Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to flag off India's inaugural Vande Bharat Sleeper train and ten other new train services on January 17, 2026, from Malda Town in West Bengal. These launches primarily target poll-bound West Bengal and Assam, aiming to significantly enhance rail connectivity across various regions of India. The fleet of new trains includes one Vande Bharat Sleeper, eight Amrit Bharat Expresses, two additional Express trains, and the extension of a local MEMU passenger service in West Bengal. The much-anticipated Vande Bharat Sleeper train will operate between Howrah Junction in West Bengal and Kamakhya Junction in Assam, covering a distance of over 1,000 km. It is designed for comfortable overnight travel with 16 fully air-conditioned coaches, comprising 11 Third AC, four Second AC, and one First AC coach. Railway officials conducted extensive trials, with the train achieving speeds of up to 180 kmph. Additionally, the new Amrit Bharat Express trains are non-AC, low-cost services designed for long-distance travel, offering amenities comparable to the Vande Bharat Express. These trains will connect West Bengal and Assam to states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh. Specific routes include New Jalpaiguri-Nagercoil, New Jalpaiguri-Tiruchirappalli, SMVT Bengaluru-Alipurduar, Alipurduar-Panvel, Balurghat-Bangalore, and Radhikapur-Bangalore, among others. The introduction of these services is seen by political observers as a strategic move ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the region.