Indian Railways Fastest Train, the Vande Bharat Express, also called as Train 18's air conditioned chair car ticket would cost Rs. 1,850 and the executive class fare will be Rs. 3,520 for a Delhi to Varanasi trip.
It will also include the catering service charges, as reported by PTI. However, on its return journey, the chair car ticket will cost Rs. 1,795 and the executive car ticket will be priced at Rs. 3,470. The chair car fares are 1.5 times the price of Shatabdi trains running the same distance, the executive class fares are 1.4 times of first class air conditioned seating in the premium train.
It is interesting to know that Train 18 is scheduled to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15. The train has two classes of tickets like executive class and chair car. It will include differently priced meals.
Passengers travelling from New Delhi to Varanasi in the executive class will be charged Rs. 399 for morning tea, breakfast and lunch. Travelers in the chair car will have to pay Rs. 344 for the same. Passengers travelling from Varanasi to New Delhi will be charged Rs. 349 and Rs. 288 in the executive class and chair for the meals.
The meals will not be optional for passengers, unlike in premium trains such as Shatabdi, Rajdhani and Duronto express, where they can choose not to avail catering services. However, passengers travelling the last leg on the route of the train, Prayagraj to Varanasi will have the choice of not opting for the meals in advance while booking their tickets.