Train rides in India often lead to stories and adventures that make sensational or wonderful memories. Travelling to a destination becomes as much fun as exploring the destination when one embarks upon a journey in a train. The co-passengers, the stations, bustling cities and serene countryside, all interconnected by a labyrinth of tracks, converge to simple yet unforgettable pleasures of a vacation.
Leading the bandwagon (literally and metamorphically) of train travel in India is the uber-advanced Vande Bharat Express. Train travel in India has become all the more convenient and fascinating for tourists recently. With one Vande Bharat being launched on a new route almost every month, there is a lot that train enthusiasts and executive passengers are loving nowadays.
Speeding into the Future
The Vande Bharat Express trains, formerly known as Train 18, is a shining symbol of India's prowess in engineering and innovation. The most attractive part of them being the sleek and aerodynamic design. India’s first indigenous semi-high-speed trains, Vande Bharat coaches are designed and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory. The trains were planned to replace the Shatabdi Express, as they were being built to complete the same journey in 15% less time. While these semi-high-speed trains can achieve the maximum speed of 180kmph, they don’t run at such high speed because the Indian train tracks cannot withstand the speed. The Vande Bharat express train zooms across landscapes at speeds between 110 and 130kmph.
Comfort Redefined
One of the best features about Vande Bharat Express is the unmatched comfort that it provides. The plush reclining seats that rotate 180 degrees in executive class, the wide windows and ergonomic design appeals to every passenger that takes a seat in this train. The Vande Bharat rake has 16 coaches, including two for the executive class that have been centrally positioned. The train has a total seating capacity of 1,126 seats, including 104 executive class seats. The remaining are economy chair cars. Bio-vacuum toilets, minimal noise and less vibration has redefined comfort in Indian Railways. The onboard pantry serves a delectable array of meals, which is relevant to the geography that the particular train is traversing.
Cutting Edge Amenities
Vande Bharat Express has several advanced features like Wi-Fi onboard, sensor-driven automatic doors and GPS based audio-visual passenger information system. The infotainment system provides detailed information about the train's route, history, and the diverse destinations it passes through. Personal charging ports that include plug points and USB ports are provided beneath each seat. Reading lights have also been fixed above the seats. Replacing the alarm chains used to bring trains to emergency halts, an Emergency Talk Back Unit has been installed at several points in the train. This enables passengers to communicate with the loco pilot and convey information directly. Vande Bharat express is India's first engineless train. It does not have a separate engine, but an integrated engine, much like the famed Bullet Train.
Present Routes:
Train 18 was renamed Vande Bharat Express on 27th January 2019. It went into commercial service on 15 February 2019. Vande Bharat trains have been expanded to 18 different routes since.The details of the same are as follows:
1. New Delhi to Varanasi: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 762 km in 8 hours. The train runs on all days of the week, except Thursdays. The train halts at two stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 15th Feb, 2019.
2. New Delhi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 655 km in 8 hours. The train runs on all days of the week, except Tuesdays. The train halts at three stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 3rd Oct, 2019.
3. Mumbai Central to Gandhinagar: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 522 km in 6 hours and 25 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Sundays. The train halts at two stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 30th Sep, 2022.
5. New Delhi to Amb Andaura: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 412 km in 6 hours and 30 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Fridays. The train halts at four stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 13th Oct, 2022.
5. MGR Chennai Central Mysuru: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 496 km in 6 hours and 30 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Wednesdays. The train halts at two stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 11th Nov, 2022.
6. Bilaspur to Nagpur: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 412 km in 5 hours and 30 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Saturdays. The train halts at four stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 11th Dec, 2022.
7. Howrah to New Jalpaiguri: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 565 km in 7 hours and 30 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Wednesdays. The train halts at three stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 30th Dec, 2022.
8. Vishakhapatnam to Secunderabad: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 698 km in 8 hours and 30 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Sundays. The train halts at six stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 15th Jan, 2023.
9. Mumbai CSMT to Solapur: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 452 km in 6 hours and 30 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Wednesdays. The train halts at four stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 10th Feb, 2023.
10. Mumbai CSMT to Sainagar Shirdi: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 339 km in 5 hours and 20 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Tuesdays. The train halts at three stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 10th Feb, 2023.
11. Rani Kamalapati to Hazrat Nizamuddin: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 702 km in 7 hours and 30 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Saturdays. The train halts at four stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 1st Apr, 2023.
12. Secundrabad to Tirupati: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 661 km in 8 hours and 15 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Tuesdays. The train halts at four stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 8th Apr, 2023.
13. MGR Chennai Central to Coimbatore: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 495 km in 5 hours and 50 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Wednesdays. The train halts at four stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 8th Apr, 2023.
14. Delhi Cnt to Ajmer: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 428 km in 5 hours and 15 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Wednesdays. The train halts at three stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 12th Apr, 2023.
15.Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 587 km in 8 hours and 05 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Thursdays. The train halts at seven stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 25th Apr, 2023.
16. Howrah to Puri: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 500 km in 6 hours and 25 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Thursdays. The train halts at seven stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 18th of May, 2023.
17. Anand Vihar to Dehradun: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 304 km in 4 hours and 45 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Wednesdays. The train halts at five stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 25th May, 2023.
18. New Jalpaiguri to Guwahati: The Vande Bharat covers a distance of 407 km in 5 hours and 30 mins. The train runs on all days of the week, except Tuesdays. The train halts at five stations in the journey. The train was inaugurated on 29th May, 2023.
19. Mumbai CSMT to Madgaon, Goa: The 19th Vande Bharat Express train connecting Mumbai and Goa was supposed to be flagged off on 3rd of June, 2023. This is planned as the first 8-coach Vande Bharat train that will halt at Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Khed, Ratnagiri, Kankavali and Thivim stations. However, owing to the massively disastrous railway accident in Balasore district of Odisha, involving a goods train and two passenger trains, the ceremony was cancelled. The worst train tragedy in decades, that happened on the night of 3rd of June, 2023, has claimed more than 280 lives.
With technological advancement, train rides would only get better and safer. Vane Bharat is the flagbearer of that hope in India. Replete with modern features that are in contrast with other trains, Vande Bharat has acquired celebrity status among travelers and rail enthusiasts. As the country takes a step ahead into a brighter future, our trains have also become faster and more advanced. Let us all aboard the train of innovation and marvels, as we embark on an exciting journey through the heart of India on the renowned Vande Bharat Express!
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