Jammu and Kashmir: Vande Bharat Train Timings Announced
SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Railways has announced the timetable for the newly introduced Vande Bharat Express train services between Jammu Tawi and Srinagar, marking a major step in enhancing rail connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir.
The semi-high-speed trains will have limited halts, stopping only at four stations along the route: Jammu Tawi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Banihal, and Srinagar.
As per a notification from the Ministry, two pairs of Vande Bharat trains—numbered 26401/02 and 26403/04—have been approved for the route.
The trains will operate six days a week, with one day reserved for maintenance.
From Srinagar, train number 26402 will depart at 14:00 hrs and arrive at Jammu Tawi at 18:50 hrs, except on Tuesdays. Train number 26404 will depart Srinagar at 08:00 hrs and reach Jammu Tawi by 12:40 hrs, not running on Wednesdays.
In the return direction, train number 26401 will leave Jammu Tawi at 06:20 hrs and reach Srinagar at 11:10 hrs, except on Tuesdays. Train number 26403 will depart Jammu Tawi at 13:20 hrs and arrive in Srinagar at 18:00 hrs, not operating on Wednesdays.
The service is expected to significantly improve tourism, business, and commuting in the region.
The Vande Bharat Express will reduce travel time between Katra and Srinagar and offer improved travel conditions. The launch is a major development for the region’s railway infrastructure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on June 6 to inaugurate the new Vande Bharat services and commission two major infrastructure projects: the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab and India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge at Anji.
The Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), covering 272 kilometres through mountainous terrain, has been completed at a cost of ₹43,780 crore. It includes 36 tunnels totalling 119 kilometres and 943 bridges.
In February 2024, a 48-kilometre line from Banihal to Sangaldan via Khari and Sumber was commissioned, along with electrification of the 185.66-kilometre Baramulla–Srinagar–Banihal–Sangaldan section. Prime Minister Modi flagged off the first electric train in the Valley and launched services between Sangaldan and Baramulla.
Final safety inspections on the 111-kilometre Banihal–Katra section began in January 2025. This stretch includes 97 kilometres of tunnels and four bridges spanning seven kilometres.
Jammu Railway Station is being redeveloped to include eight platforms and modern amenities. Also in January 2025, Indian Railways inaugurated the new Jammu Railway Division under Northern Railway, headquartered in Jammu. Carved out of the Ferozepur Division, it will serve Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Punjab.
The new division includes 11 freight terminals supporting transport of food grains, cement, coal, fuel, and perishables across the region. (KNO)
