Indian Railways to launch 4 new Vande Bharat trains – check routes, timings & more

With these additions, which are expected to commence operations soon, the total number of Vande Bharat services will reach 164.

The Indian Railways is set to launch four new Vande Bharat trains, further expanding the network of long-distance semi-high-speed express train services across the country. With these additions, which are expected to commence operations soon, the total number of Vande Bharat services will reach 164.

The Ministry of Railways has released the schedule for the new Bengaluru–Kochi Vande Bharat Express, according to news agency PTI. Meanwhile, The Indian Express reported that three additional Vande Bharat trains will soon be introduced on the Firozpur Cantt–Delhi, Varanasi–Khajuraho, and Lucknow–Saharanpur routes.

The newly approved services are set to strengthen connectivity across Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi, further advancing the Centre’s efforts to modernise rail travel.

Bengaluru-Kochi Vande Bharat Express

As per a notification issued by the Railway Board on Friday, train number 26651 — the KSR Bengaluru–Ernakulam Junction Vande Bharat Express — will depart from Bengaluru at 5:10 am and arrive at Ernakulam Junction at 1:50 pm. En route, it will halt at Krishnarajapuram, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Palakkad, and Thrissur.

The return service, train number 26652 Ernakulam Junction–KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, will depart from Ernakulam at 2:20 pm and reach Bengaluru at 11 pm. This will mark Kerala’s third Vande Bharat Express, following the Thiruvananthapuram–Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram–Mangaluru routes.

Firozpur Cantt-Delhi Vande Bharat Express

The Firozpur Cantt–Delhi Vande Bharat Express will operate six days a week, except on Wednesdays, covering a distance of 486 km in 6 hours and 40 minutes. The train will halt at seven stations — Faridkot, Bathinda, Dhuri, Patiala, Ambala Cantt, Kurukshetra, and Panipat.

Train number 26462 Firozpur Cantt–Delhi Vande Bharat Express will depart from Firozpur Cantonment at 7:55 am and reach Delhi at 2:35 pm. On the return leg, train number 26461 Delhi–Firozpur Cantt Vande Bharat Express will leave the national capital at 4 pm and arrive in Firozpur Cantt at 10:35 pm.

Varanasi To Khajuraho Vande Bharat Express

The Varanasi to Khajuraho Vande Bharat Express will cover a distance of 443 km in 7 hours 40 minutes. It will stop at Vindhyachal, Prayagraj Chheoki, Chitrakut Dham, Banda, and Mahoba stations.

The 26422 Varanasi-Khajuraho Vande Bharat Express will leave Varanasi at 5:25 am and arrive at Khajuraho at 1:10 pm. In the return direction, train number 26421 Khajuraho-Varanasi Vande Bharat will depart from Khajuraho at 3:20 pm and arrive in Varanasi at 11 pm.

Lucknow To Saharanpur Vande Bharat Express

The Lucknow to Saharanpur Vande Bharat Express will cover a distance of 534 km in 7 hours 45 minutes. It will stop at Sitapur, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Moradabad, Najibabad, and Roorkee.

Train number 26504 Lucknow-Saharanpur Vande Bharat Express will depart at 5 am and reach Saharanpur at 12:45 pm. The returning 26503 Saharanpur-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express will depart at 3 pm and arrive in Lucknow at 11 pm.

Key features of Vande Bharat Express:

• Equipped with KAVACH, the indigenously developed train collision avoidance system.
• Designed for higher acceleration, with a maximum design speed of 180 kmph and an operating speed of 160 kmph.
• Features air-conditioning units with a UV-C lamp-based disinfection system developed in India.
• Uses jerk-free semi-permanent couplers for smoother rides.
• Includes centrally controlled automatic plug doors and fully sealed, wider gangways for better safety and comfort.
• Offers enhanced ride comfort through advanced suspension and design improvements.
• CCTV cameras installed in all coaches for passenger safety.
• Emergency alarm buttons and talk-back units provided in every coach for quick communication with the train crew.
• Upgraded fire safety system with aerosol-based fire detection and suppression units in electrical cabinets and lavatories.
• Special lavatories for Divyangjan (differently-abled) passengers available in the driving coaches at both ends.
• Driver–guard communication system includes voice recording and crash-hardened memory for safety.
• Coach Condition Monitoring System (CCMS) displays real-time information and enables remote performance monitoring.