India’s First Vande Metro Rolls Out, Trials Begin for Short Commutes Up to 250 Km

Indian Railways took a significant step when it introduced the country’s first Vande Metro train at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, bringing a number of superfast Vande Bharat trains.

The short-distance iteration of the Vande Bharat Express, India’s first Vande Metro train made its debut at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai on Tuesday (April 30), ushering in a new era of rail travel designed to improve the passenger experience. Started.

Vande Metro gives urban people a travel distance of up to 250 km. These trains are planned to run on distances ranging from 100 km to 250 km, while an additional variant, Vande Bharat Sleeper trains, is being built to run on distances of more than 1,000 km.

The first phase of Vande Metro trains is scheduled to start in July, after which the sleeper variant will be tested. This is an important step to modernize India’s railway infrastructure and enhance passenger amenities.

Railway Ministry said that Vande Metro trains are ready to connect 124 cities across the country. The initial routes identified are Chennai-Tirupati, Bhubaneswar-Balasore, Agra-Mathura, Delhi-Rewari, and Lucknow-Kanpur. Also, discussions are going on to connect Chennai with Arakkonam to extend connectivity across Tamil Nadu, but the final decision has yet to be taken.

Vande Metro trains will have huge automatic doors and side seats. As per the coach structure, four coaches will form a unit and at least twelve coaches will form a Vande Metro. Railway officials told PTI that initially at least twelve Vande Metro coaches will be provided. The capacity will be increased as per the demand of passengers, which will be up to 16 coaches per train.

These air-conditioned trains, which run seamlessly on existing railway tracks, with special emphasis on the convenience of unreserved category passengers, travel between major urban centers and nearby satellite towns.

Officials stressed that Vande Metro trains boast of efficient transportation with rapid acceleration capabilities and frequent stops. As per the DTNext report, each train will have 12 coaches, which will be equipped with huge automatic doors and side seats, giving passengers standing space.