First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train and 4 New Amrit Bharat Trains Flagged Off, Find Out Which Train Your City Got?

These trains are specially designed for long-distance travel at affordable fares and will prove to be a boon for the middle class, students, and migrant labourers.

On January 17, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the country's first Vande Bharat Sleeper train from Malda Town station in West Bengal. This train will run between Howrah (Kolkata) and Guwahati (Kamakhya), which will better connect Northeast India with the country's capital.

Country's First Vande Bharat Sleeper Flagged Off

Prime Minister Modi said on this occasion, "Today, another big step has been taken towards the modernisation of Indian Railways. This first Vande Bharat Sleeper train is connecting the land of Maa Kali to the land of Maa Kamakhya. In the coming times, this modern train will be expanded across the entire country." This train is equipped with modern facilities, including improved suspension, safety features, and comfortable sleeper coaches, which will make long overnight journeys smooth and comfortable. Along with this, the Railways has also gifted four new Amrit Bharat Express trains to West Bengal.

Specially Designed

These trains are specially designed for long-distance travel at affordable fares and will prove to be a boon for the middle class, students, and migrant labourers. The routes of the new trains are as follows:

New Jalpaiguri – Nagercoil Amrit Bharat Express: This train will connect North Bengal to Tamil Nadu in South India. Better connectivity will be established between West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, which will boost tourism and trade.
New Jalpaiguri – Tiruchirappalli Amrit Bharat Express: This will reduce travel time by connecting the same region to a major city in South India.
Alipur Duar – SMVT Bengaluru Amrit Bharat Express: This will provide a modern and comfortable travel option by connecting North Bengal to the technology capital of Karnataka.
Alipur Duar – Mumbai (Panvel) Amrit Bharat Express: This will connect West Bengal to the financial capital Mumbai, while also providing strong connectivity between Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

130 km/h Without Jerks

These Amrit Bharat Express trains are non-AC but are equipped with modern facilities such as charging points, bio-toilets, CCTV, and high speed (up to 130 km/h). Their aim is to ensure reliable long-distance travel at affordable fares.

The Prime Minister said on this occasion that these new trains will strengthen Purvodaya and the connectivity of the entire country. Railways is continuously working towards modernisation, which will provide a better experience to passengers.