PM Modi flags off second sleeper Vande Bharat on July 17 — full route, timings and stops

PM Narendra Modi will virtually flag off India's second Sleeper Vande Bharat Express on July 17 from Jalandhar — where he will also inaugurate the newly redeveloped Jalandhar railway station. The train will be named the Sant Ravidas Express.

The Sleeper Vande Bharat will connect Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh with Chheharta near Amritsar in Punjab — improving overnight rail connectivity between eastern Uttar Pradesh and Punjab on one of India's most important intercity corridors.

Train No. 14624 (Chheharta to Varanasi) departs every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 2:05 PM. Train No. 14623 (Varanasi to Chheharta) departs every Thursday, Saturday and Monday at 7:05 PM — three times weekly in each direction.

From Chheharta: departs 2:05 PM, reaches Amritsar at 2:25 PM, arrives Lucknow at 7:30 AM next day, reaches Varanasi at 12:15 PM. Return: departs Varanasi at 7:05 PM, arrives Lucknow at 12:10 AM, reaches Amritsar at 4:35 PM, terminates at Chheharta at 5:10 PM.

The Sleeper Vande Bharat will halt at Jaunpur City, Sultanpur, Lucknow, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Moradabad, Saharanpur, Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana, Jalandhar City and Amritsar — connecting major cities across Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.

According to the Railway Board, the train's primary maintenance will be carried out at Chheharta station — the western terminus of the service. The launch marks another step in the expansion of India's Sleeper Vande Bharat network for long-distance overnight travel.