Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a video on the social media platform X on Tuesday. The video features the Vande Bharat Sleeper train running at 180 kmph during a ‘water test’ conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety.
“Vande Bharat Sleeper tested today by the Commissioner of Railway Safety. It ran at 180 kmph between the Kota Nagda section. Our water test showed off the technology of this new generation train,” wrote Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, along with a brief video of the water test on his official X account.
Vande Bharat trains speed hits 180 kmph
In the video, the train’s speed goes from 178 kmph to 180 kmph in seconds. A mobile screen beside stacked glasses of water shows that the water does not spill, demonstrating the speed and stability of the train. Earlier this year, in September, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the launch of two Sleeper trains.
These trains will soon be available for AC-class travelers, according to the ministry’s year-end review: “It will truly redefine train travel for long distances, significantly reducing travel time, first on busy routes, then across all routes.”
Train manufactured with 16 coaches in AC First Class
Manufactured by BEML Limited, formerly Bharat Earth Movers Limited, and using Integral Coach Factory (ICF) technology, the Vande Bharat Sleeper train has 16 coaches in AC First Class, AC 2-Tier, and AC 3-Tier configurations. It can carry 1,128 passengers and reaches a top speed of 180 kmph, making it one of India’s fastest overnight services.
Indian Railways currently operates semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains on the network. These trains have a design speed of 180 kmph and a maximum operating speed of 160 kmph.
Read also: Bridging India’s Skills Gap in the AI Era: Preparing Youth for Modern Jobs