Patna: India is all set to witness a new chapter in railway history with the launch of the country’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Express. The train will be officially flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 17 and will start regular service from January 18. It will connect Howrah in West Bengal to Kamakhya in Assam, covering a distance of nearly 958 kilometers. The train has been designed especially for long-distance travelers, with modern sleeper coaches and air-conditioned compartments, offering passengers a comfortable and safe journey.
The fares for the new train have been fixed by the railways. Passengers travelling from Howrah to Kamakhya will pay Rs 2299 for AC3, Rs 2970 for AC2, and Rs 3640 for AC1, with a 5 percent GST on top of the ticket price. For shorter journeys, Howrah to New Jalpaiguri fares will range from Rs 1334 to Rs 2113, and Howrah to Malda Town from Rs 960 to Rs 1520. The return fares from Kamakhya are also fixed, with tickets from Kamakhya to Malda Town costing between Rs 1522 and Rs 2409, and Kamakhya to New Jalpaiguri priced from Rs 962 to Rs 1524. The railways have stated that fare calculation is based on a minimum distance of 400 kilometers.
One of the biggest questions surrounding the launch is whether the train will stop in Bihar. There had been discussions before the Bihar assembly elections that the first Vande Bharat Sleeper might connect Patna to Delhi. However, the current Howrah-Kamakhya route does not officially include any stops in Bihar. The railways have not given any statement about whether the train will pass through Bihar or have future stops there. For now, passengers from Bihar will not be able to directly benefit from this premium service.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Express is expected to bring a new level of convenience to long-distance travel in eastern India and Assam. With air-conditioned coaches, modern facilities, and faster travel times, it is designed to offer a better experience than conventional trains. While Bihar passengers wait for possible future updates, residents along the current route are preparing to experience the country’s first long-distance sleeper train with all the advanced features of the Vande Bharat brand.
