Indian Railways has awarded a contract for manufacturing 200 Vande Bharat sleeper trains to two consortiums - Kinet will produce 120 trains and the Titagarh-BHEL JV will manufacture 80 rakes. According to reports from The Times of India, the first prototype of the Vande Bharat sleeper train is expected to roll out in the current financial year, with the original deadline of June 2026 now pushed to March 31 next year. The first pair of Vande Bharat sleeper trains was launched earlier this year between Guwahati and Howrah, with the second pair currently undergoing trials and expected to enter service soon.
The first 10 Vande Bharat sleeper trains are being manufactured by BEML as 16-car rakes. As reported by The Times of India, another 50 trains will be rolled out by ICF Chennai, which will have 24 coaches and enable much longer overnight journeys with a pantry car. RVNL has established Kinet Railway Solutions Ltd as an Indo-Russian joint venture with Russian firm Transmashholding (TMH) to manufacture 120 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets at the Marathwada factory in Maharashtra. The manufacturing work is underway at the upgraded Marathwada Rail Coach Factory in Latur, with ICF GM Manish Agarwal recently confirming that production drawings for structural and fabrication assemblies have been prepared for the indigenous 24-car Vande Bharat Sleeper transit.
The new train has a design speed of 180 kmph and operational speed of 160 kmph, subject to route permissions. According to reports from The Times of India, unlike conventional trains that rely on locomotives, Vande Bharat sleeper trains use distributed power, enabling quicker acceleration and braking. The train sets feature 11 AC 3-tier coaches, four AC 2-tier coaches and one AC First Class coach, with each trainset consisting of 16 coaches. The prototype has undergone testing at 180 kmph and is designed to operate at speeds of up to 160 kmph. This distributed power arrangement enables quicker acceleration and braking, which can raise average speeds and significantly cut travel time.
The Vande Bharat sleeper trains offer superior comfort features compared to conventional trains. As reported by The Times of India, the coaches feature cushioned berths, redesigned access to upper berths, night lighting, integrated announcement systems, CCTV surveillance, modular pantry units, and aircraft-style bio-vacuum toilets. AC First Class coaches come with shower facilities and hot water, while the train is equipped with indigenous KAVACH anti-collision safety technology and regenerative braking system for improved energy efficiency. Each coach provides reading lights, charging points, and refreshment tables, with automatic interconnecting doors and Centralised Coach Monitoring System for enhanced passenger experience. The train doors are designed to open automatically at designated stations, and an emergency communication system connects passengers with the driver.
The Vande Bharat sleeper trains are positioned to replicate the success of the original Vande Bharat Express launched in 2019, which became the face of modern train travel in India. According to reports from The Times of India, the new trains aim to be a game-changer for overnight travel on the Indian Railways network, featuring better-than-Rajdhani Express comfort and semi-high-speed sleeper train capabilities drawing inspiration from contemporary European rail systems. The trains are expected to run on major routes including Bengaluru-Mumbai, though official confirmation is awaited. The first pair of Vande Bharat sleeper trains was launched earlier this year between Guwahati and Howrah, with the second pair currently undergoing trials and expected to enter service soon.
