Luxury Hotel-Like Berths, 180 kmph Speed: Mumbai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Sleeper Nears Launch
Indian Railways is currently carrying out final safety inspections and performance trials of the Vande Bharat Sleeper rake at Bengaluru Railway Station as reported by NDTV. Once all technical and safety clearances are completed, the train will be approved for commercial operations. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had announced the Mumbai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Sleeper service in May. The Railways is expected to announce the launch date, timetable and fare details after the trials are completed.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper will cover the nearly 1,100-km journey between Mumbai and Bengaluru in around 15 to 17 hours. According to the proposed schedule, the train is expected to depart Mumbai at around 6 pm, reach Pune by 9 pm and arrive in Bengaluru at approximately 8 am the following morning. The train has been designed to run at speeds of up to 180 kmph, making it one of the fastest overnight services on the route.
Coach Composition And Passenger Capacity: The 16-coach train will accommodate 823 passengers across different travel classes. The proposed coach configuration includes 11 AC Three-Tier coaches with 611 berths, four AC Two-Tier coaches with 188 berths and one First AC coach featuring premium cabins and coupes. The Vande Bharat Sleeper has been designed specifically for long-distance overnight journeys, with several upgrades aimed at improving passenger comfort.
The train features ergonomically designed berths with improved cushioning and enhanced side support to reduce fatigue during long journeys. First AC coaches include private cabins and coupes for greater comfort and privacy, while redesigned ladders provide safer access to upper berths.
Passengers will also get wider inter-coach gangways, automatic doors, reading lights for every berth, modern passenger information display systems and odour-free bio-vacuum toilets. The coaches have been engineered to minimise noise and vibrations, allowing passengers to enjoy a smoother and quieter overnight journey.
Equipped With Kavach And CCTV: Safety features include the indigenous Kavach automatic train protection system, designed to prevent collisions. The train will also be equipped with CCTV surveillance, emergency talk-back facilities in every coach and modern passenger information systems.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper rake has been manufactured by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) in collaboration with the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai. It features a distinctive orange-and-grey exterior and incorporates several design improvements over conventional sleeper trains.
Apart from Mumbai and Bengaluru, the service is expected to benefit passengers travelling to and from Pune, Satara, Belagavi, Dharwad, Hubballi and Davanagere, improving overnight rail connectivity between Maharashtra and Karnataka.
The Mumbai-Bengaluru service will become the country’s second Vande Bharat Sleeper train after the inaugural service between Howrah and Kamakhya, which was launched in January.
Indian Railways plans to introduce additional Vande Bharat Sleeper services on several major routes across the country, including multiple corridors originating from Delhi, as part of its broader effort to modernise long-distance rail travel.
