Inside the new Vande Bharat Sleeper Express: Viral video shows on-board ticket checking process

A recent viral video on social media gives a glimpse into the ticket verification process on the newly inaugurated Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper Express. The video features a Northern Railway ticket inspector moving through one of the air-conditioned sleeper coaches and checking passenger tickets onboard the stylish train.

Digital tickets allowed; waitlisted passengers not allowed

Though the passengers in the video may have visible paper tickets, Indian Railways has provided clarification of its ticketing policy for cutting-edge trains:

Digital verification: The inspectors will accept SMS confirmations, e-tickets on WhatsApp, and displays from IRCTC's app on smartphones and tablets.

Only confirmed tickets: The Railway Board has implemented a zero-tolerance policy toward unconfirmed travel. No passenger with a RAC or waitlisted ticket is allowed on the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express.

Fines and disembarkation: Someone with a waitlisted ticket traveling on the train will get penalized automatically and disembarked at the next stop.

Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper: Schedule, halts, and fares

Inaugurated on October 31 by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the semi-high-speed service consists of 16 coaches and has three classes of travel: 3AC, 2AC, and 1AC.

Schedule: Train number 27421 (Varanasi to New Delhi) operates every day except Fridays, while train number 27422 (New Delhi to Varanasi) departs every day except Saturdays.

Commercial stops: The train halts at four important cities, namely Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh, and Ghaziabad.

Fare structure: One-way ticket prices for the full route are set at ₹1,915 for 3AC, ₹2,470 for 2AC, and ₹3,030 for 1AC.

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