SpotGenie Fact, Namo Bharat (formerly Vande Metro): India’s First Rapid Rail for Short-Distance Travel
Namo Bharat, India’s first rapid rail service, formerly called Vande Metro, inaugurated in September 2024 between Ahmedabad and Bhuj. Learn how it redefined short-distance intercity travel.
🕵️♀️ SpotGenie Fact
It looks sleek like a Vande Bharat, runs shorter routes, and was once called by a different name…
So what exactly is India’s first “rapid” train that connects cities faster than a highway drive?
Meet the Namo Bharat, the renamed reality of what we once called the Vande Metro.
🚄 Facts
- The concept began as Vande Metro, a short-distance version of India’s semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains, aimed at intercity commuters within 120 km–350 km range.
- Just before its official launch, Indian Railways renamed the service to “Namo Bharat Rapid Rail”, giving the futuristic model its own identity.
- Inauguration: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first Namo Bharat train on 16 September 2024 between Ahmedabad and Bhuj in Gujarat.
- Route details: ~359 km journey with stops at Anjar, Gandhidham, Bhachau, Samakhiali, Halvad, Dhrangadhra, Viramgam, Chandlodiya and Sabarmati.
- Journey time: ≈ 5 hours 45 minutes, cutting travel time by ~90 minutes compared to regular services.
- Design: 8-car, aerodynamic trainset with regenerative braking and AI-driven train control.
- Speed: Operating at up to 110 km/h on current sections (approved for 160 km/h corridors in phase 2).
- Make in India: Built at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai, with 80% indigenous components.
Why the rename?
Officials clarified that “Vande Metro” referred to the concept, while “Namo Bharat” is the service brand for operational launches under the rapid rail program. It signals India’s entry into a new generation of regional high-speed commuter travel.
🧩 Quick Trivia
- “Namo Bharat” means “Salutations to India”, chosen to reflect the nation’s progressive mobility vision.
- The train’s control systems and propulsion are fully digitized, reducing energy use by up to 30%.
- Future routes include Delhi–Chandigarh, Lucknow–Kanpur, and Patna–Gaya, all planned before 2026.
🔗 Other SpotGenie Links
- 🧭 India’s Fastest Train, Vande Bharat Express
- 🚄 India’s Longest Freight Train, Rudrastra Trial Run
- 🛣️ Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, India’s Longest Expressway
- 🚗 Get SpotGenie, Smart QR Sticker for Vehicle Alerts & Safety
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