Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 27: Passengers travelling on the newly introduced Vande Bharat sleeper trains will now be charged a fare for a minimum distance of 400 km, even if their journey is shorter, Indian Railways has announced.

According to officials, reservations will not be available for travel below 400 km, meaning a traveller covering even 100 km will be charged the base fare for 400 km. The Railways is also prioritising digital payments for booking on the sleeper Vande Bharat trains, aiming to ensure quick refunds.

“If a passenger cancels a ticket for any reason, the refund will be credited within 24 hours,” a Railway source said.

The Howrah–Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper Express began regular operations on January 22, two days after the country’s first sleeper Vande Bharat was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Railway sources said that in the near future, additional sleeper Vande Bharat trains are likely to operate on the Delhi–Howrah–Guwahati route via Prayagraj, further strengthening long-distance connectivity.

The Railway Board released the fare chart and new operational guidelines for the service. In a letter dated January 15, Praveen Kumar, Director (Passenger Marketing), outlined several rules, including that children below 12 years travelling without a separate berth will be allotted lower berths based on availability.

Fares have been fixed as follows: for journeys up to 400 km, AC-3 costs Rs 960, AC-2 Rs 1,240, and First AC Rs 1,520. For distances of 1,000 km, the fares rise to Rs 2,400, Rs 3,100, and Rs 3,800, respectively.

The system will display all available berths at the time of booking, and efforts will be made to automatically allocate lower berths to men over 60 years and women over 45 years, depending on availability.

Railway officials emphasised that these measures aim to streamline travel, improve passenger convenience, and maintain safety and efficiency on the premium sleeper service.