The Vande Bharat Express is a semi-high-speed train introduced to improve the efficiency of India’s railway system. Although it is designed to reach a top speed of 180 km/h, it currently operates at a maximum speed of 160 km/h due to track design and quality limitations.
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1st Vande Bharat Express Launch
On February 15, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged the first Vande Bharat Express. It was India’s fastest self-propelled train, operating without a locomotive. The inaugural route connected Varanasi to New Delhi, with Allahabad and Kanpur as its only stops.
Why it was called Train 18 (T 18)?
The Vande Bharat Express was first called Train 18 because it was built in 2018 by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. The name came from the year it was made. Later, it was renamed Vande Bharat Express to honour Made in india policy and to highlight it as a proud achievement of India, showing progress and self-reliance in making modern trains.
Vande Bharat Coach Layout
The Vande Bharat Express has two types of coaches. Visual representation of both the coaches are given below:
Chair Car (CC):
- Seating arrangement: 3×2
- Each row has 3 seats on one side and 2 on the other.
Executive Car (EC):
- Seating arrangement: 2×2
- Each row has 2 seats on either side.
Vande Bharat CC and EC difference
The main differences between AC Chair Car (CC) and Executive Chair Car (EC) in Indian Railways lie in seating, comfort, and additional amenities:
- In CC cars Seats are arranged in a 2×3 configuration, making it suitable for accommodating more passengers.
- EC car Offers a more spacious 2×2 seating arrangement for comfort.
- EC coaches provide significantly more legroom compared to CC coaches, making them ideal for longer journeys.
- EC coaches are more spacious and offer a premium travel experience.
- The Seats may be reclined in EC Car.
- EC coaches are quieter, offering a more peaceful environment where passengers can relax or focus.
How to Book Tickets
To book tickets for this, there are no special arrangements or unique procedures. You can follow the same process as for other train tickets. For offline bookings, visit the reservation counter between 08:00 AM and 08:00 PM. Fill out the required form, pay the fare, and collect your tickets. For online tickets you can go to the official website of IRCTC.
Ticket Price
The ticket price for the Vande Bharat Express is approximately ₹1,700 for Chair Car (CC) and ₹3,200 for Executive Class (EC). This also includes the Food and snacks served during the journey. The above fare value is provided for approximate reference only. For the latest and exact fare details, please visit the official website.
Run time of Vande Bharat Express
This train operates at an average speed of approximately 100 km/h, covering routes typically ranging from 600 to 800 km. It takes around 6 to 8 hours to reach its destination, with 2 to 5 stops along the way. Currently, the Vande Bharat Express is not designed for long journeys. However, a sleeper version of the train, suitable for extended travel, has recently been inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India.
Food inside Train
Meals on this train are served based on the time of day. Before 9:00 AM and after 4:00 PM, breakfast is provided, which includes tea, kachori, a sandwich, a cutlet, a juice tetra pack, and a snack packet. During lunch and dinner hours, a full meal is served with roti, sabji, dal, chawal, pickle, and curd. Additionally, a bottle of water is given at the start of the journey, and either ice cream or rabri is served after lunch or dinner.
Is there a Pantry inside Vande Bharat
No, the Vande Bharat train does not have a pantry car. However, prepared food is boarded at the origin station and served to passengers during the journey. There is also a water heating machine available, which is used to provide hot water for tea. Additionally, it can be used to prepare hot water for infants’ formula milk if needed.
Vande Bharat Interior Images
The Vande Bharat Express currently offers only chair car seating. The seating arrangement is 3×2 in the Chair Car (CC) coaches and 2×2 in the Executive Class (EC) coaches. Below are a few images showcasing the interior of the train:
Why to travel with Vande bharat?
Combining speed, comfort, and modern amenities in one sleek package Vande Bharat is currently India’s Fastest Train. With spacious seating and bio-vacuum toilets, it offers a travel experience that feels more like flying. The ticket price includes freshly prepared, hygienic meals, adding convenience to your journey. Its eco-friendly design and advanced safety features, like the Kavach system, ensure a secure and sustainable ride. Proudly “Made in India,” the Vande Bharat Express is a symbol of progress, making it the perfect choice for both business and leisure travellers.
How many vande bharat express in india?
Currently, there are a total of 54 Vande Bharat trains in service on the mainline.
List of All Train Routes of Vande Bharat Express
| Sr. No. | Route | Train Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Delhi–Varanasi | 22436/22435 |
| 2 | New Delhi–SMVD Katra | 22439/22440 |
| 3 | Mumbai Central–Gandhinagar Capital | 20901/20902 |
| 4 | New Delhi–Amb Andaura | 22447/22448 |
| 5 | MGR Chennai Central–Mysuru | 20607/20608 |
| 6 | Bilaspur–Nagpur | 20825/20826 |
| 7 | Howrah–New Jalpaiguri | 22301/22302 |
| 8 | Visakhapatnam–Secunderabad | 20833/20834 |
| 9 | Mumbai CSMT–Solapur | 22225/22226 |
| 10 | Mumbai CSMT–Sainagar Shirdi | 22223/22224 |
| 11 | Rani Kamalapati (Habibganj)–Hazrat Nizamuddin | 20171/20172 |
| 12 | Secunderabad–Tirupati | 20701/20702 |
| 13 | MGR Chennai Central–Coimbatore | 20643/20644 |
| 14 | Ajmer–Chandigarh | 20977/20978 |
| 15 | Kasaragod–Thiruvananthapuram | 20633/20634 |
| 16 | Howrah–Puri | 22895/22896 |
| 17 | Dehradun–Anand Vihar Terminal | 22458/22457 |
| 18 | New Jalpaiguri–Guwahati | 22227/22228 |
| 19 | Mumbai CSMT–Madgaon | 22229/22230 |
| 20 | Patna–Ranchi | 22349/22350 |
| 21 | KSR Bengaluru–Dharwad | 20661/20662 |
| 22 | Rani Kamalapati (Habibganj)–Rewa | 20173/20174 |
| 23 | Indore–Nagpur | 20911/20912 |
| 24 | Jodhpur–Sabarmati (Ahmedabad) | 12461/12462 |
| 25 | Gorakhpur–Prayagraj (Allahabad) | 22549/22550 |
| 26 | Udaipur City–Jaipur | 20979/20980 |
| 27 | MGR Chennai Central–Vijayawada | 20677/20678 |
| 28 | Chennai Egmore–Tirunelveli | 20665/20666 |
| 29 | Kacheguda–Yesvantpur | 20703/20704 |
| 30 | Patna–Howrah | 22348/22347 |
| 31 | Ranchi–Howrah | 20898/20897 |
| 32 | Puri–Rourkela | 20836/20835 |
| 33 | Mangaluru Central–Thiruvananthapuram | 20631/20632 |
| 34 | Ahmedabad–Okha | 22925/22926 |
| 35 | Varanasi–New Delhi | 22415/22416 |
| 36 | Anand Vihar Terminal–Ayodhya Cantonment | 22426/22425 |
| 37 | SMVD Katra–New Delhi | 22478/22477 |
| 38 | Amritsar–Delhi Junction | 22488/22487 |
| 39 | Coimbatore–Bengaluru Cantonment | 20642/20641 |
| 40 | Mangaluru Central–Madgaon | 20646/20645 |
| 41 | Jalna–Mumbai CSMT | 20705/20706 |
| 42 | Kalaburagi (Gulbarga)–SMVT Bengaluru | 22231/22232 |
| 43 | New Jalpaiguri–Patna | 22233/22234 |
| 44 | Lucknow–Dehradun | 22545/22546 |
| 45 | Ahmedabad–Mumbai Central | 22962/22961 |
| 46 | Mysuru Junction–MGR Chennai Central | 20663/20664 |
| 47 | Hazrat Nizamuddin–Khajuraho | 22470/22469 |
| 48 | Secunderabad–Visakhapatnam | 20707/20708 |
| 49 | Ranchi–Varanasi | 20887/20888 |
| 50 | Bhubaneswar–Visakhapatnam | 20841/20842 |
| 51 | Patna–Gomti Nagar (Lucknow) | 22345/22346 |
| 52 | Chennai Egmore–Nagercoil Junction | 20627/20628 |
| 53 | Madurai Junction–Bengaluru Cantonment | 20671/20672 |
| 54 | Meerut City–Lucknow Charbagh | 22490/22489 |
Conclusion
The Vande Bharat Express symbolizes India’s progress in modernizing its railway infrastructure. From its historic launch in 2019 to its growing fleet of 54 trains serving various regions, it exemplifies speed, comfort, and self-reliance. With its innovative design, premium seating options, and efficient ticketing process, the Vande Bharat Express has redefined rail travel in India. This remarkable train enhances connectivity and reinforces India’s commitment to excellence and technological advancement in the railway sector.
For the metro Routes you may visit the Metro Routes page