ICF to Finalise Design of 24-Car Vande Bharat Sleeper Train by November 10
Prototype production is expected to begin after the design is approved, with the first trainset targeted for completion by May or June 2027.
NEW DELHI, Oct 13: The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai is expected to finalise the design of the 24-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper train by November 10, 2026, more than four years after the technical specifications for the train configuration were first outlined.
A senior ICF official told PTI that the design work had reached an advanced stage and that the final version was expected to be ready by the November deadline.
“Once the design is finalised, we will start manufacturing the prototype. As per the current plan, we are hoping to have the prototype ready by May or June 2027. The prototype will then undergo trials,” the official said.
The official added that the remaining trainsets would be introduced without significant delays once the prototype successfully completed all mandatory trials.
ICF Chennai released the technical specifications and standards for Vande Bharat trains on April 4, 2022. According to the proposed configuration, a 24-coach sleeper train will comprise 19 AC three-tier coaches offering 1,215 berths, four AC two-tier coaches with 192 berths, and one First AC coach providing 24 berths.
The planned arrangement is intended to provide overnight rail travel with multiple accommodation classes to cater to different passenger requirements.
During 2023-24, the Railway Ministry announced plans to manufacture 10 Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets with 16 coaches each in collaboration with ICF and Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML). The ministry also outlined a larger manufacturing programme involving 50 trainsets in the 24-coach configuration at ICF Chennai.
As part of the initiative, the Railway Ministry placed orders for propulsion equipment for 50 trainsets on December 17, 2024. Medha is expected to supply equipment for 33 trainsets, while Alstom will provide the systems for the remaining 17.
In a press note issued on February 6, 2025, the ministry stated that full-scale production of the 24-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper trains was scheduled to begin during the 2026-27 financial year. The programme is aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities and reducing dependence on imported railway technology.
Meanwhile, progress is continuing on the separate programme for 16-coach sleeper trains. Of the 10 trainsets planned under this initiative, one pair was launched in January on the Howrah-Kamakhya route. Two additional pairs are ready for launch, although their destinations have not yet been announced by the Railway Ministry. The remaining two pairs are at different stages of manufacturing at BEML.
The overall Vande Bharat Sleeper manufacturing programme also includes orders allocated to other domestic and international partnerships.
Kinet Railway Solutions Ltd, an Indo-Russian joint venture between Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) and Russia’s Transmashholding, is scheduled to manufacture 120 Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets, each comprising 16 coaches, at its facility in Marathwada, Maharashtra. Production is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, according to the outlined programme.
In addition, a consortium of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Titagarh is slated to manufacture 80 sleeper trainsets with 16 coaches each.
However, some manufacturers have revised their completion schedules in the past because of technical challenges, affecting the timelines for the broader programme.
The finalisation of the 24-coach design will mark an important step towards prototype development and subsequent testing. The project’s progress will depend on the completion of manufacturing, validation and trial procedures before the trainsets can enter passenger service.
