Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched nine Vande Bharat trains via video conferencing on September 24, 2023, at 12:30 PM. These new trains are a significant stride towards enhancing connectivity across India and offering world-class amenities to rail passengers.
The nine Vande Bharat trains to be flagged off are:
- Udaipur – Jaipur Vande Bharat Express
- Tirunelveli-Madurai-Chennai Vande Bharat Express
- Hyderabad – Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express
- Vijayawada – Chennai (via Renigunta) Vande Bharat Express
- Patna – Howrah Vande Bharat Express
- Kasaragod – Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express
- Rourkela – Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express
- Ranchi – Howrah Vande Bharat Express
- Jamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express
These trains will enhance connectivity across eleven states, including Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gujarat.
The Vande Bharat trains will be the fastest in their respective routes, significantly reducing travel time for passengers. For instance, the Rourkela- Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express and Kasaragod – Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express will be faster by about 3 hours compared to the current fastest trains. Similarly, Hyderabad – Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express will be more than 2.5 hours faster, Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai Vande Bharat Express by more than 2 hours, Ranchi – Howrah Vande Bharat Express, Patna – Howrah Vande Bharat Express, and Jamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express by about 1 hour, and Udaipur – Jaipur Vande Bharat Express by about half an hour.
In line with the Prime Minister’s vision to improve connectivity to religious places, the Rourkela- Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express and Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai Vande Bharat Express will connect important religious towns of Puri and Madurai. Additionally, the Vijayawada – Chennai Vande Bharat Express will operate via the Renigunta route, offering connectivity to the Tirupati Pilgrimage center.
These Vande Bharat trains are equipped with world-class amenities and advanced safety features, including Kavach technology, setting a new standard for rail service in India. They will provide modern, speedy, and comfortable means of travel for the common people, professionals, businessmen, students, and tourists.