Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the inaugural Dehradun-Delhi run of Vande Bharat Express via video conferencing on May 25. This sixth Vande Bharat route connects Delhi to various destinations, including Ajmer, Varanasi, Katra, Bhopal, and Amb Andaura. The Vande Bharat service cuts the travel time on this route, which is Uttarakhand's first Vande Bharat service, to 4.5 hours, compared to 6 hours and 10 minutes on the Shatabdi Express.
Emphasising on the ease and efficiency of travel brought by this development, Prime Minister Modi stated, "Devbhoomi will be the center of the spiritual consciousness of the world, and the Delhi-Dehradun Vande Bharat Express will ensure 'Ease of Travel' and greater comfort for the citizens."
Here is a list of trains of Vande Bharat Express routes launched by Prime Minister till now:
New Delhi - Varanasi Vande Bharat Express
Launched on February 15, 2019, it is India's first semi-high speed, electric multiple-unit train that connects the capital city to the spiritual and cultural hub of Varanasi, offering a swift and convenient mode of transportation for both tourists and pilgrims.
New Delhi - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express
The Second Vande Bharat Express train was launched on October 3, 2019 and connects New Delhi with the revered pilgrimage destination of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, facilitating smooth travel for devotees visiting the holy shrine.
Mumbai Central - Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express
On his two-day visit to Gujarat, PM Modi launched this semi-high speed train on September 30, 2022. It is the first second generation train and overall the third Vande Bharat Express train to be launched.
New Delhi - Amb Andaura Vande Bharat Express
PM Modi flagged off the 4th Vande Bharat Express from Una, Himachal Pradesh on October 13, 2022. Along with this he also dedicated the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Una to the nation and laid the foundation stone of Bulk Drug Park in Una, Himachal Pradesh. This route links New Delhi with Amb Andaura.
MGR Chennai Central - Mysuru Vande Bharat Express
Launched on November 11, 2022, the 5th Vande Bharat Express made its debut in southern India with this route that connects MGR Chennai Central, in Tamil Nadu, with the historic city of Mysuru in Karnataka. Whilst there, the Prime Minister also flagged off the 'Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan' train, to provide easy travel for Kashi Yatra devotees.
Bilaspur - Nagpur Vande Bharat Express
Within 2 months, the 6th Vande Bharat Express train, connecting the states of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, was launched on December 11, 2022.
Howrah - New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express
PM Modi flagged off West Bengal's first Vande Bharat Express on the busy Howrah-New Jalpaiguri route on December 30, 2022. This service takes passengers from the state capital to Siliguri, the largest city in the northern part of West Bengal.
Visakhapatnam - Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express
Lauched this year on January 15, officials said the Secunderabad-Vizag Vande Bharat Express has been running with 100 per cent occupancy since its launch. This route connects the coastal city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh with Secunderabad in Telangana.
Mumbai CSMT - Solapur Vande Bharat Express
The 9th Vande Bharat Express service was flagged off on February 10, 2023. On March 14 2023 Surekha became the first lady train pilot when she drove the Vande Bharat from CSMT to Solapur. Her feat was mentioned on an episode of PM Modi's Mann ki Baat on March 26.
Mumbai CSMT - Sainagar Shirdi Vande Bharat Express
Launched along with the CSMT-Solapur Vande Bharat Express, this route is a boon for devotees and tourists visiting the famous pilgrimage site of Shirdi in Maharashtra.
Rani Kamalapati (Habibganj) - Hazrat Nizamuddin Vande Bharat Express
PM Modi inaugurated the 11th Vande Bharat Express in Bhopal on April 1, 2023. This train has a maximum permissible speed of 160 kmph.
Secunderabad - Tirupati Vande Bharat Express
Completing its inaugural run on April 8, 2023, it is the first train to be converted from a Mini Vande Bharat 2.0 Express train to a Vande Bharat Express 2.0 train i.e. from 8 coach rake to 16 coach rake due to high demand and occupancy rate. This service reduces the travel time by almost three and a half hours.
MGR Chennai Central - Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express
The 13th Vande Bharat Express train connects the two Tamil Nadu cities with a reduced travel time of 5 hours and 50 minutes. PM Modi launched this train on April 8, 2023, loaded with enhanced features and the indigenous automatic train protection system 'Kavach' technology.
Delhi Cantonment - Ajmer Vande Bharat Express
Virtually inaugurated on April 12, the Ajmer-Delhi Cantt. Vande Bharat Express is the world's first semi high speed passenger train to ply on high rise overhead electric (OHE) territory. It is Rajasthan's first and and the country's 15th Vande Bharat Express service.
Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express
PM Modi flagged off Kerala's first, and Southern Railways's third, Vande Bharat Express service was inaugurated on April 25, at Thiruvananthapuram Central.
Howrah - Puri Vande Bharat Express
Inaugurated on May 18, this is West Bengal's second and Odisha's first semi-high speed Vande Bharat express train service. The PM also dedicated 100 per cent electrification of the rail network in Odisha.
