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India’s Longest Vande Bharat Route Launched on Ajni–Pune Corridor
Launch and Why It’s Special
- Flag-off: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Ajni–Pune Vande Bharat Express via video conference on 10 August 2025.The main event happened at Nagpur Railway Station. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari were also present.
- Record distance: This train now holds the record for being the longest-running Vande Bharat Express in India. It travels 881 km in one trip, which is more than the earlier New Delhi–Varanasi service.
Route, Stops and Speed
- Route covered: This is the first Vande Bharat Express to operate on the Wardha–Manmad railway section. The train travels through Wardha, Badnera, Akola, Shegaon, Bhusaval, Jalgaon, Manmad, Kopargaon, Ahmednagar, and the Daund Chord Line before arriving in Pune.
- Fastest on this route: The train runs at an average speed of about 73 km per hour, finishing the journey in nearly 12 hours. No other train running on the Nagpur–Pune route runs as fast as it does.
Timings and Train Details
- Train numbers and days:
- Train 26101 (Pune–Ajni): Departs Pune at 6:25 AM and arrives in Ajni at 6:25 PM. Operates six days a week, except on Tuesdays.
- Train 26102 (Ajni–Pune): Departs Ajni at 9:50 AM and arrives in Pune at 9:50 PM. Operates six days a week, except on Mondays.
- Coaches and seating: The train has 8 coaches — 1 Executive Chair Car and 7 normal Chair Cars. Together they can seat around 590 passengers. There are different fares for Executive and normal coaches.
- Booking: Tickets went on sale from 11 August 2025 for the Pune trip and from 12 August 2025 for the Ajni trip. Tickets can be purchased from the IRCTC website or at booking counters in railway stations.
Passenger Comfort and Facilities
- Inside the train: Passengers get soft, comfortable seats, big windows for outside views, bright LED lights, clean bio-vacuum toilets, automatic doors, TV screens for information, CCTV cameras for safety, fire safety systems, and an emergency talk-back system.
- Behind the scenes: The train is driven and managed by trained loco pilots and crew who work long 12-hour shifts to make sure the service runs smoothly. Drivers like Matin Khan have become the “driving force” of this train.
Benefits and Future Plans
- Better travel: The train connects central Maharashtra with western Maharashtra more quickly. It will help students, workers, and tourists, and make it easier to move goods and people between these regions.
- Upcoming rail link: CM Fadnavis announced a plan for a direct Ahilyanagar–Pune railway line. This will cut the journey time by almost 1 hour and reduce the distance by about 100 km. This will add even more benefits to the Vande Bharat service.
- Unsung heroes: Before the launch, cleaning staff at Nagpur station worked from early morning to late night to make sure the platforms were spotless for the big day, even with limited cleaning tools.
Important Questions
- On which date did Prime Minister Narendra Modi launch the Ajni–Pune Vande Bharat Express?
- How many kilometres does the Ajni–Pune Vande Bharat Express travel in one trip?
- Which day of the week is the Ajni–Pune Vande Bharat Express not available from Pune, and which day is it not available from Ajni?
- What is the total number of coaches in the Ajni–Pune Vande Bharat Express, and how many of them are Executive Chair Cars?
- What is the name of the proposed new railway line announced by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that will reduce the distance between Ahilyanagar and Pune?
Conclusion
The new Ajni–Pune Vande Bharat Express is a major step forward for train travel in India. It is the longest and fastest Vande Bharat in the country, giving passengers a comfortable and quick option for travel across Maharashtra. Running six days a week, it started service in mid-August 2025. With future rail projects like the Ahilyanagar–Pune link, this is just the start of better and faster rail travel for the region.
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