First Vande Bharat sleeper train rake unveiled for trials in 2024

On 1 September 2024, Indian Railways presented the first prototype rake of the Vande Bharat sleeper train, the long-distance, overnight version of its semi-high-speed Vande Bharat series. The train was built by BEML, a state-controlled engineering company, working with the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, which makes most of the railway's passenger coaches.

Until then, Vande Bharat trains had only seats and ran mainly on daytime intercity routes. The sleeper version was designed for journeys of roughly 800 to 1,200 kilometres, with berths in several classes, to compete with overnight Rajdhani express services and offer a faster, more modern alternative.

The prototype was meant to go through a long series of trials and safety checks before entering passenger service. These tests were carried out with the railway's research and standards body and covered speed, ride comfort and braking. The rake marked the start of a rollout that railway officials said would later be extended to more routes and more trains, which is the context for the latest expansion.