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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5422
TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026
SPEED OF VANDE BHARAT TRAINS
†5422. DR. MANNA LAL RAWAT:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the average operating speed of semi highspeed trains like Vande Bharat
on various routes across the country at present;
(b) whether it is a fact that due to loop points, crossings, turns and speed
restrictions, the actual speed of the above trains falls below their fixed
or planned speed;
(c) if so, the details and main reasons therefor;
(d) whether it is also a fact that Vande Bharat trains are running at lesser
speed than their planned speed even on newly constructed or upgraded
railway sections;
(e) if so, the details of the present maximum speed and planned speed
indicating such sections; and
(f) the details of the technical, structural or policy steps being taken by the
Government to increase the average speed of trains like Vande Bharat?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (f) The Vande Bharat trains presently running over the Indian Railway
network are Semi-High speed train services with design speed of 180 kmph
and maximum operating speed of 160 kmph. The average speed of the train
depends upon the geometry of the track, stoppages enroute, maintenance
work in the section etc. The Vande Bharat train services have been charted
at the Maximum Permissible Speed of the respective sections over which
§ Page 1 of 3the trains are being operated. Besides, speeding of trains is an on-going
process on Indian Railways.
Strengthening, upgradation, modernisation and improvement of track
infrastructure is a continuous and ongoing process over Indian Railways.
The following measures are being taken by Indian Railways to upgrade
railway tracks:
I. Modern track structure consisting of 60kg, 90 Ultimate Tensile
Strength (UTS) rails, Wider and heavier Pre-stressed Concrete
Sleepers (PSC) with elastic fastening, fan-shaped layout turnout on
PSC sleepers and H-beam Sleepers on girder bridges are being used
while carrying out primary track renewals.
II. The Thick Web Switches and Weldable CMS Crossings are being
used in turnout renewal works.
III. Supply of 260m long rail panels have been increased to avoid
welding of joints, thereby improving safety and riding quality.
IV. Thick Web Switch Expansion Joints are being used in place of earlier
Conventional/Improved SEJs.
V. Adoption of better welding technology for rails i.e. Flash Butt
Welding.
VI. Adoption of mechanized system for track maintenance using high
output plain tampers and points & crossing tampers for improved
maintainability & reliability of track.
VII. Deployment of state-of-the-art modern machines including Rail
Grinding Machines to further improve asset reliability.
VIII. Mechanisation of track laying activities through use of track
machines like PQRS, TRT, T-28 etc.
IX. Interlocking of Level Crossing (LC) Gates for enhancing safety at LC
gates.
Page 2 of 3X. Use of advanced Phased Array technology of testing of rail and
welds.
XI. Deployment of Integrated Track Monitoring Systems (ITMS) and
Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS) for comprehensive health
assessment to ascertain optimal maintenance requirements.
XII. Adoption of portable Track Measuring Trolley for continuous
recording of track parameters in yards.
XIII. Using web enabled Track Management System (TMS) for integration
and data analytics of the track inspection records received through
various sources to enable precise maintenance inputs.
As a result of above measures, there has been significant increase in
speed potential of the tracks. The details of speed potential of railway
tracks during 2014 vis-a-vis 2026 are as under:
Sectional Speed 2014 2026 (up to Feb'26)
(kmph)
Track Km % Track Km %
130 & above 5,036 6.3 23,713 22.4
110 - 130 26,409 33.3 62,036 58.7
< 110 47,897 60.4 19,922 18.9
Total 79,342 100 1,05,671 100
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