Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated three new Vande Bharat Express trains on Saturday (August 31) via video conferencing. These semi-high speed trains will serve key routes across Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. 

Key Routes and Time Savings:

1. Meerut City-Lucknow: This train will reduce travel time by about one hour compared to the current fastest train.
2. Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil: Passengers can save over two hours on this route.
3. Madurai-Bengaluru: Travel time will be reduced by approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Train Details:

• Madurai Jn-Bengaluru Cantonment Vande Bharat Special: Bookings are now open for this train.
• Dr. MGR Chennai Central-Nagercoil Vande Bharat Special: Bookings are available, with regular service starting on September 2, 2024.

Key Stoppages:

• Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil: Covers 726 km in Tamil Nadu, serving 12 districts including Chennai, Trichy, and Madurai.
• Madurai-Bengaluru: Connects Madurai, a temple city, with Bengaluru, Karnataka's capital, benefiting commuters, students, and professionals.
• Meerut City-Lucknow: Enhances religious tourism and supports local industries by providing faster connectivity.

Vande Bharat Express Expansion:

Since its launch on February 15, 2019, under the 'Make in India' initiative, over 100 Vande Bharat Express trains are now operational across the country, covering more than 280 districts.