Indian Railways is planning to stop producing Vande Bharat Express trains with only seating (chair cars) and will instead focus on sleeper coach versions tailored for long-distance overnight travel, according to reports from Daily Thanthi.
An official from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) stated that they aim to complete the production of 11 more Vande Bharat trains featuring chair cars. After these are finished, manufacturing of chair car-only trains will end, and production will prioritize sleeper coach variants.
BEML in Bengaluru and ICF in Perambur have already started manufacturing the sleeper coach models, with the prototype completed in August last year. This new sleeper variant is expected to be handed over to the Railway Board soon for approval and further action.
The ICF official also mentioned that the Railway Board has placed orders for a total of 97 Vande Bharat trains. Out of these, 86 trains have already been produced and delivered. The remaining 11 chair car trains are scheduled for delivery by April 2025, completing the current order before the production shift.
