Vande Bharat sleeper train to begin commercial operations from Kamakhya to Howrah on Jan 22

New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) The first Vande Bharat sleeper train flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been scheduled to begin commercial operations for general passengers from January 22 from Kamakhya to Howrah, according to an order issued by the Railways.

"Prospective passengers can book berths through IRCTC or other online platforms, as well as from physical counters, as the train's name and number have been added to the software system," a senior railway official said on Monday.

The fare, inclusive of GST, between the two stations is Rs 2,435 for AC 3, Rs 3,145 for AC 2, and Rs 3,855 for AC 1.

The train will cover the entire distance in 14 hours, making it the fastest service on this route. The existing fastest train, the Saraighat Express, completes the journey in 16 hours and 23 minutes.

However, the Vande Bharat Sleeper's fare is significantly higher, especially for AC 2 and AC 3 classes, compared to the Saraighat Express.

The fare of the Saraighat Express, including GST and superfast charges, is Rs 3,320 for AC 1, Rs 1,985 for AC 2, and Rs 1,410 for AC 3.

Compared to the Saraighat Express, the Vande Bharat Sleeper's fare is higher by 72 per cent for AC 3, 58 per cent for AC 2, and 16 per cent for AC 1.

Railway officials said the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train offers a wide range of passenger amenities, enhanced safety features, and other facilities compared to any other train in the country, which justifies its higher fare.

The airline fare between the two cities ranges between Rs 3500 and Rs 4500.

On January 8, 2026, the Railway Ministry released a circular notifying the train's timetable and stoppages.

According to the circular, one train set (Train No 27576) will depart from Kamakhya station at 6.15 pm and, with stoppages at 13 stations, will arrive at Howrah at 8.15 am the next morning, covering 972 kilometres in 14 hours.

The other train set (Train No 27575) will depart from Howrah at 6.20 pm and arrive at Kamakhya at 8.20 am the next morning.

The 13 stoppages between Kamakhya and Howrah are Rangiya, New Bongaigaon, New Alipurduar, New Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri Road, New Jalpaiguri, Aluabari Road, Malda Town, New Farakka, Azimganj, Katwa, Nabadwip Dham, and Bandel.

A press release from the Railway Ministry stated that the sleeper train set consists of 16 air-conditioned coaches, including one AC First Class coach, four AC Two-Tier coaches, and eleven AC Three-Tier coaches.

"It is designed to provide safe and comfortable overnight travel, with a total capacity of around 823 passengers," the statement added.

Officials maintained that Vande Bharat is envisioned as a key pillar of India's passenger rail modernisation in the coming decades.

"By 2047, the Vande Bharat fleet is envisioned to scale up to around 4,500 train sets, aligned with India's long-term development goals," they added.

Outlining future plans, the ministry stated that in the medium term, the focus is on scaling up services by operating about 800 Vande Bharat train sets by 2030, subject to infrastructure readiness and manufacturing capacity. PTI JP HIG HIG