Vande Bharat trains are moving beyond daytime journeys, with Indian Railways preparing to expand its semi-high-speed network with sleeper services for long-distance overnight travel.
The first Vande Bharat sleeper trains entered passenger service earlier this year on the Guwahati-Howrah route. A second pair is currently undergoing trials. Reports have suggested Bengaluru-Mumbai as a possible route, although Indian Railways has not officially confirmed the deployment, the Economic Times reported.
Meanwhile, the manufacturing pipeline is growing. Plans currently cover 260 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets, to be produced by multiple manufacturers.
The first 10 sleeper trainsets are being manufactured by BEML, with each train comprising 16 coaches. The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai is set to manufacture another 50 trains, with these longer versions featuring 24 coaches and a pantry car.
A separate contract covers 200 trainsets. Kinet Railway Solutions, an Indo-Russian joint venture involving RVNL and Russia’s Transmashholding, will manufacture 120, while the Titagarh-BHEL joint venture will produce 80.
Kinet is manufacturing its trains at the upgraded Marathwada Rail Coach Factory in Latur, Maharashtra. Its first prototype is now targeted for March 31, 2027, after the earlier June 2026 target was revised.
The sleeper trains have a design speed of 180 kmph, while their operational speed is expected to reach up to 160 kmph, depending on the route and railway infrastructure.
Unlike conventional trains that use a separate locomotive, Vande Bharat uses distributed power across the trainset. This allows faster acceleration and braking and could help reduce journey times on suitable routes.
The current 16-coach configuration includes 11 AC 3-tier coaches, four AC 2-tier coaches and one AC First Class coach.
Passengers will get features designed specifically for overnight travel, including cushioned berths, reading lights, charging points, passenger information displays and integrated announcement systems.
The trains will also have sealed gangways and automatic interconnecting doors to help maintain the onboard environment.
The AC First Class coach will offer additional premium facilities, including shower facilities and hot water.
Safety features include KAVACH, India's indigenous automatic train protection system, along with regenerative braking, a Centralised Coach Monitoring System and an emergency communication system.
The sleeper trains will also use aircraft-style bio-vacuum toilets, designed to improve hygiene and reduce water usage. Separate washroom facilities will be available for passengers with disabilities.
The expansion will not happen all at once. New sleeper services will depend on prototype development, testing, certification and the readiness of individual routes.
