First Vande Bharat Express In AP, TS Set To Start From Jan 16

The pride of the Indian Railways' train services - the Vande Bharat Express - is set to be inaugurated between the two Telugu States on the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti, January 15.

The service will be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via remote video link, from the Secunderabad station.

The regular services of the train will start from January 16, for which bookings will commence from Saturday.

The train will operate between the Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam stations. The train from Visakhapatnam, bearing number 20833, will start at 5:45 am and reach Secunderabad at 2:15 pm. The train from Visakhapatnam will start from Secunderabad at 3 pm and reach Visakhapatnam at 11:30 pm.

The train will stop at Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Khammam and Warangal.

The train, with only sitting accommodation, consists of 14 AC chair car coaches and two Executive AC chair car coaches, with a capacity of 1,128 passengers. It will provide the fastest rail commute between these two stations.

The Vande Bharat trains have been manufactured with purely indigenous technology, and are equipped with modern features and enhanced comforts. The trains have automatic sliding doors, and reclining seats in all classes and rotating seats in the executive class. Emergency alarm buttons and emergency talk-back units allow passengers to speak with the crew in case of any exigencies. CC cameras are equipped in all coaches.