New Delhi: The bullet train may be India’s dream railway project, but even the Vande Bharat service is set to revolutionise travel in the country.
According to the Union Ministry of Railways, the Vande Bharat train is expected to achieve speeds of up to 350 kmph, making it among the world’s fastest train systems. It’s part of India’s focus on next-generation high-speed rail travel.
The upcoming Vande Bharat 4.0 is scheduled for launch in 2027, and is being designed to operate at very high speeds on dedicated corridors initially.
By 2047, the goal is to have nearly 4,500 Vande Bharat trains running across the country as part of Viksit Bharat @2047, the government’s ambitious vision to transform India into a developed nation by its 100th year of independence.
The first Vande Bharat train was rolled out in February 2019, followed by version 2.0 in September 2022 and version 3.0 in 2025. While these trains connect cities that are less than 800 km apart, or take less than 10 hours to travel, the Vande Bharat Sleeper variant is set to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support long-distance overnight travel.
The first Vande Bharat Sleeper train will run between Howrah and Guwahati, covering a distance of around 990 kilometres.
In the next stage of the Vande Bharat evolution, Indian Railways is developing Vande Bharat 4.0, which is aimed to set fresh benchmarks in speed, safety and passenger comfort.
Railway expert Sudhanshu Mani said the train is being planned for high-speed corridors. The Ahmedabad-Mumbai route, which is being built as High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor for the bullet train project, may be considered for Vande Bharat 4.0 also.
The next-generation train will be equipped with Kavach 5.0, latest version of India’s indigenous Automatic Train Protection system, strengthening safety standards.
The new Vande Bharat model is being designed keeping in mind superior passenger experience, including upgrades in seating, toilet facilities, interior finish and overall coach quality. These trains are also being seen as potential export product.
