Indian Railways has introduced its first twenty-coach Vande Bharat Express on the Howrah–Puri route, replacing the earlier sixteen-coach version. Covering a five hundred two Km stretch, the upgraded train aims to improve capacity, speed, and comfort for both commuters and tourists.

Built by Integral Coach Factory in Chennai under the Make in India initiative, the train is equipped with modern features and designed to carry up to eighty-five thousand passengers annually. It marks a major step towards sustainable, efficient travel and reflects Indian Railways’ broader strategy to modernise the network.

Connecting key stations such as Kharagpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, and Bhubaneswar, the new service improves access between Odisha and West Bengal. The journey now takes six hours and forty minutes, reducing travel time by twenty minutes.

The train offers AC Chair Car and Executive AC classes, priced at Rs. 1,245 and Rs. 2,400 respectively. Amenities include rotatable seats in Executive Class, panoramic windows, onboard Wi-Fi, infotainment, spacious interiors, and catering services.

With a sleek design and focus on passenger convenience, the train is expected to boost tourism, business travel, and regional development, while supporting India’s climate goals through lower emissions.

Source:UrbanPost