Have you travelled in Vande Bharat Express? Know these rules before getting into one

HYDERABAD: The Vande Bharat Express, once known as Train 18, is an electric semi-high-speed train operated by Indian Railways that has become a popular source of transportation in the country. The average speed of the train is 85 km per hour now. Though they are designed for 185 kmph, the peak speed it has achieved during a test was 163 kmph.

With amenities and features like WiFi connectivity, entertainment screens, and more, Vande Bharat not only cuts down on travel time compared to other trains in India, but also enhances the overall travel experience. The service was initially made accessible for trips between Delhi and Varanasi, but it is now offered on more than 10 different routes across the country.

Check out the salient features, rules for traveling in Vande Bharat Express train

• This train does not accept discounts or child fares. Adult tickets must be purchased at the full fare. Passes of MPs, MLA coupons, other coupons, military/paramilitary warrants, etc., with fully reimbursable fare to railroads are allowed.
• Other charges, such as the reservation fee, superfast surcharge, catering price, and goods and services tax, would be collected individually.
• Bulk booking is permitted in this train in accordance with the existing Mail/Express train norm.
• Ticket bookings are permitted exclusively on duty passes for railway employees. Other railway passes, such as privilege/complimentary/post retirement complimentary passes or PTOS, are not accepted in this train.
• This train does not accept Senior Citizen/Divyang/Journalist concessions for ticket reservations.
• Passengers boarding in Vande Bharat will have the option to opt out of on-board catering services at the time of booking.
• The fare does not include the relevant catering charges for passengers who do not select catering services (up/down directions) in advance at the time of booking.
• If a passenger does not pre-purchase catering services and then decides to do so on-board, an additional Rs.50 per service will be charged, in addition to the previously mentioned catering rates.
• There is no additional quotas available for the Vande Bharat Express train except the General and Tatkal Quotas.
• The Vande Bharat train runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• The booking, cancellation, and refund policies for Vande Bharat trains are similar to those for Shatabdi trains.
• The basic fare of an AC chair car on the Vande Bharat Express is 1.4 times more than that of an AC chair car class on a Shatabdi Express, whereas the basic fare of an executive class on a Vande Bharat train is 1.3 times that of an AC chair car class on a Shatabdi train.
• Initially, the Tatkal quota will be 5% of total capacity for the various classes. Tatkal fare should include base fare for the appropriate classes plus applicable class-wise tatkal charges and other supplementary charges, GST, etc., as applicable from time to time. Based on the demand pattern, Chief Commercial Managers of zonal railways may increase the tatkal quota to a maximum of up to 30 percent of total capacity of the train.