Vande Bharat sleeper trains to link Guwahati Kolkata much cheaper than flights: Govt

Ticket fares of the Vande Bharat sleeper train between Guwahati and Kolkata will be substantially lower compared to air travel, railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said.

The much-awaited service will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this month.

"In Vande Bharat sleeper, the 3-AC fare will be around ₹2,300, 2-AC around ₹3,000, and 1-AC around ₹3,600, which will include food as well. The fares have been designed keeping the middle class in mind," Vaishnaw said on Thursday, addressing a press briefing.

He said the train will begin operations in the next 15-20 days, likely around January 18 as a request has been sent to the prime minister. "I will announce the exact date in the next two to three days," Vaishnaw said, calling the development a major milestone for the country.

The 16-coach train between Guwahati and Kolkata has a capacity of 823 and a design speed of 180 kilometres per hour, PTI news agency quoted Vaishnaw as saying. However, it will operate at a speed of 120-130 kmph between the two cities, covering prominent districts of Assam and West Bengal.

Highlighting the affordability of the train service, Vaishnaw said Guwahati-Kolkata air travel costs around ₹6,000 to ₹8,000. However, the new Vande Bharat train between the two states will reduce the cost as the per-kilometre fares would be ₹3.8 per km for 1 AC, ₹3.1 per km for 2AC and ₹2.4 for 3 AC, the railway minister said.

The 16-coach train comprises 11 3-AC coaches, four 2-AC coaches and one 1-AC coach. Of the total 823 berths, 611 are in 3-AC, 188 in 2-AC and 24 in 1-AC.

"The disinfectant technology will kill 99.9 per cent of germs. The same technology is being used on the Vande Bharat chair-car version," Vaishnaw said.

According to the minister, production is being ramped up and eight more trains will be ready for operation in six months.

"By this year, 12 trains will be ready. From next year onwards, production will ramp up rapidly as the entire supply chain will be in place by then," he added.

On catering facilities, Vaishnaw said trains originating from Guwahati will serve Assamese cuisine, while those starting from Kolkata will offer Bengali food.