Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the flagging off of Vande Bharat Express trains. File.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon flag off India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train between Kolkata and Guwahati, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in New Delhi on Thursday (January 1, 2026).
Addressing a press conference, Mr. Vaishnaw said the fares of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train between Howrah in West Bengal and Guwahati in Assam will be substantially lower than air travel.
“The services will become operational in the next 15-20 days, possibly around January 18 or 19. We have requested the prime minister, and everything is clear. I will announce the exact date in the next two to three days,” the minister said.
Mr. Vaishnaw said Guwahati-Howrah air travel costs around ₹6,000 to ₹8,000.
“In Vande Bharat, the 3rd AC fare will be around ₹2,300, including food, 2nd AC around ₹3,000, and 1st AC around ₹3,600. The fares have been designed keeping the middle class in mind,” the minister said.
Assembly elections in Assam and West Bengal are scheduled this year.
Published – January 01, 2026 02:34 pm IST
