Vande Bharat Sleeper Train: When will Indian Railways officially launch the service?

Vande Bharat news: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off four new Vande Bharat Express trains on Saturday. However, India's first Vande Bharat sleeper train has yet to be launched. Earlier, there were reports that Indian Railways was preparing to launch Vande Bharat Sleeper trains in October. As October is over, people are wondering about the launch date.

When will Vande Bharat sleeper train launch?

There is no update on the exact launch date. However, a senior North Western Railway official stated that the country's first Vande Bharat train sleeper coach maintenance facility will be ready by mid-2026 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, PTI reported. The state-of-the-art facility at Bhagat Ki Kothi Railway station is being constructed at a cost of Rs 360 crore, said Major Amit Swamy, North Western Railway's Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer.

The first phase of the maintenance and workshop depot, which includes a 600-metre track facility to maintain 24 sleeper coaches of Vande Bharat trains, will be ready by June, 2026. The second phase, with a 178-metre track, including a workshop and simulator facility, will be completed by June, 2027, he told reporters.

Vande Bharat train sleeper coach facility

The facility will also house a dedicated wheel rack system and a specialised testing laboratory, including the latest simulators for training and evaluating high-tech equipment, highlighting Indian Railways' focus on precision, safety and performance, he said. This facility will maintain only the sleeper coaches of Vande Bharat, which are being introduced shortly, Swamy said, adding that the project includes a three-tier inspection facility for Vande Bharat coaches.

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Who is executing the project?

The project is being executed by the North Western Railway with Railway Vikas Nigam Limited and Kinet Railway Solution, a joint venture between Russia and India, as technology partners. The first phase will cost Rs 167 crore and the second phase Rs 195 crore, he said. The facility in Jodhpur will have the capacity for maintenance of eight to nine trains daily, Swamy said.

"The depot will be capable of inspecting and maintaining three trains at the same time. The workshop in the depot will have advanced machinery for lifting entire train rakes, transferring bogies using a drop pit table, and wheel-turning systems that will ensure uninterrupted maintenance of the Vande Bharat trains,” he said. Vande Bharat coaches will have to be brought for maintenance at any of these facilities after four days or after travelling 3,500 km, he said.