Vande Bharat Sleeper beats China's bullet train? Influencer praises its 5-star hotel-like experience

A journey on India's Vande Bharat Sleeper train has caught attention on social media after a travel creator praised its onboard facilities, from the bathrooms to the food service. The passenger was so impressed that he compared the experience to staying at a five-star hotel and claimed China's bullet train could not match it. Travel creator Debajit Das shared his experience in an Instagram video while travelling on the Howrah-Kamakhya route. His review focused on the everyday comforts available during the overnight journey rather than just the train's speed or appearance. The comparison with China's high-speed rail network, however, reflects his personal opinion and should not be taken as an assessment of the two countries' train services.

Vande Bharat Sleeper train's bathroom grabs attention

Train reviews often focus on travel time, ticket prices and seating arrangements. Das, however, highlighted a feature that matters to passengers spending an entire night on board: the bathroom. He praised its cleanliness. For passengers travelling overnight, a clean and convenient washroom can make a considerable difference to the overall experience. The train also incorporates UV-C lamps at selected locations for disinfection and reducing microbial contamination. Its safety provisions include an aerosol-based system designed to help detect and suppress fires.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Debajit Das (@nitin_vlogs_)

What did the passenger say about food and service?

Das travelled from Howrah Junction to Kamakhya Junction, covering a route of approximately 966 km. According to the schedule mentioned in his video, the train departs Howrah at 6.20 pm and reaches Kamakhya at 8.20 am the following morning. He showed the arrangements available to passengers after boarding, including a bottle of water provided as a welcome gesture. The video also offered a glimpse of the dinner service. At around 8 pm, Das showed a non-vegetarian meal and mentioned that vegetarian food was available as an alternative.

What facilities does Vande Bharat Sleeper offer?

The Vande Bharat Sleeper has been designed for long-distance overnight travel. Unlike the daytime Vande Bharat Express, which primarily offers seating, the sleeper version provides berths where passengers can rest during the journey. Other features include automatic passenger doors, CCTV cameras and the indigenous KAVACH train protection system.

The train has a design speed of up to 180 kmph. Its actual operating speed, however, depends on track conditions, route infrastructure and the permissions granted for operations.

Das's video adds to the social media attention surrounding India's semi-high-speed train services. Several foreign travellers have also shared their experiences of travelling on Vande Bharat trains, praising various aspects of the onboard experience. For Das, the bathroom, food service and overall comfort stood out enough to prompt a comparison with a five-star hotel.