Vande Bharat Trains 2026: Complete Route List, Fares, and Train-First India Itineraries
What is a Vande Bharat Express?
Vande Bharat is India's semi-high-speed train, designed and built entirely in India (at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai). Two classes on the day trains: Chair Car (CC) and Executive Chair Car (EC). Top speed is 160 km/h, average around 90 to 110 km/h depending on the corridor. Every seat has a plug point, LED reading light, GPS-based station announcements, and airline-style catering.
All active Vande Bharat routes in 2026
As of August 2026, over 55 Vande Bharat pairs run daily across India. The high-value tourist routes are the ones below. All fares are one-way per person in INR, ranges reflect Chair Car (CC) to Executive Chair Car (EC).
| Route | Duration | CC fare (INR) | EC fare (INR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Delhi to Varanasi | 8h 00m | 1,750 | 3,200 |
| New Delhi to Katra (Mata Vaishno Devi) | 8h 10m | 1,650 | 3,050 |
| New Delhi to Bhopal (Rani Kamlapati) | 7h 45m | 1,650 | 3,100 |
| New Delhi to Ajmer (via Jaipur) | 5h 15m | 1,150 | 2,150 |
| New Delhi to Amritsar | 5h 25m | 1,200 | 2,250 |
| New Delhi to Dehradun | 4h 45m | 1,080 | 2,050 |
| Mumbai Central to Ahmedabad | 5h 25m | 1,340 | 2,510 |
| Mumbai CSMT to Shirdi (Sainagar) | 5h 25m | 1,220 | 2,270 |
| Mumbai to Solapur | 6h 35m | 1,410 | 2,650 |
| Chennai to Bengaluru (via Katpadi) | 4h 25m | 1,270 | 2,365 |
| Chennai to Coimbatore | 5h 50m | 1,365 | 2,555 |
| Chennai to Tirunelveli (via Madurai) | 9h 00m | 1,780 | 3,340 |
| Bengaluru to Mysuru | 1h 55m | 735 | 1,435 |
| Bengaluru to Coimbatore | 5h 40m | 1,375 | 2,570 |
| Secunderabad to Vijayawada | 5h 30m | 1,395 | 2,610 |
| Secunderabad to Tirupati | 8h 30m | 1,690 | 3,175 |
| Kolkata (Howrah) to New Jalpaiguri (Darjeeling) | 7h 30m | 1,610 | 3,000 |
| Kolkata (Howrah) to Puri | 6h 25m | 1,395 | 2,590 |
| Kolkata to Ranchi | 7h 30m | 1,555 | 2,910 |
Sleeper Vande Bharat: what is live in 2026
The sleeper Vande Bharat entered service in June 2026 on three flagship overnight corridors. It has three classes (1AC, 2AC, 3AC) with wider berths, sound-insulated interiors, and a top speed of 160 km/h. The current 2026 sleeper routes are:
- Mumbai Central to Ahmedabad (overnight): 3AC around INR 2,400, 2AC around INR 3,200, 1AC around INR 5,600.
- New Delhi to Mumbai Central (overnight, first sleeper VB long-haul): 3AC around INR 3,100, 2AC around INR 4,400, 1AC around INR 7,800.
- New Delhi to Howrah (Kolkata, overnight): 3AC around INR 2,900, 2AC around INR 4,100, 1AC around INR 7,200.
Additional sleeper VB corridors (Chennai to Bengaluru overnight, Mumbai to Bengaluru overnight) are announced for late 2026 to early 2027. Check IRCTC one month ahead as the schedule is still consolidating.
Chair Car vs Executive Chair Car: which class?
- Chair Car (CC): 3 by 2 seat layout, reclining leather-style seat, tray table, plug point. Meal included. Best value for money.
- Executive Chair Car (EC): 2 by 2 layout, wider recline, more legroom, sometimes at the front of the train with a quieter cabin. Meal is the same. Costs roughly 2x the CC fare.
- Recommendation: for journeys under 4 hours (Bengaluru to Mysuru, Chennai to Bengaluru), CC is fine. For 6+ hours (Delhi to Varanasi, Chennai to Coimbatore), consider EC if the budget allows.
How to book Vande Bharat on IRCTC
- Create an IRCTC account at irctc.co.in (foreign tourists can register with a passport). Verify email and mobile.
- Book 60 days ahead of travel (the ARP, advance reservation period, is 60 days). Tourist season routes fill within 2 to 3 days.
- Choose Tatkal (emergency booking) if you missed the window: opens 24 hours before departure at 10:00 AM for AC classes, 11:00 AM for non-AC.
- Pay via UPI, card, or netbanking. UPI is fastest and has zero surcharge.
- Print or save the PDF ticket. Carry a matching photo ID (passport for foreign travellers). E-ticket + ID is accepted, no paper ticket needed.
What is included onboard
Every Vande Bharat ticket includes a full meal appropriate to journey time: breakfast (idli, sandwiches, poha, tea, coffee), lunch (thali, chicken curry, biryani, veg options), or dinner (similar spread). Vegetarian is default; non-veg must be booked when buying the ticket, not on the train.
Water bottles are provided. Bathrooms are Western-style, cleaner than Rajdhani. Wi-Fi is inconsistent, download entertainment before you board. Phone chargers work at every seat.
Vande Bharat vs Rajdhani vs flight: when to pick which
| Trip | Best mode | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi to Jaipur | Vande Bharat CC | 4h door to door, ~INR 1,150, meal included. Beats flight after airport transfers. |
| Delhi to Varanasi | Vande Bharat CC (day) or Rajdhani (overnight) | VB is 8h and city-to-city; Rajdhani is 12h but sleep through it. |
| Delhi to Mumbai | Flight or new sleeper VB | Flight is 2h + transfers; sleeper VB is 15h overnight; Rajdhani 16h. Pick based on next-day plan. |
| Chennai to Bengaluru | Vande Bharat CC | 4h 25m, cheaper than flight after Uber to airport. |
| Bengaluru to Mysuru | Vande Bharat CC | 1h 55m, INR 735, no flight option. |
| Chennai to Madurai/Tirunelveli | Vande Bharat CC | 9h day journey with meals, beats overnight Rajdhani for morning arrival. |
| Mumbai to Ahmedabad | Vande Bharat CC (day) or sleeper VB (overnight) | Fastest surface option; sleeper VB gets you there rested by morning. |
Train-first itinerary 1: Golden Triangle by Vande Bharat (5 days)
- Day 1: Arrive Delhi. Old Delhi food walk in Chandni Chowk. Overnight Delhi.
- Day 2: New Delhi to Ajmer VB (7:55 AM, arrives Jaipur 12:35 PM). Amber Fort in the afternoon. Overnight Jaipur.
- Day 3: Full-day Jaipur: City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Bapu Bazaar. Overnight Jaipur.
- Day 4: Morning train Jaipur to Agra Cantt (Gatimaan Express or similar, 4h). Taj Mahal at sunset. Overnight Agra.
- Day 5: Sunrise Taj visit, Agra Fort, return to Delhi via Gatimaan Vande Bharat (Agra Cantt to Hazrat Nizamuddin, 1h 45m). Fly home from Delhi.
Total train time: about 12 hours. Total train cost per person: about INR 4,200. No flights required, no airport transfers, no lost luggage.
Train-first itinerary 2: South India temples + coffee by VB (7 days)
- Day 1: Arrive Chennai. Mylapore walk, Marina Beach at sunset.
- Day 2: Chennai to Bengaluru VB (5:50 AM, arrives 10:25 AM). Explore Bengaluru: Cubbon Park, MG Road. Overnight Bengaluru.
- Day 3: Bengaluru to Mysuru VB (2:15 PM, arrives 4:10 PM). Mysore Palace lit up in the evening. Overnight Mysuru.
- Day 4: Mysore Palace by day, Chamundi Hill sunset. Overnight Mysuru.
- Day 5: Mysuru to Bengaluru (VB), Bengaluru to Coimbatore VB same day. Overnight Coimbatore.
- Day 6: Coimbatore to Madurai (train or cab, 4h). Meenakshi Temple. Overnight Madurai.
- Day 7: Fly Madurai to Chennai (1h), fly home.
Train-first itinerary 3: East India spiritual + hills by VB (6 days)
- Day 1: Arrive Kolkata. Explore Park Street, Victoria Memorial.
- Day 2: Howrah to Puri VB (6:10 AM, arrives 12:35 PM). Jagannath Temple, Puri beach. Overnight Puri.
- Day 3: Puri to Konark (day trip, 1h drive). Sun Temple. Return to Puri, overnight.
- Day 4: Puri to Howrah return VB. Same evening Howrah to New Jalpaiguri VB (5:55 PM, arrives 1:25 AM next morning). Overnight New Jalpaiguri.
- Day 5: NJP to Darjeeling toy train (or shared jeep, 3h). Tiger Hill sunrise next morning.
- Day 6: Darjeeling to Bagdogra by cab (3h), fly home.
Vande Bharat tips locals actually use
- Book EC on the outbound leg if you land after a long flight. The wider seat matters.
- Order the vegetarian meal even if you eat meat. It is fresher and much better than the non-veg option on most routes.
- Sit in coach C4 or C5 for the quietest cabin, they are toward the middle away from the automatic doors.
- Do not buy the Tatkal ticket without confirmed seat allocation. The counter Tatkal has a WL (waitlist) risk.
- For families with kids, EC is worth the extra INR 1,000 for the two-hour Bengaluru-Mysuru run alone.
Vande Bharat cost guide for common routes (INR per person, one-way)
| Route | CC | EC | Rajdhani/comparable | Flight (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi to Jaipur | 1,150 | 2,150 | 1,190 (3AC) | 3,500 to 6,000 |
| Delhi to Varanasi | 1,750 | 3,200 | 1,860 (3AC) | 5,500 to 8,000 |
| Chennai to Bengaluru | 1,270 | 2,365 | 1,320 (3AC) | 3,000 to 5,500 |
| Mumbai to Ahmedabad | 1,340 | 2,510 | 1,455 (3AC) | 3,500 to 5,500 |
| Delhi to Amritsar | 1,200 | 2,250 | 1,255 (3AC) | 3,800 to 5,500 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of Vande Bharat?
160 km/h peak. Actual average is 90 to 110 km/h depending on track condition and stops. Faster than Shatabdi on most corridors.
Is Vande Bharat available for overnight travel?
The sleeper Vande Bharat entered service in June 2026 on Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Delhi-Mumbai, and Delhi-Howrah overnight routes. It has 1AC, 2AC, and 3AC berth classes.
How do foreign tourists book Vande Bharat?
Register on irctc.co.in with a passport, book up to 60 days before travel, and pay via UPI, netbanking, or an accepted international card. Third-party sites like 12Go work too, at a small markup.
Is food included in Vande Bharat tickets?
Yes. Every Chair Car and Executive Chair Car ticket includes a meal appropriate to journey time. Water and tea/coffee are included. Non-vegetarian must be requested at booking, not on the train.
Which is better between Chair Car and Executive Chair Car?
Chair Car is 3-by-2 seating, INR 1,000 to 1,500 cheaper, and fine for under 4 hours. Executive Chair Car is 2-by-2, wider, and worth it for 6+ hour journeys or after a long-haul flight.
Vande Bharat vs flight from Delhi to Jaipur?
Vande Bharat wins. Total door-to-door time is about 4 hours vs 5 hours with a flight after Delhi airport transfer, security, and Jaipur city drive. Cost is roughly one-third of the flight.
Are Vande Bharat trains punctual?
About 85 to 90 percent punctuality on flagship corridors (Delhi-Varanasi, Delhi-Jaipur, Bengaluru-Mysuru). Delays over 30 minutes are rare. Bad weather and cyclone season on eastern routes can push delays.
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