Overview
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the inaugural Howrah–Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper from Malda, introducing the overnight variant of the indigenously built trainset.
- The service runs six days a week with an approximately 14‑hour schedule, confirmed‑ticket‑only boarding, and fares ranging from ₹960 to ₹13,300 depending on class.
- Five Amrit Bharat Express trains were launched—Dibrugarh–Gomti Nagar, Kamakhya–Rohtak, Howrah–Anand Vihar, Sealdah–Banaras, and Santragachi–Tambaram—part of nine new services expanding low‑cost long‑distance options.
- The Railway Board formalized Amrit Bharat II fares at roughly ₹500 per 1,000 km for non‑AC sleeper, with minimum chargeable distances of 200 km (Sleeper) and 50 km (Second Class) and no dynamic pricing.
- The Railway Ministry reiterated targets of about 800 Vande Bharat trainsets by 2030 and around 4,500 by 2047, contingent on infrastructure and manufacturing capacity.