Indian Railways has released the timetable for the upcoming Howrah–Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, marking the introduction of the sleeper version of the Vande Bharat service on the eastern and northeastern corridor.
The train will run six days a week between Howrah in West Bengal and Kamakhya near Guwahati in Assam. From Howrah, the train will depart at 6:20 pm and reach Kamakhya at 8:20 am the following morning. On the return journey, it will leave Kamakhya at 6:15 pm and arrive at Howrah at 8:15 am the next day. The total travel time is around 14 hours, significantly shorter than existing trains on the same route.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Express will halt at several key stations en route, including Bandel, Nabadwip Dham, Katwa, Azimganj, New Farakka, Malda Town, Aluabari Road, New Jalpaiguri, Jalpaiguri Road, New Cooch Behar, New Alipurduar, New Bongaigaon and Rangia before reaching Kamakhya. The same stoppages will be followed in the reverse direction.
In terms of composition, the train will have 16 fully air-conditioned coaches, comprising AC three-tier, AC two-tier and one first AC coach. The total passenger capacity will be over 800. Designed for overnight travel, the train will be equipped with modern amenities and improved comfort features.
According to the announced schedule, the service will not operate on Wednesdays from Kamakhya and Thursdays from Howrah. The inaugural run of the Howrah–Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper Express is expected later this month, further strengthening rail connectivity between eastern India and the Northeast.