Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to virtually inaugurate a new Vande Bharat Express train, capable of reaching speeds up to 160 km/hour, on March 12, 2024. The orange coloured Vande Bharat Express, along with nearly 10 others across the country, will be flagged off by the Prime Minister. Currently, Western Railways operates five Vande Bharat Express trains between various destinations, including Gandhinagar Capital-Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad-Jodhpur, Ahmedabad-Jamnagar, Indore-Bhopal-Nagpur, and Udaipur-Jaipur (with a stop at Chittorgarh).
The regular operation of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Superfast Express is scheduled to commence on March 13, 2024. Running six days a week, excluding Sundays, Train No. 22962 will depart from Ahmedabad at 06:10 hrs and reach Mumbai Central at 11:35 hrs. Stops include Vadodara, Surat, Vapi, and Borivali before arriving at Mumbai Central. The Vande Bharat Express, equipped with 16 coaches, aims to provide faster and more comfortable travel between these major cities. The return journey, Train No. 22961 Mumbai Central-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Superfast Express, will depart from Mumbai Central at 15:55 hrs and reach Ahmedabad at 21:25 hrs, stopping at Vadodara, Surat, Vapi, and Borivali stations in both directions.
The decision to introduce another Vande Bharat Express on this route was influenced by the high demand for the existing Gandhinagar-Mumbai service. The daily ridership consistently exceeded capacity, prompting the need for additional services to accommodate the growing number of passengers. During the inauguration, the Prime Minister is also expected to announce the extension of the Ahmedabad to Jamnagar Vande Bharat Express to Okha and the launch of a new weekly express train connecting Bhuj to Delhi Sarai Rohilla.
