Vande Bharat is Indian Railways' family of indigenous, self-propelled semi-high-speed trainsets built mainly at ICF Chennai. The chair-car express debuted on 15 February 2019 between New Delhi and Varanasi, and more than 160 Vande Bharat services were running by July 2026, according to a Lok Sabha reply. The family now spans the Vande Bharat Sleeper, the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail (formerly Vande Metro) and a freight parcel prototype under trial.
Vande Bharat Express (chair car): how many trains are running
The first Vande Bharat Express, then called Train 18, was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at New Delhi on 15 February 2019 for the New Delhi to Varanasi route, with regular commercial runs from 17 February 2019. It was designed and built by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, as India's first indigenous distributed-power trainset for intercity travel.
In a written Lok Sabha reply in July 2026, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw put the number of Vande Bharat services running on Indian Railways at more than 160, including the first Vande Bharat Sleeper pair. Services are counted one way each, so a train pair running both directions counts as two services. Vande Bharat trains now cover every state with electrified broad-gauge track, and the minister has reported average occupancy close to 100 percent.
The trainset is designed for 180 km/h and has touched that speed in trials, but the maximum permitted operating speed is 160 km/h, and most routes run slower because of track limits. In October 2026 the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety inspected a 180 km/h Vande Bharat trial on the Mathura to Nagda section, where the ministry said regular services would run in the 130 to 160 km/h range.
ICF Chennai remains the lead builder of chair-car rakes, with production also taken up at other Indian Railways coach factories, including RCF Kapurthala from 2026.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| First service | New Delhi to Varanasi, flagged off 15 February 2019 |
| Services running | More than 160 (Lok Sabha reply, July 2026) |
| Design speed | 180 km/h |
| Maximum permitted operating speed | 160 km/h |
| Lead manufacturer | Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai |
| Safety system | Kavach automatic train protection (being fitted) |
Vande Bharat Sleeper: first service, routes and contracts
India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 17 January 2026 at Malda Town, running between Howrah and Kamakhya (Guwahati). The 16-coach ICF-designed train is operated and maintained by Northeast Frontier Railway. Sleeper prototypes reached 180 km/h in RDSO trials on the Kota division in January 2025 and again in November 2025.
The second sleeper route will link KSR or SMVT Bengaluru with CSMT Mumbai via Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur and Pune. BEML-built rakes reached Bengaluru in July 2026 for trials. Each 16-coach rake carries 823 passengers across eleven AC 3-tier, four AC 2-tier and one AC First Class coach. The launch had not been officially confirmed as of mid-October 2026.
The Ministry of Railways has said 260 Vande Bharat Sleeper rakes are planned for manufacture, inducted in phases. Orders are spread across ICF with BEML, the Titagarh Rail Systems and BHEL consortium, and Kinet Railway Solutions, the Indian joint venture of Russia's TMH. A 2023 attempt to procure 100 aluminium-bodied Vande Bharat trains from Alstom for about Rs 30,000 crore was cancelled in August 2024.
| Builder | Trainsets | Contract | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICF Chennai with BEML (Bengaluru) | 10 (first batch), ICF also building 50 of 24 coaches | BEML rakes built to ICF design; Rs 180 crore follow-on order to BEML in September 2026 | First rake in service on Howrah to Kamakhya; Bengaluru to Mumbai rakes in trials |
| Titagarh Rail Systems and BHEL consortium | 80 | Rs 24,000 crore excluding GST, including 35 years of maintenance (awarded June 2023) | Under manufacture; 35-year maintenance JV signed September 2026 |
| Kinet Railway Solutions (TMH joint venture) | 120 | About Rs 120 crore per 16-coach rake, with 35 years of maintenance | Under manufacture |
Namo Bharat Rapid Rail (formerly Vande Metro)
Vande Metro is the short-distance intercity version of the platform, aimed at trips of roughly 100 to 250 km. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the first one on 16 September 2024 between Bhuj and Ahmedabad, and it was renamed Namo Bharat Rapid Rail at the launch. The air-conditioned train has a top speed of 130 km/h and is fitted with Kavach.
The second Namo Bharat Rapid Rail, and the first 16-coach version, was flagged off on 24 April 2025 between Jaynagar and Patna in Bihar. Ministry of Railways figures from February 2026 listed 4 Namo Bharat services (two routes, each direction counted separately).
This Indian Railways train is different from the Namo Bharat RRTS trains that NCRTC runs on the Delhi to Meerut corridor.
Vande Bharat freight parcel train
ICF Chennai has built a 16-coach Vande Bharat freight EMU for express parcels, e-commerce goods and perishables. It has two driving trailer coaches, two non-driving trailer coaches and twelve parcel coaches, with a total payload of 397 tonnes and refrigerated parcel space.
RDSO speed and oscillation trials began on 29 July 2026 on the Kota division of West Central Railway, during which the train touched 145 km/h. A loaded trial at 130 km/h on the Kota to Rohal Khurd section followed in August 2026. The aim is an average operating speed of 80 to 90 km/h, against 60 to 70 km/h for conventional parcel trains. It is not yet in commercial service.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Builder | ICF Chennai |
| Formation | 16 coaches (2 DTC, 2 NDTC, 12 parcel) |
| Payload | 397 tonnes |
| Trial top speed | 145 km/h (RDSO trials from 29 July 2026) |
| Status | Trials; not in commercial service |
Vande Bharat news and reports
Vande Bharat chair car
- PM Modi Flags Off 4 New Vande Bharat Express Trains
- CCRS Finishes Inspection of High-Speed Trial-Run of Vande Bharat across Mathura-Nagda Section
- Vande Bharat Sleeper’s Production Speeds Up with ₹180Cr Order to BEML
- Milestone for India’s rail manufacturing: RCF Kapurthala enters the Vande Bharat production race
- PM Modi Launches First Vande Bharat Train for Kashmir
Vande Bharat Sleeper
- PM Launches India’s First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Between Howrah and Guwahati
- Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper moves closer to launch with arrival of trainsets
- Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Approves Vande Bharat Sleeper on Bengaluru-Mumbai route
- Vande Bharat Sleeper Achieves 180kmph Speed in Trials on Sawai Madhopur–Kota–Nagda Section
- TRSL & BHEL Consortium Wins Contract for Manufacturing 80 Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Sets
- Titagarh Rail-BHEL JV Sign 35-Year Maintenance Contract for 80 Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains
- Airfloa-Led Consortium Wins ₹34.85 Cr Contract to Design Vande Bharat Sleeper Interiors
- Railways Cancels ₹30,000 crore Order of 100 Vande Bharat Trains
Namo Bharat Rapid Rail (Vande Metro)
- PM Modi inaugurated Ahmedabad Metro Phase 2 and Vande Metro
- Namo Bharat Rapid Rail: India’s Move to Upgrade Intercity Travel
- Hirect to deliver propulsion systems for Vande Metro & 4 MEMU trainsets
Vande Bharat freight / parcel
- India’s First Vande Bharat Freight Train Hits 145 km/h: RDSO initiates Speed & Safety Trials in Kota
- Major boost for India’s logistics: First Vande Bharat freight train completes its trial run at 130 km/h
- Milestone for Railways: ICF to roll out India’s first Vande Bharat Freight train for RDSO trials
Frequently asked questions
How many Vande Bharat trains are running in India?
More than 160 Vande Bharat services were running by July 2026, according to a written Lok Sabha reply by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, including the first Vande Bharat Sleeper pair between Howrah and Kamakhya. Each direction counts as a separate service.
When did the first Vande Bharat Express start?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first Vande Bharat Express between New Delhi and Varanasi on 15 February 2019. Regular commercial services began on 17 February 2019.
What is the top speed of Vande Bharat?
The trainset is designed for 180 km/h and has reached it in trials. The maximum permitted operating speed is 160 km/h, and actual speeds on most routes are lower because of track conditions.
Which is the first Vande Bharat Sleeper train?
The first Vande Bharat Sleeper runs between Howrah and Kamakhya (Guwahati). Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged it off at Malda Town on 17 January 2026, and Northeast Frontier Railway operates it.
Who manufactures Vande Bharat trains?
ICF Chennai designed the train and builds most chair-car rakes. Sleeper rakes are being built by ICF with BEML, by a Titagarh Rail Systems and BHEL consortium (80 trains) and by Kinet Railway Solutions (120 trains).
What is Namo Bharat Rapid Rail?
It is the renamed Vande Metro, a short-distance intercity Vande Bharat variant. The first service, Bhuj to Ahmedabad, started on 16 September 2024, and a second runs between Jaynagar and Patna.
Related: Namo Bharat RRTS corridors (NCRTC) · High-speed rail in India · Metro rail projects in India