India's first Vande Bharat freight train trials begin
ICF-built freight EMU begins trials in Kota Division, aiming to speed up parcel and cold-chain logistics.
India's first Vande Bharat platform-based Freight Electric Multiple Unit, also known as the Gati Shakti cargo train, began technical trials at the Kota Division of West Central Railway in Rajasthan on July 29, reaching a top recorded speed of 145 km/h on its opening day, as Indian Railways took a significant step toward modernising its freight network with faster, technology-driven cargo services.
The Freight EMU is designed mainly to move parcels for e-commerce companies, cargo that currently moves largely by road. Indian Railways plans to build 25 such trainsets as part of the government's PM Gati Shakti initiative, with the goal of raising the railways' share of the freight logistics market from 28% to 40% by 2030. The cargo version of the Vande Bharat platform has been under design by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) since October 2022, with testing being carried out by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) ahead of final commissioning. The freight EMU rakes are designed for palletized container transportation and are intended to reach an operational speed of up to 160 km/h.
According to West Central Railway's Kota Division, the start of these trials marks a major leap forward for freight transportation on Indian Railways, positioning the country's first Vande Bharat-based Freight EMU as the beginning of a new era for high-speed freight.
The division noted that the prototype's 145 km/h top speed on its first day of testing represents a significant milestone in India's move toward faster, smarter and more efficient freight logistics. Over the coming month, the Kota-Nagda-Sawai Madhopur high-speed corridor will host a series of advanced trials, reinforcing Kota Division's position as Indian Railways' premier testing hub for next-generation rail technology.
The Freight EMU is being positioned as representing the future of modern, reliable and sustainable cargo transportation, built to transform e-commerce, express parcel, cold-chain logistics and other time-bound freight services.