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Vande Bharat Sleeper Enters Full Commercial Service on KamakhyaHowrah Route

Strong bookings followed the launch, with praise for comfort alongside social media complaints about catering.

Overview

  • Commercial operations began from Kamakhya on January 22 (27576) and from Howrah on January 23 (27575), running six days a week with evening departures and morning arrivals.
  • Reservations for the first trips sold out within hours and early dates showed near‑full occupancy, according to railway statements.
  • The 16‑coach AC sleeper rake (1A/2A/3A) offers about 823 berths and completes the journey in roughly 14 hours, cutting more than three hours versus the Saraighat Express.
  • Published end‑to‑end fares are ₹2,435 (3A), ₹3,145 (2A) and ₹3,855 (1A) with a 400‑km minimum charge and per‑kilometre tariffs.
  • IRCTC’s included service features Rail Neer, newspapers and a Bengali/Assamese menu, while early rider reactions ranged from a viral video praising comfort to posts alleging poor food quality and service lapses; safety tech includes Kavach, advanced fire protection and CCTV.