Vande Bharat Sleeper Ticket Price: Guwahati-Howrah Vande Bharat Sleeper rolls out next week for its maiden voyage connecting Assam and West Bengal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag-off the historic journey that marks Indian Railways’ leap into comfortable long-distance journey. Ahead of the launch, the new ticket prices, different from Rajdhani or Duranto, have been revealed. Ticket prices for the upcoming Vande Bharat sleeper train has been kept marginally higher than those of premium services like the Rajdhani Express.
Those travelling in the Guwahati-Howrah Vande Bharat Sleeper will have to pay a minimum fare equivalent to a 400-kilometre journey at least, regardless of the actual distance travelled, if it’s less.
The first of these sleeper trains is set to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week on the Guwahati–Howrah route. Once operational, it is expected to cut travel time by nearly three hours compared to existing express trains.
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According to a circular issued by the Railway Board on January 9, passengers will only be able to book confirmed tickets on this service. “The minimum chargeable distance will be 400 km. Only confirmed tickets will be issued. There will be no provision for RAC, waitlisted or partially confirmed tickets. All berths will be open for booking from the first day of the Advance Reservation Period,” the circular stated.
Unlike other express trains where RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) tickets are commonly issued, the Vande Bharat sleeper will not allow this facility. Under RAC, two passengers usually share a side lower berth, but this option will not be available on the new service.
Similar to other long-distance trains, quotas will be reserved for women, senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PwD), and railway staff travelling on duty passes.
Fare rates have been fixed at Rs 2.4 per km for 3AC, Rs 3.1 per km for 2AC, and Rs 3.8 per km for First AC. This means that for the minimum 400-km distance, passengers will pay Rs 960 in 3AC, Rs 1,240 in 2AC, and Rs 1,520 in First AC. GST will be charged separately.
For the Guwahati–Howrah stretch of around 1,000 km, ticket prices will be Rs 2,400 for 3AC, Rs 3,100 for 2AC, and Rs 3,800 for First AC. On longer routes of 2,000 km, fares will rise to Rs 4,800 for 3AC, Rs 6,200 for 2AC, and Rs 7,600 for First AC.
These rates are slightly steeper than existing premium services. For instance, the Mumbai–Delhi Rajdhani charges Rs 2.10 per km for 3AC, Rs 2.85 per km for 2AC, and Rs 3.53 per km for First AC. On the Howrah–Guwahati route, the Saraighat Express currently has the highest fares, with Rs 1,410 for 3AC, Rs 1,985 for 2AC, and Rs 3,320 for First AC.
The first Vande Bharat sleeper will halt at 10 stations across West Bengal and Assam. In West Bengal, it will stop at Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Murshidabad, Malda, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar, while in Assam, it will cover Kamrup Metropolitan and Bongaigaon districts.
Designed for overnight travel, the train will depart late in the evening and arrive the next morning. It will consist of 16 coaches — 11 in 3AC, four in 2AC, and one First AC coach — offering a comfortable travel experience for passengers.