Vande Bharat Express: Indian Railways has taken a historic step to connect Jammu and Kashmir with other parts of the country. Regular service of Vande Bharat Express train between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar is starting from 7 June 2025.
This train was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 6 June by flagging it off. This train will be the first semi-high-speed train in the Kashmir Valley, which is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
Route and travel time
On the Katra-Srinagar route, this train will cover a distance of about 190 km in just 3 hours, which is much less than 5-6 hours by road. This train will stop at stations like Reasi, Sangaldan, Banihal, Qazigund, Anantnag, and Avantipora, with a halt of 2 minutes at Banihal. This service will prove to be a boon for pilgrims, tourists, and local people.
train schedule
Two pairs of Vande Bharat Express trains (26401/26402 and 26403/26404) will run on the Katra-Srinagar route, which will operate 6 days a week (26401/26402 except Tuesday and 26403/26404 except Wednesday). The schedule is as follows:
Train no 26401 (Katra to Srinagar): Departure at 8:10 am (Katra), halt at Banihal at 9:56 am (2 mins), arrival at 11:08 am (Srinagar).
Train no 26402 (Srinagar to Katra): Departure at 2:00 pm (Srinagar), halt at Banihal at 3:08 pm (2 mins), arrival at 4:58 pm (Katra).
Train no 26403 (Katra to Srinagar): Departure at 2:55 pm (Katra), halt at Banihal at 4:40 pm (2 mins), arrival at 5:53 pm (Srinagar).
Train no 26404 (Srinagar to Katra): Departure at 8:00 am (Srinagar), halt at Banihal at 9:02 am (2 mins), arrival at 10:58 am (Katra).
Rent
Katra to Srinagar: Chair car fare will be ₹ 715, Executive chair car fare will be ₹ 1320.
Srinagar to Katra: Chair car fare will be ₹ 880, Executive chair car fare will be ₹ 1515.
Ticket booking has started through IRCTC website and mobile app from 5 June 2025. In view of the huge demand, passengers have been advised to book early.
Features and amenities
This Vande Bharat train is specially designed for Kashmir. It is designed to operate in temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius. The train has a heating system, automatic doors, and anti-spall layer. The windshield also has heating elements, silicone heating pads, and bio-toilet tanks. 360-degree rotating seats, charging points, and modern coach design have also been provided.
The train will pass over the world’s highest Chenab Railway Bridge (35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower) and India’s first cable-stayed Anji Bridge, making the journey even more exciting.
