Dedicating Shatabdi successor Vande Bharat Express to the jawans martyred in the heinous terror attack in Kashmir on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first semi-high speed train from New Delhi railway station on Friday.
Booking on IRCTC for the new train has already opened; the deadly terror attack, however, marred its inauguration.
Touted as India’s fastest train, the historic Make in India project will begin commercial operations from February 17.
The self-propelled train’s unveiling was a
At the launch of the train, Modi observed a two-minute silence for the slain CRPF personnel.
“I am grateful to designers and engineers behind the Vande Bharat Express, which will take its first [inaugural] trip from Delhi to Varanasi today. With our sincerity and
Itinerary and fare
Train-18, recently renamed as Vande Bharat Express, will travel five days a week from Delhi to Varanasi (776 km) in nine hours and 45 minutes at a maximum speed of 160-180
The tickets were put up for sale online after the project was announced as complete and ready to run. A chair car ticket costsRs 1,760, while executive class fare amounts toRs3,310. According to NDTV, a senior railway official has informed that tickets of the first commercial run on February 17 are sold out.
Facilities onboard
The train has 16 air-conditioned coaches with plush purple interiors; of these, two are
Every seat has dual-mode lighting that a passenger can
Airline-like menu on offer
For food and beverages, each coach of the high-speed train has a pantry facility to serve hot mealsmorning tea, breakfast, lunch, evening tea, and dinner. Passengers will get palatable dishes from high-end brands, such as Nescafe, Chaayos, Pind Balluchi, and Landmark Hotel.
Executive class passengers will have to pay Rs 399 for the
Why it should matter to you
The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai
The luxury train also takes power and energy concerns under consideration. To that end, it runs on a regenerative braking system, which can save up to 30% electrical energy.
With state-of-the-art bogies and underslung propulsion system, the train can accelerate and decelerate faster, thereby reducing the total journey time significantly. According to ICF officials, the train will be 15-20% faster in terms of total journey time.
Speaking to reporters onboard the express, Goyal said it will offer a convenient passage by reducing commute time on the Delhi-Varanasi route to eight hours from the earlier 13-14, taken by other trains.
India’s fastest engine-less train has suffered stone-pelting during trial runs. Hence, to
Prarthana Mitra is a staff writer at Qrius
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