Vande Bharat Sleeper Coaches Set for Launch by January 2025, ICF GM Confirms

Chennai — Integral Coach Factory (ICF) General Manager has confirmed the development of sleeper coaches for the popular Vande Bharat trains, set for completion by January 15, 2025. Until now, the factory has produced chair car racks, but the rising demand for Vande Bharat trains prompted the Railway Board to commission the sleeper version.

"So far, we have produced chair car racks, but due to the popularity of the train, the Railway Board asked us to produce the sleeper version," the General Manager explained.

He added that while ICF is handling several orders, they collaborated with PML to finalize the design. Once the design is produced and commissioned, the coaches will undergo outstation trials conducted by RDSO, Lucknow, which will issue a certification for operational use.

Despite the domestic demand for the Vande Bharat trains being exceptionally high, with order books full, the General Manager acknowledged that there is strong potential for exporting the trains in the future. "At the moment, the demand for trains in India is so high that our order books are full, and we don't have the capacity to produce more trains for exports," he stated. However, the ICF anticipates that in three to four years, it will begin looking at opportunities for exporting these state-of-the-art trains.