Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Clocks 180 kmph on Kota–Nagda Section, Ashwini Vaishnaw Shares Video

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday shared a video of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train undergoing high-speed trials, during which it touched speeds of up to 180 kmph on the Kota–Nagda section while successfully completing a “water test”.

“Vande Bharat Sleeper tested today by the Commissioner of Railway Safety. It ran at 180 kmph between the Kota–Nagda section. Our water test demonstrated the technological features of this new-generation train,” Vaishnaw wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The video, shot from inside the train, showed the speedometer on a mobile screen briefly touching 182 kmph, while glasses filled with water and stacked one over another remained steady without spilling — highlighting the train’s stability at high speed.

At present, Vande Bharat trains operating on the Indian Railways network are semi-high-speed services with a design speed of 180 kmph and a maximum operational speed of 160 kmph. According to the Railway Ministry, actual average speeds depend on factors such as track geometry, en-route stoppages and maintenance work.

Looking ahead, the upcoming Vande Bharat Sleeper is expected to transform overnight rail travel by combining higher speeds with enhanced comfort and modern amenities for long-distance passengers, the ministry has said.

The sleeper variant is set to be introduced soon for AC-class travellers and, according to the ministry’s year-end review, is expected to significantly reduce travel time on busy routes initially, before being rolled out more widely.

Earlier this month, Indian Railways expanded Vande Bharat services along the east coast by extending the Chennai-based Vande Bharat Express to Narasapur on December 15, boosting connectivity between Chennai and coastal Andhra Pradesh.