The Indian Railways has expanded its modern train fleet, with 144 Vande Bharat services now operational across the country&rsquo;s broad gauge electrified network.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the update in a recent written reply in the Rajya Sabha, underscoring the government&rsquo;s focus on modernising the nation&rsquo;s rail infrastructure.
Vande Bharat trains are semi-high-speed services designed and developed by Indian Railways to provide passengers with a faster, safer, and more comfortable travel experience. These trains feature quick acceleration, the Kavach collision avoidance system, fully sealed gangways, automatic plug doors, and enhanced ride comfort.
Onboard amenities include mini pantries with hot cases, bottle coolers, deep freezers, and hot water boilers. Passengers also benefit from reclining ergonomic seats, revolving seats in executive class, mobile charging sockets at every seat, special lavatories for Divyangjan passengers, and CCTV surveillance for enhanced security.
The minister noted that these services are helping ease congestion on high-demand routes while maintaining safety and affordability. Their popularity continues to grow, with nearly 3 crore passengers travelling on Vande Bharat trains in 2024-25, and another 93 lakh passengers between April and June 2025.
This rapid expansion marks a significant step in transforming passenger travel in India, combining speed, comfort, and safety on some of the busiest routes.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vande Bharat train service between Bengaluru and Belagavi in Karnataka. He boarded the train, interacted with students and children, and waved to staff before flagging off the service. The Prime Minister also launched two other Vande Bharat routes one between Amritsar and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, and another between Nagpur (Ajni) and Pune.
The Bengaluru event was attended by Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, and BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra. As the train to Belagavi departed, the Prime Minister and other leaders waved to passengers on board. [Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed]

144 Vande Bharat trains now on track nationwide

Indian Railways boosts connectivity with 144 high-speed Vande Bharat services across India

144 Vande Bharat trains now on track nationwide

Indian Railways boosts connectivity with 144 high-speed Vande Bharat services across India

August 10, 2025 | 21:00 IST