Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express to operate from May!

Bhubaneswar: Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express may start operating from next month as the Indian Railways is set to conduct a trial run soon, according to sources.

On Wednesday, an empty rake of Vande Bharat Express passed through Bhubaneswar generating significant interest from the public due to its modern design, which stood out from the conventional trains. People rushed to catch a glimpse of the sleek-looking train passing by the Bhubaneswar and Cuttack stations, with some even taking photos to share on social media.

Official sources clarified that the train’s appearance was not part of the trial run, but rather it was being transported from Vande Bharat’s factory in Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, to Howrah. The train will undergo maintenance at Santragachi station in West Bengal before its trial run from Howrah to Puri.

Once the trial run is successfully completed, the Vande Bharat Express will operate between Howrah and Puri, with fewer stops in between.

Sources suggest that a specific date in May will be set for the train’s inaugural run, but East Coast Railway (ECOR) officials were yet to confirm the train’s route, fares, and specific launch date.