New bigger Vande Bharat coming soon: Forget 16-coach version, Railways eyes 24-coach sleeper train with features that could give Rajdhani Express tough competition

Railways is planning a 24-coach Vande Bharat sleeper train with a pantry car, additional toilets and upgraded interiors, targeting a rollout by June 2027. The Integral Coach Factory in Chennai has been tasked with manufacturing 50 such trainsets. The development is part of a wider plan to introduce more than 200 Vande Bharat sleeper trains for long-distance overnight travel.