Vande Bharat train service timetable, routes to be finalised soon: Vaishnaw

Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the routes and timetable of Vande Bharat train services will be finalised soon as new rakes are expected to arrive from August-September.

Addressing reporters after an event to commission the 5th and 6th lines between Thane and Diva on the Central Railway network, he said 75 Vande Bharat trains are being manufactured, while a decision has been taken in the Union Budget to build another 400 rakes.

"Routes and timetable will be finalised soon. All parts of the country will get these services. These trains are being manufactured at Railway's Chennai factory. Dispatch of these trains will start from August-September," he said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the vision of replacing old trains with new rolling stock, and the two Vande Bharat trains, which were launched in 2019, had become the identity of the country worldwide.

He also said the new lines between Thane and Diva were a new chapter in transportation here, allowing over one lakh people from Mumbai, Thane and Kalyan to travel comfortably.

A decision on reducing AC suburban fares after comparing them with those of metro services and other options was under consideration, he added.

The work on a coach factory in Latur is nearing completion, the minister informed.