Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday shared a video of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train running at a speed of 180 kmph on the Kota-Nagda section, while also conducting a “water test” to demonstrate the train’s stability and technological features.
“Vande Bharat Sleeper tested today by Commissioner Railway Safety. It ran at 180 kmph between Kota Nagda section. And our own water test demonstrated the technological features of this new generation train,” Vaishnaw wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), accompanying a video showing the train’s speed reaching 182 kmph on a mobile display.
The video also illustrated glasses filled with water stacked on top of each other remaining steady, highlighting the train’s stability.
The Vande Bharat trains currently running on the Indian Railway network are semi-high-speed services with a design speed of 180 kmph and a maximum operating speed of 160 kmph. “The average speed of the train depends upon the geometry of the track, stoppages enroute, maintenance work in the section etc,” according to an earlier statement from the railway ministry.
The upcoming Vande Bharat Sleeper is intended to transform overnight travel by combining speed, comfort, and modern amenities for long-distance passengers. The Ministry has noted that the sleeper variant, designed for AC-class travellers, “will truly redefine train travel for long distances, drastically cutting short travel time, first on busy routes and thereafter with time on all the routes.”
The trial run on December 30 marked a significant milestone, demonstrating both the top speed capability and ride stability of the new sleeper train under the supervision of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS). While not a statutory test, the water test is used to visually demonstrate suspension performance and passenger comfort at high speeds.
Unlike the existing Vande Bharat Express services, which are chair-car trains designed primarily for daytime travel, the sleeper version is targeted at overnight and long-distance journeys. Fully air-conditioned, the train will feature sleeper and AC three-tier coaches suitable for routes of approximately 1,000 to 1,200 km.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper comes equipped with several advanced features, including padded berths for enhanced comfort, improved access to upper berths, regenerative braking to enhance energy efficiency, fully sealed aisles with automatic connecting doors, modern toilets, noise reduction systems, and indigenous KAVACH anti-collision technology.
India’s strategy for faster railway mobility includes both high-speed and semi-high-speed rail projects. While the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train corridor, being developed in collaboration with Japan using Shinkansen technology, aims to reduce travel time significantly, the expansion of the indigenously built Vande Bharat fleet across key routes is aimed at modernising rail infrastructure, improving passenger comfort, and boosting economic connectivity.
Currently, 164 Vande Bharat semi-high-speed chair trains are operational, with the sleeper variant expected to be introduced early next year.
The 180 kmph trial on the Kota-Nagda section validated key parameters such as ride comfort, stability, braking efficiency, and onboard safety systems under high-speed conditions. Additional trials are expected before the train is certified for regular passenger services.
Developed under the Make in India initiative, the Vande Bharat Sleeper is part of Indian Railways’ broader push to modernise long-distance travel using domestically manufactured, semi-high-speed trains.
Railway officials indicated that once certification is complete, the first Vande Bharat Sleeper services could be launched on select high-demand corridors, marking a major shift in overnight rail travel in the country.