Vande Bharat sleeper hits 180 kmph in trials! Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has shared a video of the Vande Bharat sleeper train trials which shows the train hitting a peak speed of 180 kmph during its trials. The first prototype of the Vande Bharat sleeper is currently undergoing RDSO field trials.
According to Indian Railways, recent trials of the Vande Bharat sleeper train have demonstrated its capability to reach 180 kilometres per hour. These trials will continue through the month’s end before the Vande Bharat sleeper is introduced for passenger travel.
The Vande Bharat sleeper, as the name suggests, is a sleeper variant of Indian Railways’ flagship Vande Bharat train. The new train has been designed and manufactured for long-distance overnight travel, and is said to be superior to the premium Rajdhani Express trains.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Hits 180 kmph
In the video shared by Ashwini Vaishnaw, a nearly full glass of water is placed beside a mobile phone inside the Vande Bharat sleeper train. The steady water level, whilst the train maintains a speed of 180 kilometres per hour, illustrates the journey’s smoothness, Indian Railways said.
These achievements were recorded during three days of trials, concluding on January 2, when the fully loaded train reached its maximum speed of 180 kmph. For passenger operations the train will be cleared for 160 kmph speeds.
The Vande Bharat sleeper train reached 180 kilometres per hour speed during a 30-kilometre journey between Kota and Laban in Rajasthan’s Bundi district on Thursday.
Previously, on January 1, 2025, it reached the same speed during a 40-kilometre trial from Rohal Khurd to Kota. That day also saw speeds of 170 and 160 kilometres per hour on the Kota-Nagda and Rohal Khurd-Chau Mahla routes.
Following these trials, the Railway Safety Commissioner will assess the Vande Bharat sleeper train at maximum speed. The Vande Bharat sleeper trains will receive official certification and begin regular service only after clearing this final evaluation.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Features
The soon to be introduced Vande Bharat sleeper trains come equipped with sophisticated features, including automatic doors, comfortable berths, internet connectivity and an aeronautical-inspired design.
- KAVACH Installation: Advanced train collision avoidance system.
- Jerk-Free Rides: Secure semi-permanent couplers ensure smoother journeys.
- Enhanced Ride Comfort: More comfortable berths and redesigned ladders for upper berth access.
- Fire Safety Compliance: Adheres to EN-45545 HL3 standards.
- Shock Absorption: Equipped with anti-climbers for improved safety.
- Safety Design: EN standard-compliant carbody with advanced safety features.
- Energy Efficiency: Regenerative braking mechanism reduces energy consumption.
- Superior Performance: Faster acceleration and deceleration for efficient operations.
- Emergency Communication: Direct link between passengers and the Train Manager or Loco Pilot.
- PRM-Friendly Features: Special facilities for Passengers with Restricted Mobility in end driving coaches.
- Automated Systems: Automatic doors with central controls and sealed gangways.
- Monitoring and Control: Integrated Coach Monitoring System manages air conditioning and lighting.
- Security: Surveillance cameras installed across all carriages for passenger safety.
Currently, 136 Vande Bharat AC chair car trains operate throughout India on short and medium-distance routes, offering passengers reclining seats and premium travel facilities.
According to Indian Railways, many technical hurdles were faced in incorporating berths and conducting comprehensive trials with full passenger capacity and baggage load whilst maintaining the target speed of 180 km/hour for the Vande Bharat sleeper coaches.
Following successful testing, travellers can look forward to superior long-distance journeys on routes such as Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Delhi to Mumbai, and Howrah to Chennai, with notably reduced journey times, Indian Railways said.
For comparison, the current average speed on the Mumbai-Delhi route is 90 km/hr, with Tejas Rajdhani Express achieving the highest permitted speed of 140 km/h amongst all Rajdhani services in India.
