LARGE number of people gathered at Durg Junction, Bhilainagar Station, Powerhouse Station and Bhilai (Old Bhilai) stations on Sunday noon to welcome the Vande Bharat Express. At Durg Junction, Member of Parliament - Durg Lok Sabha, Vijay Baghel, Member of Parliament-Rajya Sabha, Saroj Pandey, MLA of Vaishalinagar Vidyaratan Bhasin and other prominent people were present to welcome this superfast train. From morning onwards, along with South East Central Railway (SECR) officials as well as staff, people of all age groups, especially school and college students gathered at different stations of the district to see the train. When the train arrived at Durg Junction, they raised slogans of Vande Bharat. Speaking on the occasion, Vijay Baghel said that this new upgraded train is a much needed relief to the passengers traveling to Nagpur and vice versa.

Tourism will be promoted with the start of this train as tourists can visit places of pilgrimage in Chhattisgarh. On its maiden run the passengers got fruit juice, water bottle and lunch box as complimentary. In Durg and Bhilainagar Stations, school students have also arrived in large numbers to see this train. A passenger coming from Gondia to Durg said that sitting in this train, there was a feeling as if you were traveling in an aeroplane. The interior inside the train is also made in the same way. On the lines of Metro, the train will announce the station and next destination and will be displayed on the train. Vande Bharat train has economy class and second premium class. The fare of economy chair car, from Bilaspur to Nagpur is Rs 1,075 and Durg to Nagpur is Rs 845, whereas, the premium fare from Bilaspur to Nagpur is Rs 2,045 and from Durg to Nagpur is Rs 1,575.