PM Narendra Modi flags off Vande Bharat 2.0 train: Check top speed, features HERE - All you need to know

The Vande Bharat 2.0 was flagged off by PM Narendra Modi, earlier today, and the train will ply between Mumbai and Gandhinagar.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the third Vande Bharat Express for the country today, which is run between the state capitals of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat is the third semi-high-speed train in the country, and it will bring down the total duration of the journey by a fair margin. The first Vande Bharat Express, however, was flagged off on February 15 between Delhi and Varanasi with stoppages at Kanpur and Allahabad as well. As per PM Modi’s speech on Independence Day last year, a total of 75 such trains will be introduced in the country to connect multiple sections of the country. Also, the new train is the updated iteration, called Vande Bharat 2.0, and here’s everything about it.

Vande Bharat Express 2.0: Top Speed

The updated avatar of the semi-high-speed train has a top speed of 160 kmph, and it takes 129 seconds to reach this speed from a standstill. It can achieve high speeds due to faster acceleration and deceleration and will reduce journey time by 25 per cent to 45 per cent. For example, the scheduled commute between New Delhi and Varanasi will take approximately eight hours, making it 40-50 per cent faster than the fastest train connecting these two cities.

New & upgraded features of Vande Bharat 2.0!

Let's know more about the unique features of the new Vande Bharat Express to be flagged off from Gandhinagar Capital Railway Station, today. pic.twitter.com/haiSFrThhK — Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) September 30, 2022

The first-ever Vande Bharat Express was flagged off to run between Delhi and Varanasi. The country’s first semi-high speed train has stops in Allahabad and Kanpur as well. The second Vande Bharat train was introduced between Delhi and Shri Vaishno Devi Mata, Katra. The third one will now ply between Mumbai and Gandhinagar.  Soon, another Vande Bharat Express train will run from Khajuraho, as revealed by Railway Minister of India - Ashwani Vaishnav.

Vande Bharat Express 2.0: Safety features

The semi-high-speed train utilizes the KAVACH (Train Collision Avoidance System) for improved operational safety. Also, there are four emergency windows on every coach of the Vande Bharat train. Furthermore, it gets four platform side cameras, including rearview cameras outside the coach, instead of two earlier.

Increased Level-II safety integration certification on the new coaches is achieved for better control. Alongside, the Vande Bharat 2.0 adheres to safety compliances with improved fire safety measures that use Aerosol-based fire detectors and suppression systems in toilets and electrical cubicles.

Introducing the next-gen Vande Bharat Express, ready to provide world-class travel experience. pic.twitter.com/n2lZvqfvvW — Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) September 30, 2022

While the train will have a total of four emergency lights in every coach to assist passengers in case of an emergency exit during an electric failure, it will be able to withstand floods of up to 650 mm in height, in comparison to the 400 mm earlier.

Vande Bharat Express 2.0: Coach features

Developed by ICF in just 18 months, the Vande Bharat 2.0 gets automatic doors for all coaches, along with WiFi hotspots, rotating chairs, and a GPS-based audio-visual passenger information system. Toilets on the Vande Bharat 2.0 are bio-vacuum type. Ambient lighting on coaches is of diffusing type, while passengers also get personal reading lamps. Every coach has a pantry with facilities to serve hot meals and hot and cold beverages. The insulation is meant to keep heat and noise to very low levels for additional passenger comfort. Each Vande Bharat Express has a total seating capacity of 1,128 passengers