Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Production Begins; Three Companies Bag ₹55,000 Crore Contract

In a major step toward revolutionizing long-distance travel, the Railway Ministry has awarded a $6.5 billion (₹55,000 crore) contract for the manufacture of Vande Bharat Sleeper trains to three companies: BEML; Kinet Railway Solutions — a joint venture between Russian rolling stock major TMH and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL); and a consortium of Titagarh Rail Systems Limited and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).

Kinet Railway Solutions will manufacture a total of 1,920 sleeper coaches for the Vande Bharat Sleeper trains, with the prototype expected to be unveiled in the financial year 2026–27.

The company has already initiated production at the Indian Railways’ Marathwada Rail Coach Factory in Latur, and reports indicate that assembly of car body parts has commenced.

In a statement, Kinet Railway Solutions said: “After months of hard work and close collaboration, the car body parts have arrived at our Marathwada Rail Coach Factory — ready to take manufacturing to the next level. Assembly is now starting with the help of precision jigs, bringing us one step closer to the first Vande Bharat Sleeper coach.”

Additionally, manufacturing of the sleeper coaches has begun at BEML’s Bengaluru unit and at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Perambur. A prototype will be submitted to the Railway Board in the coming months.

The Vande Bharat Sleeper trains aim to redefine overnight travel in India, focusing on speed, passenger comfort, and advanced technology.

Meanwhile, an official from the ICF confirmed that production is underway for 11 more Vande Bharat trains with chair cars. Of the 97 trains ordered, 86 have already been delivered. Once the remaining chair car variants are completed, production will shift focus entirely to sleeper coaches.