Northeast Frontier’s Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Sanjay Chilwarwar, announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to virtually inaugurate the first Vande Bharat Express train in Northeast India, running between New Jalpaiguri and Guwahati.
The train, with the identification numbers Up-22227 and Down-22228, will operate six days a week, covering a distance of approximately 410 km in six hours. The train will depart from New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri and arrive in Guwahati, significantly reducing travel time between the two cities.
Currently, the Rajdhani Express is the fastest train on this route, taking eight and a half hours to complete the journey. PM Modi recently launched Odisha’s first Vande Bharat train between Puri and Howrah, aiming to expand its presence across the country by June.
The Vande Metro variant of the train is designed for short-distance daily passenger travel of fewer than 100 kilometers. The Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express received positive feedback for its comfortable journey and the opportunity to interact with passengers and young individuals, as mentioned by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a goal for Vande Bharat Express to cover almost all states by June. Speaking to ANI in Howrah, Vaishnaw emphasized that Vande Metro trains are designed for convenient daily passenger travel over short distances, typically less than 100 kilometers.