The Vande Bharat Express trains have garnered immense popularity among commuters, serving as India’s first semi-highspeed trains equipped with top-notch passenger amenities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to flag off Vande Bharat trains on five new routes, starting from Bhopal’s Rani Kamalapati Railway Station. The new routes include two in Madhya Pradesh, one in Karnataka, one in Bihar, and one in Goa, which will be the first Vande Bharat Express for the state.
The five new routes where the semi-high-speed trains will operate are as follows: Rani Kamalapati (Bhopal)-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express, Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat Express, Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express, Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, and Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat Express. With these additions, the total number of semi-high-speed blue-white trains in India will reach 23.
Let’s take a closer look at the details of the trains set to be launched:
- Rani Kamalapati (Bhopal)-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express: This semi-high-speed train will connect Madhya Pradesh’s Mahakaushal region (Jabalpur) to the Central region (Bhopal). Operating at a speed of 130 km/h, this train is expected to be faster by about thirty minutes compared to the existing fastest train on the route.
- Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat Express: This will be Madhya Pradesh’s third semi-high-speed train, operating between the state’s Malwa region (Indore), Bundelkhand region (Khajuraho), and Central Region (Bhopal). The train is expected to benefit tourists visiting sites like Mahakaleshwar, Mandu, Maheshwar, Khajuraho, and Panna. It is estimated to be about two hours and thirty minutes faster than the fastest existing train on the route.
- Mumbai-Madgaon (Goa) Vande Bharat Express: This train will be Goa’s first semi-high-speed train, connecting Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Goa’s Madgaon station. Operating six days a week, except on Fridays, this train will save approximately an hour of travel time compared to existing trains on the route. The launch of the Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat train was previously canceled due to the Odisha tragedy.
- Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express: Karnataka will receive another semi-high-speed blue-white train, connecting key cities like Dharwad, Hubballi, Davangere, and the state capital, Bengaluru. It is expected to be faster by about thirty minutes compared to the existing fastest train on the route. This will be the second Vande Bharat train for Karnataka, as the first one runs between Chennai, Bengaluru, and Mysuru.
- Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat Express: This semi-high-speed train will be the first Vande Bharat Express for Jharkhand and Bihar. Although the exact route is yet to be confirmed, discussions suggest that the train will likely run via Tatisilwai, Mersa, Shanki, Barkakana, Hazaribag, Koderma, and Gaya. It is expected to save approximately one hour and twenty-five minutes of journey time compared to the current fastest train on the route.
Currently, Vande Bharat Express trains operate on 18 routes across the country, although the Bilaspur Nagpur Vande Bharat train has been temporarily replaced by the Tejas Express. These trains have gained immense popularity among commuters. Being India’s first semi-high-speed train equipped with world-class passenger amenities, the Vande Bharat Express has truly transformed the travel experience for passengers across the nation.
