Punjab gets major boost with Ferozepur-Delhi Vande Bharat Express; to run six days a week, except Wednesdays
Train will connect Ferozepur, a key border district, directly to New Delhi in 6 hours and 40 minutes, making it the fastest service on the 486-km route
PTC Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off four new Vande Bharat Express trains from Varanasi, expanding India’s semi-high-speed rail network to more than 160 services. Among the new routes, the Ferozepur-Delhi Vande Bharat Express is a major boost for Punjab. The train will connect Ferozepur, a key border district, directly to New Delhi in 6 hours and 40 minutes, making it the fastest service on the 486-km route.
The train will run six days a week (except Wednesdays), leaving Ferozepur Cantt at 7:55 am and reaching New Delhi by 2:35 pm. On the return journey, it will depart New Delhi at 4 pm and arrive at Ferozpur Cantt by 10:35 pm.
It will stop at Bathinda, Dhuri, Patiala, Ambala Cantt, Kurukshetra and Panipat, offering faster and more comfortable travel options for passengers across Punjab and Haryana.
Manufactured at Chennai’s Integral Coach Factory, the eight-coach train has seven AC chair cars and one executive class coach. It comes with modern features such as automatic doors, Wi-Fi, and bio-toilets and can run at speeds up to 160 kmph.
The new service is expected to strengthen trade and travel between Punjab and Delhi, supporting farmers, traders and industrial workers. It will help in the faster movement of agricultural produce and goods while also improving connectivity for areas near the India-Pakistan border.
The launch fulfills a long-pending demand of Punjab’s farming and industrial communities and reduces travel time by over two hours compared to existing trains like the Shatabdi Express.
Meanwhile, three other Vande Bharat trains were also inaugurated: Banaras–Khajuraho Vande Bharat (7 hours 40 minutes travel time); Lucknow–Saharanpur Vande Bharat (7 hours 45 minutes travel time) and Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat (8 hours 40 minutes travel time).
These new trains aim to improve regional connectivity, boost tourism and promote economic growth across multiple states.