A new chapter is about to be added to the history of Indian Railways. The country's first Vande Bharat Sleeper Express will be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, January 17. Following this, from January 18, this premium train will begin its regular service between Howrah and Kamakhya (Guwahati).
The train will operate on a route approximately 958 kilometres long and has been specially designed for long-distance passengers. Passengers will have access to state-of-the-art facilities on this Vande Bharat sleeper train.
Fare Structure And Ticket Prices
The train will have AC1, AC2 and AC3 classes. The railways have also set the fares. The fare from Howrah to Kamakhya will be Rs 2,299 for AC3, Rs 2,970 for AC2 and Rs 3,640 for AC1.
Meanwhile, the fare from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri has been set at Rs 1,334 for AC3, Rs 1,724 for AC2, and Rs 2,113 for AC1. For the journey from Howrah to Malda Town, the fare has been set at Rs 960 for AC3, Rs 1,240 for AC2, and Rs 1,520 for AC1. Passengers will also have to pay 5 per cent GST on the fare.
On the return journey from Kamakhya, the fare between Kamakhya and Malda Town will be Rs 1,522 for AC3, Rs 1,965 for AC2, and Rs 2,409 for AC1. Meanwhile, for Kamakhya to New Jalpaiguri, the fare has been set at Rs 962 for AC3, Rs 1,243 for AC2, and Rs 1,524 for AC1. The railways have set a minimum distance of 400 kilometres for fare calculation.
Will The Train Stop In Bihar?
Now, the biggest question is whether this train will stop in Bihar or pass through any of its stations. Before the assembly elections in Bihar, there was indeed talk that the first Vande Bharat sleeper train would run between Patna and Delhi, but for now, its route has been changed.
As of now, no official announcement has been made by the railways regarding a stop or passage through Bihar. The possibility of a route extension or the addition of a stop in the future has not been ruled out, but for now, passengers in Bihar will not directly benefit from this train.