Indian Railways is getting ready to launch the Lucknow-Ayodhya-Gorakhpur Vande Bharat Express soon, which will be Uttar Pradesh's second Vande Bharat Express. It will also be the first mini version of the Vande Bharat train in the state, that will connect Lucknow to Gorakhpur via Ayodhya. The mini Vande Bharat Express comprises eight coaches instead of 16 and a mini version of the semi-high speed train currently operates between Chennai Central and Coimbatore Junction. As per a report on IANS, Divisional railway manager, NER-Lucknow, Aditya Kumar said, "The train will operate via Ayodhya connecting Gorakhpur to Lucknow."


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To ensure financial feasibility on shorter routes, the Indian Railways recently introduced a mini version of Vande Bharat Express which comprises eight coaches instead of 16. According to the IANS, the train is likely to be flagged off on July 7. "We expect that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the train operation; however, we are yet to receive assent from the PMO office," said the source.


Lucknow-Ayodhya-Gorakhpur Vande Bharat Express


The route, schedule and fare have yet not been finalised, but it is expected that the railway board will give approval a couple of days before the flagging-off ceremony. Vande Bharat Express is likely to cover a distance of 302 km (via Ayodhya junction) in less than four hours. The train will operate at maximum 110 kmph on the track, although the train cruise limit is 160 kmph.


Currently, Arunachal superfast express (22411), which operates on Sunday and Wednesday between Gorakhpur and Lucknow, covers the 270 km journey (via Gonda junction) in the shortest possible time of 4 hours 35 minutes, followed by Sapt Kranti superfast express (12557) and Gorakhdham superfast express (12555), both of which take 4 hours and 50 minutes to cover the distance.


Maintaining speed and punctuality of the Vande Bharat Express will be a challenge, as NER has double track upto Mankapur junction from Gorakhpur junction; however, after Mankapur junction, it's a single track up to Barabanki junction via Ayodhya.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently launched five Vande Bharat Express trains on a single day, on June 27, 2023, from the Bhopal's Rani Kamplapati railway station, to take the tally of total Vande Bharat trains in India to 23.