New Delhi: Indian Railways has made significant progress since the start of the first train in 1853. The Government of India is also trying to strengthen the ‘Make in India’ campaign. The best example of this can be seen in Indian Railways, which has become a success story. On February 15, 2019, the tracks of Indian Railways saw its first indigenous semi-high-speed train—Vande Bharat Express.
The first Vande Bharat was flagged off in 2019 on the New Delhi-Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi route. Read on to learn more about the first Vande Bharat train.
The Rise of Vande Bharat Express: From Conception to Nationwide Network
Since the first train ran in 2019, Vande Bharat has run over 130 trains. The first train connected Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, and as of January 2025, Vande Bharat has almost connected every part of the country.
These are connected with states having a Broad Gauge electrified network.
The Vande Bharat trainset is an electric train designed for long-distance travel. Indian Railways built it at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. During trials, it reached a maximum speed of 183 km/h (114 mph) and had a regular service speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). There are versions of the train with 8, 16, and 20 cars. This train has two generations, each featuring design upgrades and new features.
Train 18 was finished 18 months after it started being built. It costs Rs 970 million, and 80 per cent of parts are made in India. During its test runs, Train 18 became the fastest electric multiple unit (EMU) train in India, reaching a speed of 180 km/h on the Kota-Sawai Madhopur route. This speed was only 4 km/h less than India’s 184 km/h record, set by a WAP-5 Class locomotive in 1997. Train 18 was renamed ‘Vande Bharat Express’ to honour its Indian design and construction.
On February 15, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the first Vande Bharat Express, which runs between New Delhi and Varanasi. This train connects Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to New Delhi, cutting travel time along the route by 15 per cent.
The journey from New Delhi to Varanasi takes 8 hours and covers 762 km (473 miles).
The Vande Bharat Express’s ticket prices from New Delhi to Varanasi Junction range from Rs 1,700 to Rs 3,355, depending on the class and type of ticket.
Here are the ticket prices:
- AC Chair Car (CC): Rs 1,700–Rs 1,800
- Executive Chair Car (EC): Rs 3,200–Rs 3,355
The Vande Bharat Express represents a significant achievement for Indian Railways and the “Make in India” initiative. Launched in 2019, this semi-high-speed train, built indigenously at the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, has rapidly expanded its network across India. Its success underscores India’s progress in domestic manufacturing and infrastructure development. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
