Indian Railways’ Vande Bharat freight EMU hits 145 kmph in trials

The 16-coach Freight EMU, built for parcel, e-commerce and cold-chain shipments, has begun month-long trials in Rajasthan. With 397 tonnes of payload capacity, the prototype could support faster intercity fulfilment after regulatory clearance.

— Filed Thu, 30 Jul, 2026, 14:33 IST · Source Financial Express · BrandWagon · Updated

Indian Railways began trials of a Vande Bharat-based Freight EMU in Rajasthan, designed for faster parcel, e-commerce and cold-chain shipments. The 16-coach prototype reached 145 kmph and will undergo month-long safety, braking, traction and reliability testing.

Why this matters

The trial follows Indian Railways’ Vande Bharat freight-rake trial launch in Kota and its direct Kolkata Port-Nepal container service, extending its push for faster freight links.

Omni-channel is steady, with 1,809 signals recorded in the past 90 days; QoQ figures were not provided.