Overview

• Indian Railways now operates 150 Vande Bharat services nationwide, according to new reporting.
• Only five services run at 130 kmph end to end: Bilaspur–Nagpur, Howrah–Patna, Ahmedabad–Mumbai Central, Howrah–Gaya, and Nagpur–Secunderabad.
• Many other routes touch 130 kmph only on select stretches, such as New Delhi–Prayagraj on the Varanasi service and New Delhi–Ludhiana on the Katra service, before dropping to 110 kmph elsewhere.
• The trainsets are engineered for 180 kmph with a maximum operating speed of 160 kmph, but actual speeds depend on track geometry, scheduled stops, and maintenance conditions.
• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has highlighted extensive track upgrades over the past decade, while analyses note the trains still deliver faster acceleration and smoother braking even below top speed.