Kamakhya–Howrah Vande Bharat Sleeper Express
| Howrah – Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper Express | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Howrah-Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper Express arriving at Kamakhya Junction | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Service type | Vande Bharat Sleeper Express | ||||
| Status | Active | ||||
| Locale | West Bengal and Assam | ||||
| First service | 17 January 2026 (Inaugural) 23 January 2026 (Commercial) | ||||
| Current operator | Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) | ||||
| Ridership | 823; one way (per journey) | ||||
| Route | |||||
| Termini | Howrah Junction (HWH) Kamakhya Junction (KYQ) | ||||
| Stops | 13 | ||||
| Distance travelled | 968 km (601 mi) | ||||
| Average journey time | 14 hrs | ||||
| Service frequency | |||||
| Train number | 27575 / 27576 | ||||
| Lines used | |||||
| On-board services | |||||
| Classes | AC First Class AC 2-tier AC 3-tier | ||||
| Seating arrangements | No | ||||
| Sleeping arrangements | Yes | ||||
| Catering facilities | Available | ||||
| Observation facilities | Large windows | ||||
| Baggage facilities | Available | ||||
| Technical | |||||
| Rolling stock | Vande Bharat (sleeper trainset) | ||||
| Track gauge | Indian gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge | ||||
| Electrification | 25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead line | ||||
| Operating speed | 130 km/h (81 mph)[1] (Max.) 69 km/h (43 mph) (Avg.) | ||||
| Track owner | Indian Railways | ||||
| Rake maintenance | Howrah Junction (HWH) | ||||
| |||||
The 27575 / 27576 Howrah–Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper Express is India's 1st AC sleeper semi-high speed train which belongs to Northeast Frontier Railway zone that runs between the city Howrah Junction of West Bengal and Kamakhya Junction of Assam in India.[2] This fully air‑conditioned service combines the speed and modern amenities of Vande Bharat trains with comfortable sleeper coaches.[3][4]
The express train was inaugurated on 17 January 2026 by Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.[5][6][7][8][9]
Overview
- The Vande Bharat Sleeper train is India's first long-distance sleeper variant of the Vande Bharat train series, designed for overnight travel with fully air-conditioned sleeper coaches and modern amenities.
- The first rake's carbody structure was inaugurated on 9 March 2024 at the BEML Ltd manufacturing facility in Bangalore, marking the beginning of production.[10]
- The prototype and components were developed and assembled by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) using technology from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF).
- After comprehensive trials, including high-speed runs up to 180 km/h, the train was certified for passenger service.[11]
- Indian Railways officially announced that the first Vande Bharat Sleeper train will operate between Howrah (West Bengal) and Kamakhya (Guwahati, Assam).[4]
- The train would run at a maximum speed of 110 km/h from Bandel on the Howrah–New Jalpaiguri section (BAK loop) and New Jalpaiguri–New Bongaigaon section, to Changsari on the New Bongaigaon–Rangiya–Kamakhya line.
Schedule
|
27575 / 27576 Howrah–Kamakhya-Howrah Vande Bharat Sleeper Express Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Train Type | Vande Bharat Sleeper Express |
| Distance | 968 km (27575) / 968 km (27576) |
| Average Speed | ~69 km/h (27575) / ~69 km/h (27576) |
| Journey Time (HWH → KYQ) | ~14 hrs |
| Journey Time (KYQ → HWH) | ~14 hrs |
| Classes Available | AC 3 Tier, AC 2 Tier, First Class AC |
| Operating Days | Six days a week |
| Service Pattern | EX–Howrah except Thursday; EX–Kamakhya except Wednesday |
| Operator | Northeast Frontier Railway / Eastern Railway |
Route and halts
| 27575 HWH → KYQ | 27576 KYQ → HWH | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station | Day | Arr. | Dep. | Station | Day | Arr. | Dep. |
| Howrah Junction | 1 | SRC | 18:20 | Kamakhya Junction | 1 | SRC | 18:15 |
| Bandel Junction | 1 | 18:56 | 18:58 | Rangiya Junction | 1 | 18:48 | 18:50 |
| Nabadwip Dham | 1 | 19:36 | 19:38 | New Bongaigaon Junction | 1 | 20:08 | 20:10 |
| Katwa Junction | 1 | 20:03 | 20:05 | New Alipurduar | 1 | 21:23 | 21:25 |
| Azimganj Junction | 1 | 20:50 | 20:55 | New Cooch Behar Junction | 1 | 21:40 | 21:42 |
| New Farakka Junction | 1 | 21:48 | 21:50 | Jalpaiguri Road | 1 | 22:55 | 22:57 |
| Malda Town | 1 | 22:50 | 23:00 | New Jalpaiguri Junction | 1 | 23:30 | 23:40 |
| Aluabari Road Junction | 2 | 00:58 | 01:00 | Aluabari Road Junction | 2 | 00:22 | 00:24 |
| New Jalpaiguri Junction | 2 | 01:40 | 01:50 | Malda Town | 2 | 03:25 | 03:35 |
| Jalpaiguri Road | 2 | 02:20 | 02:22 | New Farakka Junction | 2 | 04:05 | 04:07 |
| New Cooch Behar Junction | 2 | 03:30 | 03:32 | Azimganj Junction | 2 | 04:57 | 05:02 |
| New Alipurduar | 2 | 03:48 | 03:50 | Katwa Junction | 2 | 05:46 | 05:48 |
| New Bongaigaon Junction | 2 | 05:20 | 05:22 | Nabadwip Dham | 2 | 06:13 | 06:15 |
| Rangiya Junction | 2 | 06:50 | 06:52 | Bandel Junction | 2 | 06:58 | 07:00 |
| Kamakhya Junction | 2 | 08:20 | DSTN | Howrah Junction | 2 | 08:15 | DSTN |
Rake formation
- Abbreviations
- DTC – Driving Trailer Coach
- NDTC – Non-Driving Trailer Coach
- MC – Motor Coach
- MC2 – Motor Coach with electrical change-over switch
- TC – Trailer Coach having Pantograph
- 3AC – Three Tier AC class
- 2AC – Two Tier AC class
- 1AC - First AC class
| Sr. No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Power Units | Unit 1 | Unit 2 | Unit 3 | Unit 4 | ||||||||||||
| Power Configuration | DTC | MC | TC | MC2 | MC | TC | MC2 | NDTC | NDTC | MC2 | TC | MC | MC2 | TC | MC | DTC |
| Class | 3AC | 2AC | 3AC | 2AC | 1AC | 2AC | 3AC | |||||||||
| Coach No. | B1 | B2 | B3 | B4 | A1 | B5 | A2 | H1 | A3 | A4 | B6 | B7 | B8 | B9 | B10 | B11 |
| Seating Capacity | 28 | 67 | 55 | 67 | 48 | 55 | 48 | 24 | 44 | 48 | 55 | 67 | 67 | 55 | 67 | 28 |
| Class | Coaches | Total seats |
|---|---|---|
| 3AC | 11 | 611 |
| 2AC | 4 | 188 |
| 1AC | 1 | 24 |
| Total | 16 | 823 |
- Primary Maintenance – Howrah
Fare structure
The one-way fare for the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express (Howrah-Kamakhya) / (Kamakhya–Howrah) is as follows:[12][13][14] Besides, the train will have no provision for RAC or Tatkal tickets, and the minimum chargeable distance would be 400 km, even if less distance is covered by the passengers.[15][16]
| Class | Rate/KM | Fare (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| AC 3-tier | ₹2.40 | ₹2,435 |
| AC 2-tier | ₹3.10 | ₹3,145 |
| First Class AC | ₹3.80 | ₹3,855 |
Testing and trials
In December 2025, the Vande Bharat sleeper trainset successfully completed high-speed trial runs on the Kota–Nagda section of the Indian Railways network. During the trials, the train achieved speeds of around 180 km/h under the supervision of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS).[17]
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a video of the trial on social media, highlighting the train's stability and ride quality at high speed. As part of the demonstration, glasses filled with water were placed inside the coach and were reported to remain steady throughout the run, indicating minimal vibration.[11]
According to Indian Railways officials, the successful trials are part of the certification process for the Vande Bharat sleeper trainset, which is designed for long-distance overnight travel and has a maximum design speed of 200 km/h.[18]
See also
References
- ^ https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pm-modi-flags-off-indias-first-howrah-guwahati-vande-bharat-sleeper-train-10768905
- ^ "सिर्फ 48 घंटे बाद चलेगी पहली Vande Bharat Sleeper Train, कितना किराया, क्या बिहार में रुकेगी ट्रेन?". Aaj Tak (in Hindi). 15 January 2026. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ "Howrah–Guwahati Vande Bharat sleeper train: launch date, route, stops, fare, food menu". The Indian Express. Indian Express Group. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ a b "PM Modi to launch Kolkata‑Guwahati Vande Bharat sleeper train soon". The Hindu. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ "PM Modi Launches India's First Vande Bharat Sleeper on Howrah–Kamakhya Route: Check Stations, Fares". Times Now. 17 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "Vande Bharat Sleeper is the new Rajdhani: PM Modi flags first train from Howrah to Guwahati". The Indian Express. 17 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ PTI (17 January 2026). "PM Modi flags off India's first Vande Bharat sleeper train from West Bengal's Malda". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ Kumar, Vikas. "27575/Howrah - Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper Express - Howrah to Kamakhya NFR/Northeast Frontier Zone - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
- ^ "27576/Kamakhya - Howrah Vande Bharat Sleeper Express - Kamakhya to Howrah NFR/Northeast Frontier Zone - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
- ^ "Press Release | Hon'ble Union Minister for Railways inaugurates India's First Vande Bharat Sleeper Trainset Carbody Structure" (PDF). bemlindia.
- ^ a b "Vande Bharat sleeper train passes 180 kmph safety trial with steady glasses". IBC24. December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ "India's first Vande Bharat sleeper train: Howrah to Kamakhya route, fare and launch details". ABP. ABP Network. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ "What will be ticket cost and route of the Vande Bharat sleeper train: check AC 3‑tier, 2‑tier and 1st class prices". WIONews. WION. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ "No RAC, minimum fare equivalent to 400-km journey rate: Fare structure of Vande Bharat sleeper trains notified". The Indian Express. 13 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "Vande Bharat Sleeper to have no RAC, minimum fare for 400 km: Railway Board". ET Infra. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train: Fare Structure Explained, Why It's More Expensive Than Rajdhani". NDTV. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "Vande Bharat sleeper clocks 180 kmph, Ashwini Vaishnaw shares video of train's water test". The Times of India. December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ "Vande Bharat sleeper train speed 180 kmph between Kota–Nagda section". Prabhat Khabar. December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
External links
- Official website – Indian Railways Official Website
- Vande Bharat Sleeper Express at Wikimedia Commons
- Northeast Frontier Railway zone – Official NFR Website
- * India Rail Info – Train Information Portal