3 min readJun 8, 2026 01:35 PM IST
First published on: Jun 7, 2026 at 04:18 PM IST
Vande Bharat Sleeper train update: The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has revised the timeline for the rollout of first Vande Bharat Sleeper prototype to December 2026. Earlier, the company had planned to roll out the prototype by June 2026. Speaking during the Q4FY26 Earnings Conference Call, RVNL Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Saleem Ahmad said that the Vande Bharat Sleeper train project is one of the important project valued at approximately Rs 14,400 crore.
“Another important project is Vande Bharat sleeper train set, a INR 14,400 crore project with 35 years maintenance arrangement being executed by our SPV Kinet Railway Solutions. We are hopeful that first prototype training set is targeted for launch in December 2026,” the RVNL CMD said.
Vande Bharat Sleeper train: RVNL pushes first prototype launch to December 2026
Earlier, in February, RVNL CMD had stated that the company’s first major milestone under the Vande Bharat Sleeper project would be the delivery of the prototype trainset to Indian Railways (IR). “Vande Bharat is a very prestigious project for us also and railways. So we are manufacturing 120 train sets. And right now, our work is going on as per the planned progress. Our first milestone will be to give the prototype to the railways.
And we are hopeful to achieve this milestone within this year as per the program of the railway, which is, I think, June 2026,” he said during the Q3FY26 Earnings Conference Call.
RVNL-led JV to manufacture 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper trains
The RVNL-led joint venture will manufacture 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper trains. With 120 trainsets planned, this will take the total coach production to 1,920 coaches.
Vande Bharat Sleeper train tender
The Ministry of Railways awarded the contract to manufacture Vande Bharat Sleeper trains to three companies: BEML, Kinet Railway Solutions (a Joint Venture between Russian rolling stock major TMH and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited – RVNL) and a consortium of Titagarh Rail Systems Limited and Bharat Heavy Engineering Limited (BHEL).
The Howrah-Kamakhya-Howrah Vande Bharat Sleeper train which was launched in January 2026 was developed by BEML using Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory (ICF) technology.
Kinet Railway Solutions’ First AC coach design
On October 15, 2025, the Indo-Russian joint venture Kinet Railway Solutions unveiled the design concept of the First AC coach for the Vande Bharat Sleeper train. The new First AC four-berth compartment offers a spacious, bright and comfortable environment designed for enhanced privacy. The staircase ensures easy access to the upper berths, while each seat comes equipped with a built-in USB port, individual reading light, and smart storage solutions for added convenience.
Vande Bharat Sleeper update: RVNL pushes first prototype launch to December 2026 (Image: Kinet Railway Solutions) 
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