JOIN USPM Modi to flag off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station on Tuesday.
Vande Bharat Express is between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod, passing through 11 districts, and covering a distance of around 588 kilometres in around eight hours. It will have stoppages at Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Thrissur, Shoranur, Kozhikode, and Kannur. The train will operate on all days except Thursdays, said the railways.
The regular services will begin on Wednesday from Kasaragod station at 2.30 pm. The bookings have already begun. The Vande Bharat Express will be faster by around one hour as compared to Rajdhani running on the same route.
The train received a massive response from passengers, as the booking was open from Sunday at 8 am and tickets are already sold out, says railway officials. Executive chair car tickets are not available for the next five days.
On the same day in Kerala, Prime Minister will lay the foundation of various rail projects including the redevelopment of Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, and Varkala Sivagiri railway stations. The rail electrification of the Dindigul-Palani-Palakkad section will also be dedicated by the Prime Minister. He will also dedicate the Kochi water metro to the nation.
Vande Bharat Express is an indigenously manufactured, semi-high speed and self-propelled train set. The train is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities, providing passengers with a faster, more comfortable and more convenient travel experience.
The fare of Vande Bharat Express ( Train No- 20633) between Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram Central will be Rs 1520 which includes Rs 308 as catering charges and Rs 2815 in the Executive Class which includes Rs 369 as catering charges. However, food choice is optional in this train and if the passenger opted for ‘No Food Option’ then the catering charge will not be added in the fare, the railways said.
The fare on Train No- 20634 Vande Bharat Express from Thiruvananthapuram Central to Kasaragod will be Rs 1590 in Chair Car and includes Rs 379 as catering charges and Rs 2880 in Executive Cass which will also include Rs 434 as catering charge.
Under the Make in India initiative, a target has been set to manufacture 400 Vande Bharat trains in the coming years.