Patna: Bihar is set to receive the country’s first Vande Bharat Express sleeper service ahead of the state assembly elections, with the premium train to begin operations on the Patna–Delhi route by the end of September.
Railway officials said the service has been designed for overnight journeys, with a planned departure from Patna at 8pm and arrival in Delhi at 7.30am the next day. Stopping at Buxar, Ara, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Junction (DDU) and Kanpur, the train is expected to significantly ease long-distance travel for passengers from Patna and surrounding districts.
The journey time of 11.5 hours will make it the fastest service between the two cities, an hour quicker than the Dibrugarh Rajdhani, which currently holds the record at 12.5 hours. Other express and superfast trains on the corridor take between 14 and 20 hours.
Although fares are expected to be slightly higher than premium services such as the Rajdhani and Duronto, railway officials said the sleeper Vande Bharat would justify the cost through upgraded safety and comfort. Features include the Kavach anti-collision system, crash-proof coaches, CCTV cameras, bio-vacuum toilets, USB charging points and personal reading lights.
The final timetable will be announced soon, with railway sources indicating the train will have fewer halts than existing services, reinforcing its role as a high-speed overnight connector between Bihar and the capital.
