India is set to become a global exporter of its indigenously developed Vande Bharat trains within the next three to four years, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced. The minister made this statement while flagging off the inaugural run of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express connecting Bengaluru and Mumbai.
Vaishnaw highlighted that Indian Railways has already commenced exporting technologically advanced components of the Vande Bharat train sets, including propulsion systems and bogies, to several developed nations such as Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, and the United States. He emphasized the continuous improvement in the train's design and manufacturing with each new version.
Make in India Vision Powers Rail Exports
“With every version of the Vande Bharat train, we are improving. Each time we manufacture a new version, we make improvements based on learnings from the previous versions,” Vaishnaw stated. He added that the upcoming export of full train sets reflects the government's commitment to the “Make in India” and “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) initiatives, with significant design and manufacturing capabilities localized within the country.
The minister also revealed plans for Karnataka's next Vande Bharat Sleeper train, which will originate in Bengaluru, connect parts of North Karnataka towards Hubballi, and then proceed to Pune and Mumbai, further enhancing regional connectivity.
New Bengaluru-Mumbai Sleeper Express Launched
The newly launched Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service aims to significantly improve overnight travel between Karnataka and Maharashtra. The 16-coach train will cover 1,118 km in approximately 16 hours, reducing previous travel times by nearly eight hours, according to Union Minister of State V Somanna.
Equipped with 823 berths across fully air-conditioned coaches, the sleeper version incorporates advanced features for passenger comfort, including improved amenities for middle and upper berths, and sophisticated couplers designed to minimize jerks during transit. The inaugural special departed from Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal in Bengaluru, arriving at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai.
Regular services for the Bengaluru-Mumbai route will commence on November 2 from Mumbai and November 3 from Bengaluru. The train will operate six days a week, excluding Mondays, departing at 7:45 pm and arriving at 11:55 am the following day. The return service from Mumbai will depart at 8:10 pm and reach Bengaluru at noon, except on Tuesdays. Key stops along the route include Raichur, Yadgir, Kalaburagi, Guntakal, Solapur, and Pune. This service marks India’s second Vande Bharat Sleeper train, following the earlier introduction of the Howrah-Kamakhya service.