India’s First Vande Bharat Sleeper Rolls Out: Check Features, Fares, Cancellation Costs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) last week. The train is part of Indian Railways’ push to modernise long-distance journeys.

The semi-high-speed service aims to reduce travel time on the route by 2.5 hours. It will also give a boost to religious tourism and connectivity in the region.

The first train will start from Howrah on January 22, while the return journey from Guwahati will begin services from January 23.

As ticket bookings begin for the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, here’s everything to know about the new service.

All About Vande Bharat Sleeper Train

The train has a design speed of 180 kmph and consists of 16 coaches: eleven 3-tier, four 2-tier and one first class AC. It is equipped with

safety systems such as Kavach and emergency talk-back features.

The total capacity is 823 passengers: 611 in 3-tier, 188 in 2-tier and 24 in first class AC.

Padded berths, CCTV monitoring, bio-vacuum toilets, gentle night-time lighting, baby care facilities and interiors finished with GFRP panels are also available.

The interior impresses with its modern design. The floors and ceiling look pristine. Each compartment has four berths with stairways to access the upper bunks. For privacy, the doors can be locked from the inside. There is also a special button that turns the opaque glass on the door transparent. This will allow passengers to see who is outside, and it can be blurred again with another press.

Sliding windows add another layer of privacy while each berth comes with its own air ventilation system, lighting and power sockets.

Premium Linen Kits For Every Passenger: Before the train’s inauguration, the Railway Board issued a directive that each passenger would receive a premium mill-made linen kit, which includes: A bed sheet, a pillow with a cover, a wool-rich premium blanket with a cover, a hand towel. These kits will be provided in all AC classes to maintain the premium standard of the service.

Ticket Prices: AC 3-Tier tickets will cost Rs 960 for journeys up to 400 km. First Class AC tickets will have a fare of about Rs 1,520, while an AC 2-Tier berth will be Rs 1,240. Fares will be between Rs 2,400 and Rs 3,800 for trips close to 1,000 km.

Food And Service: Passengers can enjoy local cuisine onboard with Assamese dishes served on trains starting from Guwahati and Bengali fare on journeys beginning in Kolkata, along with dinner at night and tea in the morning.

Cancellation Costs: The new cancellation rules for Vande Bharat Sleeper trains are significantly different and stricter as compared to other trains. According to new norms notified by the Railways, a 25% deduction will apply if a ticket booked in this premium train is cancelled anytime after purchasing, a 50% charge will be levied if cancellation is done between 72 hours and eight hours before the train’s scheduled departure. There will be no refund, if a ticket is cancelled less than eight hours before scheduled departure.

The Vande Bharat Sleeper is open to the general public only, with no VIP or emergency quota.