Vande Bharat Express, India’s fastest train, was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15, 2019. Read more about the train here:
- Vande Bharat Express is India’s first indigenously built engineless, semi-high speed train.
- Initially known as Train 18, it is a successor to Shatabdi Express.
- Vande Bharat Express is an air-conditioned luxury train and will take around eight hours to travel between Delhi and Varanasi (750 km). It will make stops at Kanpur and Prayagraj.
- It is a self-propelled train which does not require engine.
- Vande Bharat Express can run up to a maximum speed of 160 kmph (Maximum speed of shatabdi express is 155 Kmph and takes 12-13 hours to cover the same distance). The train is capable of touching a maximum speed of 200 kmph. When compared with Shatabdi Trains, the train will reduce travel time by 15%.
- The Vande Bharat Express will operate on five days in a week, except on Monday and Thursday.
- It has 14 Air Conditioned Coaches and 2 Executive Class Coaches.
- The total seating capacity of the train is 1,128 passengers.
- Other features of this train includes:
- Automatic doors and footsteps
- 360 Degree rotating seats
- driving cabs at both ends
- Dual mode, touch sensitive lights above the seat
- Train speed indication on screen
- GPS-based Passenger Information System
- CCTV Cameras, Wi-Fi facilities
- Bio-vacuum toilets
- Vande Bharat (Train 18) has undergone extensive trials under the supervision of the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow.
- The Vande Bharat Express was manufactured under the ‘Make in India’ initiative at Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. It was completed within a time period of 18 months at a cost of Rs 100 crore.
- From Delhi to Varanasi, an AC Chair car ticket will cost Rs. 1760, while the executive class coach will be Rs. 3310. The fares are inclusive of catering charges.
- The Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has said that the tendering process has started for 30 such trains.
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