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Indian Railways plans to manufacture 260 Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets

Vande Bharat Sleeper train production: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the induction of Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets into regular passenger service will be carried out in a phased manner, based on demand and operational readiness.

2 min readUpdated: Feb 4, 2026 03:26 PM IST

Vande Bharat Sleeper expansion: 260 rakes planned by Indian Railways (Image: Ministry of Railways)

Vande Bharat Sleeper train: The Ministry of Railways has planned to manufacture 260 Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets, with two rakes currently operating on the Howrah-Kamakhya and Kamakhya-Howrah routes. Designed for long-distance journeys of up to 1,500 km, the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express has been indigenously developed.

In a written statement in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said: “For long distance travel, the sleeper variant of Vande Bharat Express has been indigenously designed and developed. Two such trains have already been manufactured. After extensive trials these are presently operational between Howrah and Kamakhya. A total of 260 rakes of Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets have been planned for manufacture.”

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Vande Bharat Sleeper train production

The Union Minister further said that the process of development of new rolling stocks like Vande Sleeper necessitates a holistic approach, combining technological innovation, strategic planning and manufacturing to ensure a safe, reliable and comfortable travel.

“This involves development of prototype, extensive testing and trials followed by series production,” Vaishnaw said. He also added that the manufacturing programme of Vande Bharat Sleeper train is being executed in a phased manner through prototype development, trials and series production by BEML & Integral Coach Factory, Chennai and technology partners.

Also Read | Vande Bharat Sleeper train: ICF to manufacture 50 rakes of 24-car coaches

Vande Bharat Sleeper train route

The minister further stated that the induction of Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets into regular passenger service will be carried out in a phased manner, based on demand and operational readiness. He added that the introduction of new train services, including Vande Bharat Sleeper, on any route/section depends on various factors which include:

Capacity of that section
Availability of path
Availability of required rolling stock
Availability of matching infrastructure for rolling stock
Maintenance requirement of railway tracks and other asset

Anish Mondal

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors. Professional Journey Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance. In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com. Education & Expertise Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities: Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta Areas of Coverage Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks. ... Read More

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