Ranchi-Patna Vande Bharat Express: Indian Railways is all set to launch Bihar and Jharkhand's first Vande Bharat Express on the Ranchi-Patna route. The new Vande Bharat Express, which is expected to run before April 23, 2023 as per a media report, will connect Ranchi (Jharkhand) and Patna (Bihar). The semi-high speed train is expected to cut the travel time between the two cities in around 6 hours. The Vande Bharat train will cover Patna and Ranchi, going via the cities of Tatisilwai, BIT Mesra, Barkakana, and Hazaribagh and will run for 6 days a week, as like most of the other Vande Bharat Trains.
Once launched, this will be India's 15th Vande Bharat Express and will join 5 more trains, to be inaugurated in the month of April. Recently, the Prime Minister launched the 11th Vande Bharat Express of India in the form of Bhopal-New Delhi Vande Bharat train on April 1, 2023. This is also the first Vande Bharat Express to breach the 160 kmph speed limit during its inaugural run.
As for the Patna-Ranchi Vande Bharat Express, the train is expected to leave the Ranchi junction at 7:30 am and reach Patna Railway Station at 2 pm, covering the 350 km distance in little over 6 hrs. On its way back, the semi-high speed train will leave Patna at 3:30 pm, and reach Ranchi at 10:30 pm, covering the distance in 6 hours.
This will be the first Vande Bharat train from Jharkhand and training is being given to loco pilots and crew members to run Vande Bharat trains. As per reports, South Eastern Railway officials have been asked to be prepared to run Vande Bharat Express train and the maintenance of this train will be done at Hatia yard.
The government has plans to run 75 Vande Bharat trains in the country, 15 of which will run by April 2023.
