Indian Railways expands Vande Bharat sleeper fleet with new rakes and strict rules
Indian Railways is significantly expanding its Vande Bharat sleeper train fleet to modernize overnight travel across the country, targeting a total of 260 rakes with new manufacturing contracts and configurations.
Indian Railways is ramping up its modern overnight travel infrastructure by targeting a massive fleet of 260 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets. Key highlights of this expansion include a total procurement plan split across major manufacturing consortia, a fresh order bagged by BEML Limited, a revised rollout timeline for the Kinet Railway Solutions prototype, and the finalization of new 24-coach configurations featuring dedicated pantry cars for longer journeys.
Manufacturing Contracts and Fleet Expansion
The current procurement strategy involves major contracts for 200 rakes split between two consortia. Kinet Railway Solutions, an Indo-Russian joint venture of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and Transmashholding, is contracted to manufacture 120 trainsets, while the Titagarh-BHEL joint venture will produce 80 rakes. On September 2, 2026, BEML Limited announced it secured an additional order worth approximately ₹180.60 crore from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) for the manufacturing and supply of Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets. This contract, disclosed to the National Stock Exchange and BSE under SEBI regulations, follows an earlier ₹675 crore agreement for the first 10 trainsets. Meanwhile, RVNL Chairman and Managing Director Saleem Ahmad confirmed on September 2, 2026, that the prototype being built by Kinet Railway Solutions is now expected to roll out by March 31, 2027.
New 24-Coach Configurations and Routes
ICF Chennai is also advancing plans for 50 new Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets featuring a 24-coach configuration, designed for longer routes and including a pantry car. While the initial 16-coach prototype consists of 11 AC 3-tier, four AC 2-tier, and one AC First Class coach, the 24-coach version is expected to include 17 AC 3-tier, five AC 2-tier, one First AC coach, and a pantry car. Production drawings for these expanded sets are complete. As of September 2026, the Howrah-Kamakhya route remains the only operational service, with a Bengaluru-Mumbai CSMT route expected to launch soon.
Operational Guidelines and Refund Rules
The Railway Board has implemented strict operational guidelines for these premium trains, including a minimum chargeable distance of 400 kilometers and a policy against offering Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC). Refund rules are strictly tiered: cancellations made more than 72 hours before departure incur a 25% deduction, those between 72 and 8 hours incur a 50% deduction, and no refunds are granted for cancellations within eight hours of departure.