Vande Bharat Sleeper Train: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav announced on Thursday (January 1) on New Year’s Day that the country’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper train will run on the Guwahati-Kolkata route. He said this will boost connectivity in the Northeast. Prime Minister Modi will flag off the train soon.
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Vande Bharat Sleeper Train: The country’s first ‘Vande Bharat’ sleeper train will run between Guwahati and Kolkata. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the sleeper train on this route in the coming days. It is expected to be inaugurated in the next 15-20 days, i.e. around January 17 or 18. According to news agency ANI, the fare for the Vande Bharat sleeper train from Guwahati to Howrah (Kolkata) will be approximately ₹2,300 (including food) for 3AC, while the fare for 2AC will be approximately ₹3,000 and the fare for first AC will be ₹3,600.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav announced on Thursday (January 1) on the occasion of the New Year that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon flag off India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train running between Bengal and Assam. Addressing a press conference, Vaishnav said that the fares of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train, which will run between Howrah in West Bengal and Guwahati in Assam, will be significantly lower than air travel.
Ashwini Vaishnav said, “The entire testing and certification of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train has been completed. Its first proposed route is Guwahati-Kolkata. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first Vande Bharat Sleeper train on this route in the coming days. This achievement is a major milestone… The Vande Bharat Sleeper train will provide passengers with world-class amenities, safety, and a modern travel experience on long-distance overnight journeys.”
#WATCH | Delhi: Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, “The complete testing and certification of the Vande Bharat sleeper train has been completed. Its first route is proposed to be Guwahati–Kolkata. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first Vande Bharat sleeper… pic.twitter.com/p2tKGBDRD8
— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2026
The Railway Minister further said, “These services will commence in the next 15-20 days, possibly around January 18 or 19. We have requested Prime Minister Modi and everything is clear. I will announce the date in the next two-three days.” Vaishnav said that the fare for Guwahati-Howrah air travel is around Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000. He said this will boost connectivity in the Northeast.
The minister said, “The fare in Vande Bharat will be around Rs 2,300 in third AC, Rs 3,000 in second AC and Rs 3,600 in first AC, including meals. These fares have been fixed keeping the middle class in mind.”
It’s worth noting that assembly elections are scheduled for this year in both Assam and West Bengal. According to Indian Railways, this train will significantly benefit residents of Kamrup Metropolitan and Bongaigaon districts in Assam and Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Malda, Murshidabad, Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, and Howrah districts in West Bengal.
