Northern Railway to run Vande Bharat festival special train from Delhi to Patna, check timings and dates

The Northern Railway will operate a special Vande Bharat train between New Delhi and Patna from October 11 to November 15 to manage increased passenger traffic during the upcoming festive season, according to an official statement, as reported by PTI.

“The Railways have decided to run Vande Bharat festival special trains to facilitate the travel of passengers during ensuing festivals,” said Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, as quoted by PTI.

The train from New Delhi to Patna, numbered 02252, will operate every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, making 16 trips in total. It will depart from New Delhi at 8:35 am and reach Patna at 9:30 pm on the same day, with scheduled stoppages at Aligarh, Kanpur Central, Prayagraj, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Buxar, and Ara.

The return train from Patna to New Delhi, numbered 02251, will begin service on October 12, also completing 16 trips. It will run every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, departing Patna at 10:00 am and arriving in New Delhi at 11:30 pm.

“These special trains will cater to the increased demand for travel during the festival season and ensure a comfortable and safe journey for all passengers,” Upadhyay added, according to PTI.

According to officials cited by PTI, the special Vande Bharat train will consist of 16 air-conditioned coaches, including two executive class coaches. The total seating capacity is 1,128 passengers.

Vande Bharat 2.0

The Indian Railways launched Vande Bharat 2.0 on September 30, 2022, with the first train running from Gandhinagar to Mumbai. This upgraded version is lighter (392 tons vs. 430 tons) and can reach speeds up to 180 km/h.

Key features include:

• Enhanced safety: KAVACH collision avoidance, four emergency windows and lights per coach, more platform cameras, Level-II safety certification, advanced fire detection and floodproofing.
  
  
• Improved passenger amenities: Larger 32-inch LCDs, better ACs (15% more efficient), recliner seats for all classes, 180-degree rotating executive seats, bio-vacuum toilets, Wi-Fi, and advanced passenger info systems.
  
  
• Other upgrades: Faster acceleration (to 160 km/h in 140 seconds), UV lamps for germ-free air, better ventilation, driver-guard voice communication, and improved signal exchange lights.
  

(With inputs from PTI)