Vande Bharat passes water test at 180 kmph, Railway minister shares video

New Delhi: Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took to social media on Tuesday to showcase a crucial achievement of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train, which notched up speed of 180 kmph between the Kota-Nagda section.

In a video on social media, the minister revealed that the train also successfully cleared a ‘water test’ – which is used to demonstrate stability – while running at such a high speed.

“Vande Bharat Sleeper tested today by Commissioner Railway Safety. It ran at 180 kmph between Kota Nagda section. And our own water test demonstrated the technological features of this new generation train,” Vaishnaw announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

What is the Vande Bharat?

The Vande Bharat trains are semi-high speed train services with design speed of 180 kmph and maximum operating speed of 160 kmph.

“Looking ahead, the upcoming Vande Bharat Sleeper is set to transform overnight travel. It will combine speed, comfort, and modern amenities for long-distance passengers,” the ministry said in a recent statement.

On December 15 train travel between Chennai and the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh received a major upgrade with the launch of an extended Vande Bharat Express service. 

The Indian Railways has extended the services of the popular semi-high-speed Vande Bharat express to Narasapur. This marks a significant boost in terms of connectivity and comfort for passengers travelling to and from Chennai.

The Railways Ministry  also informed on Tuesday that focused efforts, innovation and indigenisation are helping transform Indian Railways into a world-class network. The Ministry added that after expanding the luxury of a comfortable travel to non-AC passengers through Amrit Bharat trains, Indian Railways is all set to soon operationalise the first Vande Bharat Sleeper for AC class travellers.
 
 “As on 26th of this month, a total of 164 Vande Bharat train services are running across the Indian Railways network. The Ministry added that this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated 42 projects to the Nation, inaugurated 13 projects and laid the foundation stone for 21 projects worth over 25 thousand crore rupees,” the ministry said in a statement. 
 
“The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), a 272-kilometre project, was completed and dedicated in 2025. It comprises 36 major tunnels and 943 bridges, reflecting exceptional engineering in one of the most challenging terrains in the world. The 51-kilometre Bairabi-Sairang broad-gauge line in Mizoram was inaugurated in September 2025, placing Aizawl on India’s rail map for the first time,” the statement added.
 
 “Indian Railways is undertaking a series of transformative infrastructure initiatives to enhance capacity, efficiency, and sustainability across the rail network. Key focus areas include the commissioning of dedicated freight corridors to decongest the conventional network and promotion of Public-Private Partnership models to supplement public investment.”