Indian Railways is planning to introduce 24-coach Vande Bharat sleeper trains to cater to passengers travelling on long-distance overnight routes. The move comes after the development of 16-coach Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets.
The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai has been assigned the responsibility of producing 50 sleeper trainsets, each comprising 24 coaches. According to a report by The Times of India, the design work for the new train is being finalised and is expected to be completed within a month. The rollout is reportedly targeted for the first half of 2027, with June set as the target date.
Three major projects to expand Vande Bharat Sleeper fleet
Indian Railways plans to expand its Vande Bharat Sleeper fleet, with more than 200 trains expected to be introduced in the coming years to improve long-distance travel. Three major manufacturing projects are currently underway to support the planned expansion.
BEML, in collaboration with ICF, is manufacturing 10 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets, while the Indo-Russian joint venture Kinet has been tasked with producing 120 more. Additionally, a consortium comprising Titagarh and BHEL will manufacture 80 sleeper trains, while ICF is also working on developing its own version of the Vande Bharat sleeper train.
24-Coach Vande Bharat Sleeper: What will be different?
The new train will be based on the existing sleeper design but will include changes to improve facilities for overnight journeys. One of the key additions will be a pantry car, which is absent from the other sleeper train design.
The pantry car will allow food to be heated and served onboard. The 24-coach version will also have more toilets, while ICF is considering improvements to the interiors.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Train: Key features
The sleeper train prototypes currently running have 16 passenger coaches. These comprise 11 AC three-tier coaches, four AC two-tier coaches and one AC First Class coach. The proposed ICF variant will have 24 coaches.
It will feature cushioned berths intended to improve passenger comfort. Dedicated night lighting, an integrated announcement system with visual displays and CCTV cameras will form part of the onboard facilities.
