For this year's Diwali and Chhath festivals, India will also experience its longest-ever Vande Bharat Express. The train, which will cover 994 kilometres in 11.5 hours, will ply between Delhi and Patna. A special train for the festival season, it will have chair car seating arrangements instead of the sleeper facilities and it will hold over eight trips in the season. The service is expected to start on October 30 from Delhi. The longest service is the New Delhi - Varanasi service, which covers 771 kilometres. It is operating from 2019 onwards. As per the latest reports, the SC chair car of the Delhi - Patna Vande Bharat (002252) will cost Rs 2575, and the AC executive chair car will cost Rs 4655. This will include meals and tea prices as well.
Timing and stations
The train will ply from Delhi to Patna on November 1, 3, and 6, and Patna - Delhi services will be provided on October 31, November 2, 4, and 7. It will depart from Delhi at 8.25 am and reach Patna at 8 pm. Its departure time from Patna is 7.30 am, and arrival at Delhi will be at 7 pm. The main stations will be Kanpur Central, Prayagraj, Buxar and Arrah. This would be a trial service to enhance travel facilities during one of the busiest festival days of the year. Earlier, it was reported that a Delhi - Patna sleeper Vande Bharat service will also be launched soon.