PM Modi to inaugurate first Vande Bharat sleeper train on Jan 17
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav announced that the first Vande Bharat Sleeper train will run between Kolkata and Guwahati from January 17th, 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate it in Malda Town, West Bengal. The train will run for six days between Kamakhya and Howrah Junction.
In addition, six new Amrit Bharat Express trains will be launched, with services beginning on January 17th and 18th, 2026.
At the Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Awards ceremony in Delhi on Friday, Vaishnav announced that Indian Railways will undergo a major transformation in 2026, including the extensive use of artificial intelligence (AI) for all improvements.
Vande Bharat Sleeper fares are set at ₹2,300
The fare for the third AC Vande Bharat Sleeper train has been fixed at ₹2,300. The fare for the second AC will be ₹3,000. The fare for the first AC has been proposed at approximately ₹3,600.
The sleeper train has been designed for long-distance travel of over 1,000 kilometers. Approximately 12 Vande Bharat sleeper trains will be ready by the end of this year.
A trial run of this train was conducted on December 30th. The train ran at a speed of 180 kilometers per hour on the Kota-Nagda railway track. The loco pilot placed water in four glasses, and even at such high speeds, no water spilled from the glasses.
