SPEED MEETS COMFORT

With the indigenously made Vande Bharat Express, India has revolutionised train travel—it’s faster, convenient and more efficient than ever

- By AVISHEK G. DASTIDAR

THE DRUDGERY

Not long ago, a "superfast" train journey in India, like Delhi to Varanasi for instance, still meant spending 10-12 hours on the move-food, sleep, and multiple trips to dirty toilets included. Trains that averaged 70-80 kmph over long distances were considered fast enough. Comfort was often an afterthought-passengers endured tight seating, bumpy rides and outdated facilities on most routes. The Shatabdi Express, introduced in 1988, had ushered in speed and comfort, reaching 110-150 kmph, but it still lagged far behind global standards. Automatic doors and modular toilets had yet to make an appearance, and plush interiors could be found only in brochures. Frequent stops and unpredictable schedules made long-distance travel tedious, leaving passengers to find solace in fleeting views of the countryside or conversations with co-travellers.

THE EASE OF LIVING