New Delhi: Indian Railways is taking a more active approach to Vande Bharat trains focusing on enhancing passenger services and boosting revenues from the premium train travel segment. With the rise in popularity of these trains, the Vande Bharat train in the Railways’ plans is an important one.
Such a strong demand for AC and premium train services is one of the main reasons for the push. Based on data shared with India Today, AC 3-Tier had made a profit of about ₹3,645 crore during FY25, while AC Chair Car had chalked up a profit of nearly ₹377 crore during the same period.
By contrast, the loss in ordinary class passenger services was far higher at around ₹20,706 crore. This disparity is why Indian Railways are contemplating high-speed services like Vande Bharat to boost its passenger traffic.
Vande Bharat demand continues to rise
Passenger load on Vande Bharat trains has experienced a tremendous rise. In FY26, some 3.98 crore passengers were shifted on the trains, as compared to around 2.97 crore passengers in FY25. This is an increase of almost 34% over a year.
The over-subscribed Vande Bharat Sleepers also indicate the demand. In some services, more than 100% of seats have been filled, indicating that in some cases there are more passengers who wish to take premium rail than seats/berths available.
This is especially relevant for the introduction of sleeper versions that can be targeted at sleepers travelling more substantial distances whilst providing a more comfortable alternative for those travelling ‘normal’ distances.
How much profit will Vande Bharat generate?
No official data is available regarding the overall profit of all Vande Bharat trains.
This is an important thing because the ₹3,645 crore profit in AC 3-Tier, ₹377 crore in AC Chair Car are for the entire passenger categories, not for Vande Bharat.
Considering the significant revenue earned by Vande Bharat, it’s different from revenue and profit. Railways still has to cover other operating expenses, such as electricity, paying his employees, maintenance, cleaning, repairs, food, depreciation etc.
For instance, Southern Railway’s Vande Bharat services recorded 77.38 lakh passengers and earned ₹803.86 crore during FY26. This is however revenue and should not be considered net profit.
Why Vande Bharat matters for Railways
The strategy is not about making money from one train but larger than this.
The Indian Railways should keep on running the services at a loss if necessary for millions of people who are in a dire need of affordable travel services. Better overall financial situation can be achieved by premium trains that offer more revenue from passengers willing to pay more for faster, more comfortable travel, and for better service.
With nearly 4 crore passengers using Vande Bharat trains in FY26, Railways is clearly seeing strong demand.
With the introduction of more Vande Bharat Chair Car and Sleepers, the high-end train line may generate more and more income for Indian Railways. But Railways may reveal detailed train-wise cost and profit figures to arrive at the actual profit from the entire Vande Bharat fleet.
