Poll-Bound West Bengal, Assam To Get 11 New Trains Including Amrit Bharat, Vande Bharat | Full List

Poll-bound states of West Bengal and Assam are set to get 11 new trains, including the Vande Bharat Sleeper train and the Amrit Bharat Express.

According to Ministry of Railways, these trains would improve

connectivity to states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh. As per the ministry, eight of the new trains set to be introduced would be Amrit Bharat Express services, one will be a Vande Bharat Sleeper train and two will be Express trains.

Vande Bharat Sleeper Train:

Last week, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the Vande Bharat sleeper train between Guwahati and Kolkata later this month.

“The services will become operational in the next 15-20 days, possibly around January 18 or 19. We have requested the prime minister and everything is clear. I will announce the exact date in the next two to three days,” Vaishnaw said.

The 16-coach train will comprise 11 Third AC coaches, four Second AC coaches and one First AC coach. With a passenger capacity of 823, it has a design speed of 180 kilometres per hour. However, it will operate at a speed of 120-130 kmph between the two cities, covering prominent districts of Assam and West Bengal.

Amrit Bharat Trains

Amrit Bharat Express trains, known for being budget-friendly and comfortable, are non-AC trains offering facilities comparable to the Vande Bharat Express.

As per Indian Express, the new Amrit Bharat Express trains are scheduled to be launched on the following routes:

New Jalpaiguri-Tiruchirappalli

SMVT Bengaluru-Alipurduar

Alipurduar-Panvel

Dibrugarh-Gomti Nagar (Lucknow)

Kamakhya-Rohtak

Howrah-Delhi (Anand Vihar Terminal)

Sealdah-Banaras

New Jalpaiguri-Nagercoil

Express Trains

Additionally, two new Express trains will be introduced to enhance connectivity between North Bengal and Karnataka.

As per the news outlet, these trains will operate on the following routes:

SMVT Bengaluru-Balurghat Express

SMVT Bengaluru-Radhikapur Express