Indian Railways has completed trial runs, testing and certification of its new Vande Bharat Sleeper train, with the inaugural service scheduled between Guwahati in Assam and Howrah in West Bengal.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper design has been evaluated over dedicated test sections, including high-speed runs on the Kota–Nagda stretch where the rake reached 180 km/h under the supervision of the Commissioner of Railway Safety. Tests examined ride stability, oscillation, vibration, braking performance, emergency braking and safety systems. The oversight authority declared the trials successful.
The 16-coach sleeper rake is intended for long-distance travel above 1 000 km. It comprises three classes of air-conditioned accommodation with sleeper berths and a range of onboard systems. Technical provisions include an updated suspension layout, automatic doors, fire detection and suppression systems, CCTV surveillance in all coaches, digital passenger information displays and central coach monitoring.
Safety and train control systems fitted include the Indian train protection system KAVACH, crashworthy semi-permanent couplers with anti-climbers, fire-barrier doors, regenerative braking and UV-C air-conditioning disinfection. The trainsets also feature sealed gangways, emergency talk-back units and dedicated lavatories designed for passengers with reduced mobility.
Onboard service planning for the Guwahati–Howrah run anticipates departures in the evening with arrival early the next morning. Catering offerings are reported to reflect regional cuisine appropriate to each direction of travel.
The ministry provided indicative fare levels for the service. In Indian rupee terms, three-tier AC sleeper accommodation was noted at around ₹2 300, two-tier AC at about ₹3 000 and first-class AC at approximately ₹3 600. At prevailing exchange rates, these figures equate roughly to €25, €33 and €40 respectively.
