Indian Railways to roll out Vande Bharat Sleeper Train in 2024

Indian Railways is set to introduce the 'Vande Bharat Sleeper Train' by March 2024, offering a new travel experience with lying down options. With affordable fares and expanding network connectivity, the plan for these sleeper trains is progressing smoothly.

Riding on the success of the Vande Bharat trains, the Indian Railways is gearing up to introduce the 'Vande Bharat Sleeper Train' by March 2024, According to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. This announcement brings the promise of a new travel experience for passengers, who will now have the option to enjoy their journey not only sitting but also lying down aboard the Vande Bharat trains. Furthermore, these trains will offer affordable fares, ensuring accessibility for a wider range of travellers.

The Railway Minister confirmed that the plan to launch these sleeper trains is currently progressing smoothly. It is worth noting that five Vande Bharat Express trains were on Tuesday unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Ashwini Vaishnaw participated in the event and took the opportunity to share this exciting news.

The extensive network of Vande Bharat Express now connects most states across the country, with the exception of four states that are either yet to be electrified or lack a railway network. This signifies a significant milestone in expanding the reach and accessibility of this innovative train service.

During the programme, the Railways minister revealed that the design work for the Vande Bharat sleeper coaches is already in an advanced stage and is expected to be completed by December. The manufacturing process is progressing smoothly as well, with uninterrupted production efforts. As per the Minister's announcement, the Vande sleeper trains are expected to commence operations by March 2024.

It is important to mention that the Vande Bharat fleet will consist of 102 trains, comprising 75 chair car variants and the remaining sleeper variants. In March 2023, the Minister of Railways shared this information in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha, where he revealed that the Indian Railways had established an Indian Railway Design Center within the Railway Production Units to facilitate the manufacturing process. 

The production plan includes the release of 102 Vande Bharat rakes, with 35 scheduled for 2022-2023 and 67 for 2023-2024.

Indian Railways has ambitious plans to manufacture a total of 400 Vande Bharat trains, featuring three different technologies. To support this endeavour, the railways have already floated tenders to select technology partners for manufacturing purposes, ensuring the successful realization of this grand vision.