will notice on the trains include improved seat reclining angles that have been enhanced from 17.31 degrees to 19.37 degrees. Mobile charging outlets under the seats are now more easily accessible. Other new features include expanded footrests and magazine bags for executive class coach-end seats.

Earlier in September, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) announced that it is gearing up to unveil the first Vande Bharat sleeper train in March 2024. This eagerly anticipated addition promises to transform long-distance travel, enabling passengers to journey comfortably on high-speed trains overnight. The sleeper coaches are set to make overnight travel a seamless and comfortable experience, ushering in a new era of train travel in the country.