Before PM Modi Flags Off Bengal's First Vande Bharat Express On Friday, Check Images Of The Train

The trial run of the Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express was done at Malda railway station in West Bengal this week. Once pressed into service, it will save three hours of travel time compared to other trains on the route. (Source: PTI)

Presently, there are 14 trains that cover the 564-km distance between Kolkata and New Jalpaiguri, which is the gateway to North Bengal, at an average travel time of around 10.45 hours. The new train will cover the distance in 7.45 hours. (Source: PTI)

The Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express train will have three stoppages -- Barsoi, Malda and Bolpur. (Source: PTI)

The state-of-the-art train will have 16 coaches. There will also be two executive coaches while the rest will be normal chair cars. Each chair car will have 78 seats in two rows, with specially designed tables being a major attraction. (Source: PTI)

The train will depart from Howrah station at 6 am and reach New Jalpaiguri at 1.30 pm. (Source: PTI)

The semi-high speed train will be equipped with modern passenger amenities. It will be advantageous for those who do not wish to spend a night at Siliguri before travelling to the hills of north Bengal and the Dooars as well as Sikkim. (Source: PTI)

The Vande Bharat Express will leave New Jalpaiguri around 2.30 pm and reach Kolkata at 10 pm. The train will run six days a week. (Source: PTI)

This will be the seventh Vande Bharat Express and the first from the eastern region. Such trains are already running in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and New Delhi. (Source: PTI)