Train 18, Vande Bharat Express, launch Highlights: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off the Vande Bharat Express from New Delhi railway station, and with this Indian Railways has created history! Train 18, or Vande Bharat Express, is India’s fastest engine-less train set, that attained speeds of over 180 kmph during its trials. Designed for a maximum operational speed of 160 kmph, the Vande Bharat Express offers a peek into the future of rail travel in India. The ‘Make in India’ semi-high speed train will run on the Delhi-Varanasi route, beginning commercial operations from February 17. The IRCTC booking for the new Vande Bharat Express have already opened.
The swanky new train will run between New Delhi Railway station and Varanasi for five days in a week except Monday and Thursday. The journey time in the semi-high speed Train 18 will be 8 hours from the national capital to the pilgrim town. While PM Modi flagged off the Train 18 and inspected Vande Bharat Express at the New Delhi Railway station today, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal boarded the self-propelled Train 18 for its inaugural run.
Train 18, which was later named Vande Bharat Express, has two stoppages. Vande Bharat Express will stop at Kanpur and Prayagraj (formerly known as Allahabad). The fares of Train 18 or Vande Bharat Express have been kept higher than the Indian Railways premium train Shatabdi Express. However, flexi fare rules won’t be applicable on Train 18 / Vande Bharat Express fares. Passengers travelling Vande Bharat Express or Train 18 will get palatable dishes from high-end brands like Nescafe, Chaayos, Pind Balluchi and Landmark Hotel. Travellers will be served morning tea, breakfast, lunch and dinner and evening tea.
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Train 18 is often called the Shatabdi-killer because it has been conceptualised to replace the AC chair car service. Manufactured by ICF, Chennai, Train 18 will usher in an era of new travel experience on the Indian Railways network with its world-class features. The first Train 18 has already generated export interest from several countries as Indian Railways looks to enter the $200 billion rolling stock market.
All the tickets of Train 18 or Vande Bharat Express have been sold by IRCTC. Read Here
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was grateful to designers and engineers behind the Vande Bharat Express. PM Modi said that the government has tried to improve Indian railways. Indian Railways Board also boarded the train on its inaugural journey along with RM Goyal.
Taking strong stand against the terrorism, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has said that the Narendra Modi government's decision to going ahead with the inauguration of the Train 18 Vande Bharat Express was a befitting reply to the terrorists who carried out Pulwama attacks in which 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives. Goyal said the event is the biggest answer to the terrorists. He asserted that "neither our jawans nor our people would ever bow before them." Goyal, who is on board the Train 18, also referred to the courage shown by Mumbaikars post-26/11 attacks. "The way Mumbai answered them, with everybody going to their work discharging their responsibilities, similarly the Vande Bharat Express today was dedicated to the nation on time in the service of its people," Railway Minister Goyal said.
The Train 18 is travelling from Delhi to Varanasi in nine hours and forty-five minutes. This includes stoppage time of 40 minutes each at Kanpur and Allahabad where there will be special programmes. At the New Delhi railway station, Modi will inspect the facilities in the train and address a gathering on the occasion.
Adding up the green footprints, the train has regenerative braking system which can save up to 30 per cent of electrical energy. The Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, has been the force behind the completely in-house design and manufacture of this train which was completed in just 18 months.
All coaches are equipped with automatic doors, GPS-based audio-visual passenger information system, on-board hotspot WiFi for entertainment purposes and very comfortable seating. All toilets are bio-vacuum type. The lighting is dual mode, that is diffused for general illumination and personal for every seat. Every coach has a pantry facility to serve hot meals and, hot and cold beverages. The insulation is meant to keep heat and noise to very low levels for additional passenger comfort.
The semi-high speed Train 18, which has been recently rechristened Vande Bharat Express, can run up to a maximum speed of 160 kmph and has travel classes like the Shatabdi trains but with better facilities. It aims to provide a totally new travel experience to passengers. It has 16 air-conditioned coaches of which two are executive class. The total seating capacity is 1,128 passengers. It is much more than the conventional Shatabdi rakes of equal number of coaches, thanks to shifting of all electric equipment below the coaches and seats in the driving coach also.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Train 18 Vande Bharat Express- India's fastest train. Sudhanshu Mani led a team in the Integral Coach Factory (ICF). Read details
India's fastest train has been launched at New Delhi Railway station
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off the Train 18 Vande Bharat Express
Indian Railways' fastest train Vande Bharat Express may be exported. Yes, there has been a buzz over the Train 18 from the global arena. Read details
India's fastest engine-less Train 18 has suffered stone pelting during trial runs. To enusre passengers' safety, coaches of Train 18 have special frames in the windows which will help it shatter-proof. Read details
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has around 1.5 lakh have been employed in Indian Railways. PM Modi has said electrification has lowered the pollution, make journey quicker.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed Make In India initiative and Indian Railways for taking steps to mordernize its infrastructure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached New Delhi Railway station and is addressing the gathering. PM Modi is talking about deadly Pulwama attack.
With state-of-the-art bogies and underslung propulsion system, Train 18 or the Vande Bharat Express can accelerate and decelerate faster, hence reducing the total journey time significantly. According to ICF officials, Train 18 will be 15-20% faster in terms of total journey time.
Train number 22436 New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express will have two stoppages. India's fastest train will stop at 10:20 AM in Kanpur for 2 minutes and at Allahabad (Prayagraj) at 12:25 PM for 2 minutes. Train number 22435 Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express will stop at Allahabad (Prayagraj) and Kanpur at 4:35 PM and 6:30 PM respectively for 2 minutes each.
Train 18 Vande Bharat Express will run for passengers from February 17 for five days in a week. It won't run on Monday and Thursday. Train number 22436 New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express will leave from New Delhi at 6:00 AM and will reach Varanasi at 2:00 PM. Train number 22435 Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express will depart from Varanasi at 3:00 PM and will reach New Delhi at 11:00 PM. It will be 8-hour journey for Train 18 Vande Bharat Express. Train 18 Vande Bharat Express will stop in Kanpur and Prayagraj (now Allahabad).
Vande Bharat Express is truly an engineering feat for Indian Railways with automatic doors with sliding footsteps being used for the first time. These steps will slide out to bridge the gap between the train and the station platform. Additionally, the doors will open only when the train is stationary.
Vande Bharat Express is truly an engineering feat for Indian Railways with automatic doors with sliding footsteps being used for the first time. These steps will slide out to bridge the gap between the train and the station platform. Additionally, the doors will open only when the train is stationary.
Travelling to Varanasi (BSB) from New Delhi (NDLS) will be a short journey! Train number 22436 New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express and Train number 22435 Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express will take just eight hours. The commercial run will begin from Sunday. Read here for more details
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off Train 18 Vande Bharat Express. He will also launch several development projects in Jhansi today. PM Modi's public rally at Itarsi today and in Dhar on Saturday have been cancelled. His rallies at Nagpur and Dhule in Maharashtra will be held as per the schedule.
During its trial runs, the Vande Bharat Express was subjected to stone pelting by miscreants; on one occasion leading to the window glass shattering. To prevent such incidents, the next Train 18 rake that ICF will roll out will have shatter-proof frames which will secure the windows.
Given that its the first prototype, Train 18 has been manufactured at a record Rs 97 crore, an amount that ICF claims will come down further. According to ICF officials, once more such train sets are manufactured, the cost will come down to half that of a comparable import.
IRCTC has tied up with several known brands to provide a premium food experience to the passengers of Train 18. While the details are still being finalised, the buzz if that Chaayos, Nescafe, Pind Balluchi and Landmark Hotel will be roped in. Details here
PM Narendra Modi is expected to speak at the flag off function of the engine-less Train 18 or Vande Bharat Express which will make its maiden journey to the Prime Minister's Lok Sabha constituency.
Financial Express online has inspected the Train 18 Vande Bharat Express. Here is all you want to know
Train number 22436 Vande Bharat Express will leave from New Delhi at 6:00 AM to reach Varanasi at 2:00 PM as part of its regular schedule. Check here for full details
The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) of Chennai has given Train 18 or Vande Bharat Express a bullet train-style look and feel with aerodynamic driver cabins at both ends. The driving cabins, similar to metro coaches elminate the need for locomotive reversal at terminal stations.
The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) of Chennai has given Train 18 or Vande Bharat Express a bullet train-style look and feel with aerodynamic driver cabins at both ends. The driving cabins, similar to metro coaches elminate the need for locomotive reversal at terminal stations.
Train 18 becamse Indian Railways fastest train during the trials by Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO). The self-propelled engine-less train hit speeds of over 180 kmph several times. The semi-high speed train will be allowed to run at a maximum speed of 160 kmph wherever the tracks permit.
Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways has reduced the proposed fares of the Vande Bharat Express. The final list of fares on the website are still lower. Read the full details of the Train 18 fares here
The first prototype of Train 18, now called the Vande Bharat Express, will run between Delhi and Varanasi at a maximum speed of 130 kmph, covering the over 750 kilometres distance in 8 hours. En route, the Vande Bharat Express will stop at Kanpur and Allahabad (Prayagraj) for 2 minutes each.