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Railways finalises fare of first Vande Bharat Sleeper train between Howrah to Guwahati

January 12, 2026
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As the first Vande Bharat sleeper train is scheduled to be launched this week on Howrah-Guwahati (Kamakhya) route, the fare of the train has been finalized. Railways officials said that for 958-km route, the fare for third AC (3AC) will be Rs. 2299 for complete journey from Howrah to Guwahati. It will be Rs. 1334 from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri and Rs. 960 from Howrah to Malda town.

In second AC (2AC), the fare for Howrah to Kamakhya will be Rs. 2970, Rs. 1724 for Howrah to New Jalpaiguri and Rs. 1240 for Howrah to Malda Town. In First AC (1AC), the fare from Howrah to Kamakhya will be Rs. 3640, Rs. 2113 from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri, and Rs. 1520 for Howrah to Malda Town.

The official further said that the fare for Kamakhya to Malda Town will be Rs. 1522 (3AC), Rs. 1965 (2AC) and Rs. 2409 (3AC). Similarly, for Kamakhya to New Jalpaiguri, the fare will be Rs. 962 (3AC), Rs. 1243 (2AC) and Rs. 1524 (3AC). The passengers will also be charged 5 percent GST on tickets.

The highest existing fare on Howrah-Guwahati (Kamakhya Junction) route – in Saraighat Express – is Rs 1,410 (3AC), Rs 1,985 (2AC) and Rs 3,320 (1AC).

Earlier on January 9, Railway board issued a circular fixing the rate for the Vande Bharat sleeper trains. It also said that the minimum fare will be equivalent to what is charged for a 400-km distance.

According to the circular, the passengers will be charged at a flat rate of Rs 2.4 per km for 3AC, Rs 3.1 per km for 2AC and Rs 3.8 per km for first AC. Only the confirmed tickets will be issued for this train and it will not have provision of Reservation Against Cancellation or RAC tickets.

The first train is scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Guwahati-Howrah route next week and is expected to reduce travel time by three hours vis-à-vis existing express train service. The first Vande Bharat sleeper train will cover 10 stops across seven districts of West Bengal – Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Murshidabad, Malda, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar – and Kamrup metropolitan and Bongaigaon in Assam.

Dheeraj Mishra

Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal Correspondent with the Business Bureau of The Indian Express. He plays a critical role in covering India’s massive infrastructure sectors, providing in-depth reporting on the connectivity lifelines of the nation.
Expertise & Focus Areas: Mishra’s journalism is focused on two of the country’s most capital-intensive and public-facing ministries:



Ministry of Railways: Tracking the operations, safety, and development of India’s vast railway network.


Ministry of Road Transport & Highways: Covering policy decisions, infrastructure projects, and highway development.


What sets Mishra apart is his rigorous use of the Right to Information (RTI) Actas a primary tool for news gathering. By relying on official data and government records, he ensures a high degree of accuracy and trustworthiness in his reporting. This data-driven approach has resulted in numerous impactful reports that hold public institutions accountable and bring transparency to government operations.
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