India: The first 16-car train was built at a plant in Kapurthala belonging to the national operator Indian Railways.
The prototype is currently 70% ready, and according to Shri S Srinivas, the RCF’s General Manager, its manufacture will be completed by the end of April, with the factory tests to follow later. He adds that nine more Vande Metro trains will be produced at the plant by March 2025.
Assembly of a Vande Metro car at RCF’s plant in Kapurthala. Source: RCF
This modification differs from the traditional Vande Bharat in equipment and a commercial speed of 130 km/h. With wider aisles between seats, the passenger capacity of a car and train has increased to 280 and 4,364 people respectively. Each car allows 100 accommodated seated. The Vande Metro is to be fitted with automatic doors, toilets, AC and an early smoke detection with 14 sensors in each car.
