Vande Bharat trains host yoga sessions mid-journey on International Yoga Day
Synopsis
For the first time, passengers aboard moving Vande Bharat Express trains performed yoga mid-journey — guided by volunteers and an onboard audio system — as Ahmedabad's Western Railway Division turned four live routes into wellness corridors on International Yoga Day 2025. It is a small but striking signal of how India's flagship trains are being repositioned beyond transport.
Key Takeaways
Ahmedabad Division of Western Railway conducted yoga on moving Vande Bharat Express trains for the first time on 21 June 2025 .
Sessions ran on four routes: Gandhinagar Capital–Mumbai Central , Sabarmati–Jodhpur , Asarva–Udaipur , and Ahmedabad–Okha .
Passengers performed 10–20 minutes of micro yoga in their seats, guided by volunteers and the onboard audio system.
Ground sessions were held at Sabarmati , Kankaria , Gandhidham , and Viramgam , led by instructors Alpesh Trivedi and Hansha Chaag .
This year's theme was 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing' , observed across the division with staff, RPF personnel, and the travelling public.
The Ahmedabad Division of Western Railway made history on 21 June 2025 by conducting yoga sessions aboard moving Vande Bharat Express trains for the first time, marking the 12th International Yoga Day with an initiative that brought wellness directly to passengers in their seats. The programme, organised under the supervision of Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ved Prakash, extended across four Vande Bharat services and multiple railway establishments across the division.
Onboard Yoga: How It Worked
Yoga instructions were broadcast through the onboard audio system of each Vande Bharat train, while trained volunteers stationed in individual coaches guided passengers through micro yoga exercises without requiring them to leave their seats. The sessions lasted between 10 and 20 minutes and included neck, shoulder, wrist, and arm rotations, chanting of 'Om', and brief meditation practices.
'In Vande Bharat trains, yoga instructions were broadcast through the onboard audio system, and volunteers in each coach assisted passengers in performing micro yoga while seated,' DRM Ved Prakash said. The sessions were specifically designed to work within the physical constraints of train travel, making participation accessible to all passengers regardless of age or fitness level.
Four Routes, One Mission
The onboard yoga initiative was carried out simultaneously on four Vande Bharat Express services: Gandhinagar Capital–Mumbai Central, Sabarmati–Jodhpur, Asarva–Udaipur, and Ahmedabad–Okha. The choice of Vande Bharat trains — the Indian Railways' flagship semi-high-speed services — underscored the division's intent to associate modern rail travel with wellness.
Ground Programmes Across the Division
The flagship ground session was held at the Community Hall in Sabarmati, where yoga instructors Alpesh Trivedi and Hansha Chaag led training for railway officers, employees, Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, Scouts and Guides, and members of the Civil Defence organisation. The session followed the Common Yoga Protocol, covering asanas, pranayama, and meditation techniques.
Additional sessions were held at the Old Railway Institute in Sabarmati, the Railway Institute in Kankaria, and community halls in Gandhidham and Viramgam. Employees and their family members also participated via video conferencing across various railway establishments. 'We made efforts to connect all our employees and their family members with yoga. Through video conferencing, a large number of participants joined the yoga programme across various railway establishments and centres,' DRM Prakash noted.
Theme and Broader Context
This year's International Yoga Day theme — 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing' — was central to the division's planning, with activities tailored to promote wellness among both staff and the travelling public. Notably, the Ahmedabad Division has previously organised yoga programmes at major stations including Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Palanpur, and Gandhidham, but the extension to moving trains is a first for the division.
Western Railway has appealed to staff and passengers alike to incorporate yoga into their daily routines for improved physical and mental well-being. With the onboard format now piloted successfully, the initiative could set a precedent for other railway divisions to replicate on future Yoga Day observances.
Point of View
But the real question is scalability: can this be standardised across Indian Railways' growing Vande Bharat network, or does it remain a one-day optic? With 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing' as this year's theme, the initiative also carries a demographic signal — ageing passengers are a growing segment of rail travel, and low-impact in-seat exercises are precisely what that cohort needs. If the Railways formalises this into a regular wellness feature rather than an annual Yoga Day spectacle, it could meaningfully differentiate Vande Bharat from competing transport modes.
NationPress
21 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on Vande Bharat trains on International Yoga Day 2025?
The Ahmedabad Division of Western Railway conducted yoga sessions aboard moving Vande Bharat Express trains for the first time on 21 June 2025. Passengers performed micro yoga in their seats for 10 to 20 minutes, guided by onboard volunteers and audio instructions.
Which Vande Bharat routes had onboard yoga sessions?
The four routes covered were Gandhinagar Capital–Mumbai Central, Sabarmati–Jodhpur, Asarva–Udaipur, and Ahmedabad–Okha. All four services are operated by the Ahmedabad Division of Western Railway.
What exercises did passengers perform during the onboard yoga session?
Passengers carried out light, seat-friendly exercises including neck, shoulder, wrist, and arm rotations, chanting of 'Om', and brief meditation. The sessions were designed to be done without leaving the seat and lasted between 10 and 20 minutes.
Who organised and led the International Yoga Day programme?
The programme was organised under Divisional Railway Manager Ved Prakash. Ground sessions at Sabarmati were led by yoga instructors Alpesh Trivedi and Hansha Chaag, following the Common Yoga Protocol covering asanas, pranayama, and meditation.
What is the theme of International Yoga Day 2025?
The theme for the 12th International Yoga Day, observed on 21 June 2025, is 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing'. The Ahmedabad Division aligned its activities — both onboard and at ground venues — around this theme to promote wellness among employees and passengers.
