Vande Bharat Express: A timeline of the train service as it turns 7 today

In a statement, the Ministry of Railways said: “Vande Bharat services have expanded rapidly across the national rail network. By December 2025, 164 Vande Bharat services had been operationalised in 274 districts, carrying more than 7.5 crore passengers.”

Seven years of Vande Bharat Express: From Blue to Saffron – A look at its colour and version

Over the past seven years, Indian Railways has introduced three versions of the Vande Bharat Express, along with three diffrent colour. Initially, the train was launched in a blue-and-white colour, which was later revised to an orange-and-white design. The latest and current version features an orange-and-grey colour variant.

Similarly, the Vande Bharat Express was initially introduced as Version 1 and later upgraded to Version 2 with enhanced safety features, better ride index and passenger amenities. The regular production of Vande Bharat Version 2 began at Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory in September 2022.

The first rake of the upgraded Vande Bharat Version 2.0 was inaugurated on September 30, 2022, on the Gandhinagar Capital–Mumbai Central route under Western Railway and has been in regular service since October 1, 2022.

However, the latest Vande Bharat Version 3.0, which is currently operational on several routes, have enhanced performance parameters, including faster acceleration and improved ride quality. It is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 kmph in about 52 seconds. It also incorporate modern onboard systems aligned with contemporary passenger service standards.

7-year journey of Vande Bharat Express: Coach configuration and Speed

In 2019, the Vande Bharat Express was launched as a 16-coach trainset equipped with modern passenger amenities such as automatic doors, a GPS-based passenger information system, onboard infotainment, and regenerative braking to enhance energy efficiency and operational sustainability. The fully air-conditioned train was designed for a maximum speed of 160 kmph.

With the introduction of Vande Bharat Version 2.0, the train witnessed significant upgrades beyond passenger amenities. It was re-designed for a maximum speed of 180 kmph, while maintaining an operational speed of 160 kmph, that continues with Version 3.0 trains. However, the actual running speed of the train depends on route readiness and infrastructure conditions.

At present, the Vande Bharat Express operates with three different coach configurations, comprising 8, 16 and 20 coaches.

Vande Bharat Express train occupancy

In recent years, demand for the introduction of more Vande Bharat Express services on various routes has been rising. According to the national transporter, high occupancy of Vande Bharat reflects strong passenger demand for these services.

“Occupancy stood at 102.01 percent in 2024-25 and increased further to 105.03 per cent in 2025-26 (up to June 2025) demonstrating that faster, cleaner, and more reliable rail travel is not confined to metropolitan corridors but reflects a broader structural change in passenger preferences,” it said in a statement on January 16, 2026.

Full list of Vande Bharat Express trains in India

Features of Vande Bharat Express trains

The Vande Bharat Express trains have following features:

• Fitted with KAVACH.
• Jerk Free Semi-Permanent couplers.
• Centrally controlled Automatic Plug Doors and Fully Sealed wider gangways.
• Emergency Alarm Push buttons and Talk Back Units on all Coaches.
• Improved fire safety – Aerosol based fire detection and suppression system in electrical cabinets and lavatories.
• Higher acceleration with design/operating speed of 180/160 KMPH.
• Driver-Guard communication with voice recording facility & Crash hardened memory.
• Air conditioning units with indigenously developed UV-C lamp based disinfection system.
• Better Ride Comfort.
• CCTVs in all Coaches.
• For Divyangjan passengers special lavatory in the driving coaches on each end.
• Coach condition monitoring System (CCMS) display with remote monitoring.