The inaugural Vande Bharat Metro, a compact version of the Vande Bharat Express trains, has been unveiled at the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, Punjab. The trial runs for this modern metro are to begin in July.
According to officials cited by PTI, the Vande Metro aims to offer a convenient shuttle-like experience at a reasonable cost, catering to both inter-city and intra-city travel needs.
A senior official closely involved in the project said, “All preparations are going on to start its trial run from July 2024 so that its services can be offered to people as soon as possible.”
What is the Vande Metro?
Vande Metro, a compact version of the Vande Bharat Express trains, is designed to make daily travel quicker. Operating at speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour, the metro network will link 124 cities spanning distances of around 100-250 kilometers. This connectivity enables commuters to efficiently travel within cities and beyond.
“The trains have a unique coach configuration, in which four coaches will constitute one unit and a minimum of 12 coaches will make one Vande Metro,” an official said. He also mentioned that the Railways will start with a minimum of 12 Vande Metro coaches initially and may increase to 16 based on route demand.
He said, “The trains will have high acceleration and deceleration which will help it cover more stoppages in less time”.