Railways to start Vande Metro Rapid, Regional services

Aimed at providing faster and more comfortable journeys to passengers, the Indian Railways is planning to start Vande Metro Rapid services for intra-city commuters and Vande Metro Regional services for inter-city travel.

Vande Metro Rapid services train will consist of eight AC coaches which will be used for intra-city commuters like Mumbai local train services or suburban trains planned in Bengaluru city.

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The Vande Bharat Regional services train will comprise 12 AC coaches and these services will be used for inter-city like Bengaluru-Mysuru travel, a Railways official said.

“As per the proposal, the Railways intended to run inter-city trains connecting two towns or cities with the smaller length of Vande Bharat trains called Vande Bharat Regional service. These would be for connecting cities/towns that are less than 100-150 km,” the official added.

Lucknow-based Research Design and Standard Organisation is preparing the designs and prototypes are expected to be ready in four months.

Both trains will have spaces for seating and standing passengers. At present, EMU, MEMU and DEMU services are being used for intra-city and inter-city travel. As per the current proposal, Vande Metro Rapid Service train will travel at a maximum speed of 90 km per hour while Vande Metro Regional train will run at a maximum speed of 130 kmph, said the official.

With the Railways getting a record Rs 2.41 lakh crore budgetary allocation in the Union Budget 2023-24, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had recently said that the Vande Metro, a mini version of the Vande Bharat Express trains, will be developed by the Railways for people living around big cities to travel to and fro in comfort between their place of work and hometowns.

Vande Bharat trains with a shorter car composition will prove a boon to passengers, especially traders, students and the working class people who want to visit different big cities, Vaishnaw had said.