Vande Bharat Express Reaches New Heights of Success

Ministry of Railways//Entry Date: December 16, 2025 at 6:48 PM by PIB Delhi

Provided fast, safe, and comfortable travel to 7.5 crore passengers since 2019

New Delhi: 16th December 2025: (PIB Delhi//Rail Screen Desk):

Vande Bharat has created a new history in Indian Railways. Speed, safety, and comfortable travel have now been redefined.

164 Vande Bharat train services are currently operational across India. This is also boosting connectivity and tourism in 274 districts.

Indian Railways' Vande Bharat Express has completely transformed rail travel in India since its inception in February 2019. Today, 164 world-class Vande Bharat services connect major cities across the country.

These services offer faster, safer, and more comfortable journeys. The popularity of the Vande Bharat Express is evident from its passenger numbers. More than 75 lakh passengers have experienced this state-of-the-art train since 2019.

The experience of seeing the Vande Bharat Express crossing the Chenab Bridge is truly memorable. The scenic views are breathtaking when traveling on the Vande Bharat.

Built under the Make in India initiative, each trainset comes with advanced features. These include automatic plug doors, rotating seats and bio-vacuum toilets. They also have GPS-based passenger information systems and full CCTV coverage. These features ensure a world-class travel experience for every passenger.

Vande Bharat Express train services have become a major boon for passengers and tourists. They connect India’s cultural, spiritual, and economic hubs with speed and comfort. These trains are operational in 274 districts across the country. This wide reach is improving travel, tourism, and regional connectivity nationwide.

The Delhi-Varanasi route connects the national capital with India’s spiritual heart. It offers pilgrims and tourists a convenient and reliable travel option. Similarly, the Srinagar - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra route improves access to one of the country’s most revered pilgrimage sites. The route was inaugurated on 6 June 2025 by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It strengthens religious tourism and boosts regional connectivity.

At the same time, the Bengaluru-Hyderabad train service has become a preferred choice for many passengers. It is widely used by IT professionals and business travelers. The service connects two major technology hubs of India.

Vande Bharat began in 2019 with just one train service. Today, it has grown into a network of 164 trains. These services carry lakhs of passengers every month. These trains improve productivity for business travelers. They offer comfortable journeys for families. They provide dignified travel for pilgrims. They also reduce carbon emissions compared to road and air travel.

The strong response shows the growing demand for world-class rail infrastructure across India. The Vande Bharat Express, Amrit Bharat Express, and Namo Bharat Rapid Rail high-tech trains are becoming popular and offering modern facilities to the passengers. Looking ahead, the upcoming Vande Bharat Sleeper is set to transform overnight travel. It will combine speed, comfort, and modern amenities for long-distance passengers.

*****//Dharmendra Tewari/Dr. Nayan Solanki/Ritu Raj//(Release ID: 2204799)-----****

First AC car provides shower with hot water-Vande Bharat

Ministry of Railways//Posted On: 03 OCT 2024 6:10 PM//PIB Delhi

Pleasant rail journey: Story of Vande Bharat Express 

New Delhi: 03 October 2024: (PIB//Rail Screen Desk):

The Government of India has made significant efforts towards strengthening the 'Make in India' campaign. As an excellent example of the success story of 'Make in India', Indian Railways launched India's first indigenous semi-high-speed train, Vande Bharat Express. It has become a symbol of India's aspirations for modern, efficient and comfortable rail travel.

On February 15, 2019, the first Vande Bharat Express train running at a speed of 160 kmph on the New Delhi-Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi route was flagged off. Indian Railways is operating a total of 102 Vande Bharat train services (51 trains), connecting states with Broad Gauge (BG) electrified network. During FY 2022-23, around 31.84 lakh were booked to travel on Vande Bharat trains. The overall occupancy of Vande Bharat trains during this period has been 96.62%.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 31, 2024 flagged off three Vande Bharat trains through video conferencing, which will enhance connectivity in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. These state-of-the-art trains, embodying the Prime Minister's vision of 'Make in India' and Aatmanirbhar Bharat, will improve transport links on three major routes (Meerut City-Lucknow, Madurai-Bengaluru, Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil).

Vande Bharat trains will provide a world-class travel experience to the residents of these regions by ensuring speed as well as comfort. These trains are equipped with top-class amenities and advanced safety features such as Kavach technology, 360-degree rotating seats, accessible toilets for Divyangjans and integrated Braille signage, etc.

Meerut City-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express

Meerut City-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express is the first Vande Bharat service connecting Meerut to Lucknow. The train is expected to give a major boost to religious tourism in the region by providing a faster and more efficient travel option to various pilgrimage sites including Digambar Jain Temple, Mansa Devi Temple, Surajkund Temple, Aughadnath Temple and Hanuman Chowk Temple in Meerut and Chandrika Devi Temple, Bhootnath Temple and Buddheshwar Mahadev Temple in Lucknow. Additionally, the Vande Bharat Express will provide a major boost to industries such as sports goods, musical instruments, sugar and electronics in the Meerut region by improving quick connectivity to the capital of Uttar Pradesh.

Madurai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express

Madurai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express is the first Vande Bharat train connecting Madurai to Bengaluru via the Tiruchirapalli route. This service will connect the vibrant temple city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu to the metropolitan city of Bengaluru, the capital of the state of Karnataka. Additionally, it will provide convenient travel for business professionals, students, working personnel and other passengers travelling from their hometowns in Tamil Nadu to the metropolitan hub of Bengaluru.

Chennai Egmore- Nagercoil Vande Bharat

Chennai Egmore- Nagercoil Vande Bharat is the first Vande Bharat train connecting the beautiful city of Nagercoil to Chennai. Covering a distance of 726 km within Tamil Nadu, this train offers a modern and faster travel experience to residents of 12 districts including Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar Madurai, Dindigul, Trichy, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Chengalpattu and Chennai. This service will also greatly benefit pilgrims visiting the divine Arulmighu Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai and Kumari Amman Temple in Kanyakumari.

India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper trainset at BEML's Bangalore Rail Complex on September 1, 2024. The trainset has been indigenously designed and manufactured by BEML, India's leading rail and metro manufacturer.

The Vande Bharat Sleeper train set is expected to revolutionise long-distance rail travel in India and set new benchmarks for comfort, safety and efficiency. The train is equipped with several world-class features, including an integrated reading light with USB charging provision, public announcement and visual information system, inside display panels and security cameras, modular pantry and exclusive berths and toilets for differently-abled passengers.

Additionally, the First AC car offers shower with hot water, enhancing passenger comfort. Meticulously engineered with utmost detailing, the trainset prioritises both aesthetic appeal and functionality in all elements from the front nose cone to the interior panels, seats, sleeper berths and more.

BEML has pioneered the integration of critical systems including electrical, propulsion, bogies, external plug doors, brake system and HVAC, ensuring seamless integration and maximum performance across the trainset. The entire manufacturing and assembly process is consolidated at BEML, underlining the company's commitment to quality and precision.

Conclusion

Vande Bharat Express has revolutionised rail travel in India by offering a unique combination of speed, comfort and safety. With the continued expansion of this service, Indian Railways aims to further enhance connectivity across the country, contribute to economic growth and regional development.

The success of Vande Bharat Express is a testimony to India's capabilities in indigenous manufacturing and is an important step towards realising the vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'.

Santosh Kumar/Sheetal Angral/Ritu Kataria/Aswathi Nair//(Backgrounder ID: 153234)

PM will flag off three Vande Bharat trains on 31 August

 Posted Date: 30 August 2024, 2:59 PM, PIB Delhi

Tourism will get a new direction with better connectivity and faster speed

PIB file photo

New Delhi: 30 August 2024: (PIB//The Rail Screen Desk)::

Who doesn't like a fast and comfortable journey? The people of India have been dreaming of this for a long time. The new Vande Bharat trains are now giving a new direction to better connectivity, faster travel, and tourism in Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will dedicate three new Vande Bharat Express trains to the nation through video conferencing on August 31, 2024 at 12:30 pm. These trains are the embodiment of the Prime Minister's vision of 'Make in India' and Aatmanirbhar Bharat, which will provide better connectivity and faster travel experience in Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

The new Vande Bharat trains will run on Meerut-Lucknow, Madurai-Bengaluru, and Chennai-Nagercoil routes. These trains will reduce travel time significantly compared to the current options due to their high speed. Meerut City-Lucknow Vande Bharat will save about 1 hour, Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil Vande Bharat will save about 2 hours, and Madurai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat will save about 1.5 hours.

Vande Bharat trains will provide world-class services to passengers and meet the long-standing demands of the people of the region. These state-of-the-art trains will not only revolutionize transportation but will also give a boost to tourism and business in three major states - Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

The launch of the new Vande Bharat Express trains will usher in a new era in railway service for regional assssssss, professionals, businessmen, and students who will be able to experience fast, convenient, and comfortable travel. 

With the introduction of such high-speed trains, a new history is being created for Indian Railways and you all are here to witness it. It is not easy to make such dreams come true.