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The long-awaited journey between New Delhi and Varanasi is set to become a reality: the 'Vande Bharat Sleeper' train will start operating on these routes from October 31. The grand opening ceremony will be jointly conducted by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. This fully air-conditioned rake will accommodate 823 passengers across 16 coaches.

According to railway services, the train's inauguration is scheduled for October 31. On the same day, two MEMU trains will also depart between Varanasi-Prayagraj Rambagh and Varanasi City-Raja Talab. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend the opening.

On the launch day, the train will depart from Varanasi at 16:30. It is expected to arrive in New Delhi at 01:30 the following night. It should be noted that the schedule for the inaugural run differs from the regular service timetable.

As per the schedule approved by the Railway Board, train number 27421 will depart from Varanasi at 20:50, arriving in New Delhi at 05:55 AM. The return journey, train number 27422, will leave New Delhi at 21:40 and arrive in Varanasi at 06:45 AM. This rake will operate every day of the week except Saturdays.

The route between Delhi and Varanasi includes three intermediate stops: Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, and Chhipiana Budhgarh. This allows passengers traveling from Delhi to Varanasi, or from these stations, to utilize the train's services.

The train consists of 16 coaches, offering 823 sleeping berths. All coaches are equipped with a full air conditioning system. The types of coaches include 1 First AC coach, 4 AC 2-Tier coaches, and 11 AC 3-Tier coaches, allowing passengers to choose a class of service according to their needs and budget.

To ensure a comfortable long journey, each compartment is equipped with individual reading lamps, three-pin power sockets, and USB Type-A and Type-C charging ports. Furthermore, the train features LED lighting, large windows, ample luggage space, and onboard Wi-Fi access.

The First AC coach offers the facility of a hot shower. To ensure the best service during the long journey, the rake also includes separate staff quarters. According to railway representatives, the goal of all these enhancements is to maintain high service quality and passenger convenience.

Currently, official information regarding fares for the 'Vande Bharat Sleeper' train between New Delhi and Varanasi has not been published as the commercial circular has not yet been released. However, given the level of services provided, it is anticipated that ticket prices will be higher than those of other trains on this route. Passengers must await an official announcement on prices for various categories.

This route will be the second for the 'Vande Bharat Sleeper' train. Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously launched the first pair of such trains on the Kamakha-Haudra route in January. On that route, it was noted that the cost of the 'Vande Bharat Sleeper' was significantly higher than the Saraighat express: 72% higher in AC 3-Tier, 58% higher in AC 2-Tier, and 16% higher in First AC. The launch of the second train on the Delhi-Varanasi line will provide passengers with an additional option for overnight travel.

The head of the Railways outlined several key areas of the company's work, including the development of international rail transport, increasing cargo export volumes, accelerating wagon turnover, improving safety levels, and enhancing passenger service quality.

According to an IRNA report, during the meeting of the Supreme Committee on Railway Transport, Count Jabbar Ali Zakeri emphasized the need to improve passenger service, especially on routes leading to the holy city of Mashhad. He noted that ensuring the necessary rolling stock fleet and increasing readiness to provide satisfactory services to pilgrims and passengers are among the priorities of the Railways.

Zakeri also deemed it critically important to supply wagons for cargo owners, eliminate obstacles for international and export freight transport, and reduce wagon downtime to increase efficiency in the freight sector. He focused on the optimal utilization of locomotive capacity and the formation of heavy freight trains on lines with sufficient capacity and suitable technical conditions.

The Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development stated that ensuring infrastructure and guaranteeing safe train movement are of paramount importance. He called for strengthening cooperation between railway police and security guards, increasing patrols along the tracks, and combating the theft of railway equipment.

During another segment of the meeting, Zakeri presented diplomas to two Railways athletes who brought honor to the organization on the world stage: Kaveh Riahi, an employee of the General Directorate of Security and a first-place winner at world weightlifting competitions, and Davud Hadavand, who works at the Tehran Railway General Directorate and took third place at world wrestling competitions.

He stressed that supporting athletes, developing public and professional sports, and expanding sports programs contribute to increasing the vitality of the organization, and insisted on continuing support for the participation of Railways athletes in national and international tournaments.

Furthermore, Mirhasan Musavi, Deputy General Director of the Railways, citing positive passenger feedback on trains, noted the importance of increasing fleet readiness and conducting major locomotive overhauls specifically to improve service quality on busy routes. He named increasing the share of rail transport in passenger transport as one of the company's priorities, and listed the benefits of developing this sector as reduced fuel consumption, increased travel safety, decreased road accidents, and reduced air pollution, as well as improved service quality.

Later, leaders of the North 2, West, Yazd, and Hormozgan Railways, as well as the director of Havar Sharg, presented reports on plans to increase fleet productivity, determine regional capacities, attract new cargo, and strengthen the share of rail transport in freight transportation.

According to Indian Railways rules, a passenger can stop their journey at an intermediate station and resume it later using the original ticket, eliminating the need to purchase additional tickets.

The system that allows this is called 'Break of Journey'. This means the traveler stops at a specific station during the trip and continues the further route according to established conditions. No second ticket purchase is required, and everything is processed under one document.

However, this option is not available for all tickets and all trains; several conditions set by the railway must be met to use it.

This possibility is provided for journeys exceeding 500 kilometers. Furthermore, the first stop can only occur after covering a distance of 500 kilometers. For example, on an 800-kilometer journey, a break can be taken after passing 501 kilometers.

If the total route length is up to 1000 kilometers, the passenger is entitled to one break. In this case, they can alight at an intermediate station, such as Lucknow, and board the next train heading to the final destination, such as Gorupur, within one day.

For journeys exceeding 1000 kilometers, up to two breaks are permitted. In such cases, the passenger can leave the station twice and then continue the journey on the next train without buying new tickets. To do this, they must obtain the appropriate endorsement on the ticket from the station manager or an authorized railway employee at the stopping point.

Consider an example: if a passenger buys a ticket for a 600-kilometer journey and wishes to stop at a station after covering 501 kilometers, they can take a break for up to two days while adhering to railway rules.

The reverse situation shows that if a passenger buys a ticket for 800 kilometers but wants to stop after only 423 kilometers, this break will not be permitted under this rule. Thus, merely having a long ticket is insufficient; the conditions of stay and other requirements are also important.

According to railway rules, this service is unavailable on Rajdhani and Shatabdi, as well as Jana Shatabdi class trains. It is crucial to inform about the intention to take a break during the journey when booking a reserved seat. If a passenger books a seat directly to the final station, a break at an intermediate station under this rule is not allowed.

Additionally, the 'Break of Journey' booking function is unavailable for e-tickets purchased online. Therefore, passengers traveling in compartments or air-conditioned coaches should understand that simply stopping en route does not guarantee the retention of their previous seat; they will be allowed to remain on the train, but there is no seat guarantee.