High speed, auto doors: 10 things that make Vande Bharat India's top train

The Vande Bharat Express, also known as Train 18, boasts a host of features, including plastic-bottle crusher machines, a spacious pantry with a deep freezer, revolving seats and cattle guard

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday flagged off the Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express from the New Delhi Railway Station. This is the second Vande Bharat Express; the first one runs between Delhi and Varanasi.

The train to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra will run at a maximum speed of 130 km/hour and cover the distance in eight hours, cutting the travel time by four hours.

Apart from its speed, India's fastest train also boasts a host of great features, such as plastic-bottle crusher machines on board, a spacious pantry with deep freezer, revolving seats and cattle guard.

Here are the top features of the Vande Bharat Express (also known as Train 18):

1. The train has revolving seats that can be turned around in 180 degrees, 16 air conditioned coaches, including two executive-class coaches and sensor doors that connect the coaches.

2. The train has bottle crushing machines for disposing of plastic bottles.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inside a coach of the semi -high-speed train Vande Bharat Express before its flags off ceremony at New Delhi Railway Station, in New Delhi, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019 | Photo: PTI

3. All coaches have separate toilets for disabled passengers with an automatic lighting door system. Diffused lighting, hands-free taps and dryers are added features on the train's toilet.

4. Mobile charging points have been made available for every seat.

5. LED screen lights are present in every coach to highlight the next stoppage, train speed and other such information.

6. CCTV cameras, an announcing system, and automatically-operated doors are present in every coach.

7. The pantry is very spacious, with ROs, and a deep freezer for storing ice-cream and welcome drinks. Three hot cases and two bottle coolers have also been installed.

8. The train has continuous windows and the glasses have been provided with anti-spall films.

9. Phone handsets have been provided for direct communication between train pilots and guards.

10. Roller blind sun screen has been provided on the lookout glass to protect train pilots from glare, and improved insulation reduces the noise level in the driver's cabin.