Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag off Vande Metro, the country’s first non-suburban metro train service between Bhuj and Ahmedabad on Monday, The Indian Express reported.
Earlier this week, the Western Railway’s Ahmedabad division had carried out a successful trial run of the Vande Metro between Ahmedabad and Bhuj. Now, PM Modi will be flagging off its inaugural run on his two-day visit to the state of Gujarat.
The train will link Kutch, one of India’s largest districts by geographical area, with Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s commercial hub.
Vande Metro timings
The train will depart from Bhuj station at 5:05 am and arrive in Ahmedabad at 10:50 am, covering approximately 360 kilometers in 6 hours and 45 minutes.
On the return journey, it will leave Ahmedabad at 5:30 pm and reach Bhuj at 11:20 pm, the same day. Running at a speed of up to 110 km/h, the train will make stops at Anjar, Gandhidham, Bhachau, and Samakhiali in Kutch district, Halvad in Morbi district, Dhrangadhra in Surendranagar district, Viramgam in Ahmedabad rural, and Chandlodiya and Sabarmati stations in Ahmedabad city before terminating at Kalupur’s Ahmedabad station.
Operating six days a week, the train will run from Bhuj every day except Saturdays and from Ahmedabad every day except Sundays.
The officials stated that the Vande Metro train will resemble a Vande Bharat train but will incorporate features typical of a suburban metro system.
“True to a metro train, it will have space for 2058 passengers to take the rides while standing in coaches and cushioned sofas for seating 1150 passengers,” Senior public relations officer (PRO) of Western Railway Pradeep Sharma told The Indian Express.
The train will feature coaches with automatic sliding doors and engines at both ends and will have 10 coaches. “The major difference between a Vande Bharat and Vande Metro is that the latter is a fully unreserved train, meaning passengers can purchase tickets at the counter shortly before their departure time,” Sharma added.
Vande Metro fare
As per the officials, the minimum charge for a ticket will be Rs 30, inclusive of GST. Although the Ahmedabad division has not yet officially announced ticket prices, officials indicate that the basic fare for a one-way trip from Bhuj to Ahmedabad, excluding GST, will be approximately Rs 430. The railway will also offer weekly, fortnightly, and monthly season tickets, with rates equivalent to seven, 15, and 20 single journeys, respectively.
