Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to Flag Off Extended Jammu–Srinagar Vande Bharat; 20-Coach Train to Boost J&K Connectivity

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is set to flag off the extended Jammu Tawi–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express from Jammu Tawi Railway Station on April 30th, marking a major milestone in rail connectivity for Jammu & Kashmir. The train, which earlier operated only between Srinagar and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, will now run up to Jammu Tawi, the region’s largest railway hub.

The expansion is expected to provide a seamless, high-speed rail journey between Jammu and Srinagar, benefiting pilgrims, tourists, traders, students and daily commuters across the Union Territory.

Capacity Increased from 8 to 20 Coaches

The Vande Bharat service on the corridor was first inaugurated by Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, with an 8-coach rake. Since then, the train has reportedly operated at near full capacity due to high passenger demand.

To meet rising bookings, Indian Railways has upgraded the service to a 20-coach rake, more than doubling seating capacity. The move is expected to significantly reduce waiting lists and reservation pressure, especially during tourism peaks and pilgrimage seasons.

Officials said the larger rake has been introduced in response to the train’s growing popularity among passengers travelling between Jammu, Katra and Kashmir.

Regular Services Begin May 2

Though the ceremonial flag-off takes place today, regular commercial operations of the extended Vande Bharat service will begin from May 2, 2026.

Two pairs of trains will operate over the approximately 266-km corridor, giving passengers both morning and afternoon travel options from Jammu and Srinagar on most days of the week.

Timings of First Pair

• Train No. 26401 departs Jammu Tawi at 6:20 AM, halting at Katra, Reasi and Banihal, and reaches Srinagar at 11:10 AM.
• Train No. 26402 departs Srinagar at 2:00 PM and arrives at Jammu Tawi at 6:50 PM.

This pair will run six days a week, except Tuesday.

Timings of Second Pair

• Train No. 26404 departs Srinagar at 8:00 AM, stopping at Banihal and Katra, and reaches Jammu Tawi at 12:40 PM.
• Train No. 26403 leaves Jammu Tawi at 1:20 PM and arrives in Srinagar at 6:00 PM.

This pair will run six days a week, except Wednesday.

Major Relief for Pilgrims

The extension of the train to Jammu Tawi is expected to especially benefit pilgrims visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.

Until now, many passengers arriving at Jammu Tawi from cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and other parts of India had to arrange separate road transport or change trains to reach Katra. With the extension, travellers can now board the Vande Bharat directly from Jammu Tawi and continue up to Katra and onward to Srinagar without changing trains.

The move will also help devotees combining Vaishno Devi pilgrimage with the annual Amarnath Yatra, as access to Kashmir becomes easier through one continuous rail journey.

Boost for Tourism in Jammu & Kashmir

The extended Vande Bharat is expected to strengthen tourism across the region by offering a fast and comfortable alternative to road travel.

Visitors arriving in Jammu can now travel directly to Srinagar by rail, passing through scenic Himalayan terrain, long tunnels and iconic bridges before reaching destinations such as Dal Lake and the Mughal Gardens.

The train service is likely to appeal to domestic and international tourists who previously found mountain road travel time-consuming or weather dependent.

Lifeline for Local Residents

Residents of Jammu, Katra, Reasi and the Kashmir Valley are also expected to gain from the direct connectivity.

Students travelling between the two regions, patients seeking medical treatment in Jammu, business travellers and government employees commuting between Jammu and Srinagar will now avoid the earlier interchange at Katra.

The service may prove especially valuable during winter months when snowfall often disrupts movement on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway.

Railway Minister to Inspect Chenab and Anji Bridges

During the visit, the Railway Minister will inspect two engineering landmarks on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) corridor.

These include:

• Anji Khad Bridge – India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.
• Chenab Rail Bridge – the world’s highest railway arch bridge, standing 359 metres above the riverbed.

Both bridges are considered major achievements of Indian Railways and are crucial to all-weather rail connectivity in the Himalayan region.

Milestone in J&K Rail Transformation

The Vande Bharat extension is being seen as another major step in the transformation of railway infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir.

The USBRL project, costing over ₹43,000 crore, includes 36 tunnels spanning around 119 km and 943 bridges. It has enabled direct modern rail connectivity through one of India’s most challenging terrains.

With the train now reaching Jammu Tawi, millions more passengers are expected to benefit from faster, safer and more reliable travel between Jammu and Kashmir.