As Indian Railways prepares to roll out the first Vande Bharat Sleeper Express next week, the Railway Board has introduced a distinct fare structure that sets the premium overnight service apart from existing long-distance trains. The most notable aspect of this train would be doing away completely with Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) and waitlisted tickets.
Through a circular issued on Jan 9, the Railway Board stated, âMinimum chargeable distance shall be 400 kmâŠOnly confirmed tickets shall be issued for this train. Accordingly, there shall be no provision for RAC/waitlisted/partially confirmed tickets. All available berths will be available from the day of the Advance Reservation Period (ARP).â
Fare structure and minimum chargeable distance
Passengers booking the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express will be charged a flat per-kilometre rate, with a minimum fare equivalent to a 400-km journey, irrespective of the actual distance travelled. The notified rates are Rs 2.4 per km for 3AC, Rs 3.1 per km for 2AC and Rs 3.8 per km for first AC, with GST levied separately.
This translates into a minimum fare of Rs 960 for 3AC, Rs 1,240 for 2AC and Rs 1,520 for 1AC for journeys up to 400 km. For longer distances, fares scale proportionately. On a 1,000-km journey, such as the inaugural Howrah-Guwahati route, passengers will pay Rs 2,400 in 3AC, Rs 3,100 in 2AC and Rs 3,800 in 1AC. For a 2,000-km journey, fares rise to Rs 4,800, Rs 6,200 and Rs 7,600 respectively.
Like other trains, the Vande Bharat Sleeper will reserve seats for women, senior citizens, and passengers with disabilities, along with a Duty Pass quota for railway staff.
Comparison with existing premium trains
Fares are a notch higher than what the premium services charge today. For comparison, while the Rajdhani Express does not operate on the HowrahâGuwahati route, the CSMT Rajdhani running between Delhi and Mumbai charges Rs 2.10 per km for 3AC, Rs 2.85 per km for 2AC, and Rs 3.53 per km for 1AC. On the Howrah-Guwahati corridor, the most expensive express services such as Saraighat Express go up to Rs 1,410 for 3AC, Rs 1,985 for 2AC and Rs 3,320 for 1AC.
Route and stops
The first Vande Bharat Sleeper Express is likely to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the HowrahâGuwahati route, cutting the journey time by approximately three hours compared to the existing services. This overnight train will make 10 stops in seven districts of West Bengal: Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Murshidabad, Malda, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar, with Kamrup Metropolitan and Bongaigaon in Assam.
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The train with a total of 16 coaches will consist of 11 third-class coaches marked "3A," four other coaches marked "2A," and one marked "1A." While the train is capable of reaching 180 kmph, it will operate at a maximum speed of 130 kmph on this route for safety reasons.
Onboard features and safety systems
Vande Bharat sleeper trains are accompanied by carefully designed berths and improved cushioning. Also included are automatically closing doors with vestibules, improved suspension systems, and noise-reduction technology. Safety features consist of the Kavach automatic train protection system and an emergency "talk-back" function. The additional amenities include the use of disinfectant-based sanitation technology, a driver cab with advanced controls and aerodynamic exterior, and automatically opening passenger doors.
