Train 18, India’s next generation and fastest ever, will connect Delhi with Varanasi and take about eight hours to complete the journey between the two cities, railway minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday. He said the train will be “one-and-a-half-times” faster than the fastest train on the route.

“Final formalities are underway and we hope Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the train. It is a remarkable achievement which makes entire railway proud,” Goyal said.

According to a railway official, the train will take the Kanpur-Prayagraj route and return the same day.

After the successful run of the first Train 18, the railways plans to introduce more such trains. It has identified Bangalore-Hyderabad, Mumbai-Ahmadabad, and Kolkata-Patna as the possible routes for them.

Named Train 18 because of the year of its manufacturing, the train was expected to run by December end. But despite initial clearance from relevant authorities, the train, which will travel at a speed of 160 kmph, is now likely to begin commercial operations from the second week of January.

According to railway officials, few safety clearances are underway and after getting it, they will approach the Prime Minister’s Office for a launch date. The fare for the train is also to be decided and the railways are likely to keep the fare slightly higher that of Shatabdi trains. The train has rotating seats, which can be aligned in the direction of travel in executive class. It also has modular toilets with a bio-vacuum system, modular luggage racks with a glass bottom, sliding doors in coaches and continuous window glasses for a contemporary modern look.

First Published: Jan 03, 2019 08:03 IST