Srinagar, June 5, 2025 – The Vande Bharat Express, linking Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar, will launch commercial operations on Saturday, June 7, 2025, after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6. Part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, this semi-high-speed train will enhance all-weather connectivity to the Kashmir Valley, boosting tourism, pilgrimage, and trade.
The Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express (train number 26401) departs Katra at 8:10 AM, reaching Srinagar by 11:08 AM, covering 190 km in under three hours. The return trip leaves Srinagar at 2:00 PM, arriving Katra by 4:58 PM. A second train departs Srinagar at 8:00 AM the next day, with no service on Wednesdays. Two train sets will operate four daily trips, six days a week, stopping initially at Banihal, with future stops at Reasi, Sangaldan, Qazigund, and Anantnag.
Designed for Kashmir’s extreme winters, the train includes heating systems, heated windscreens, insulated lavatories, and anti-spall layers, ensuring functionality at -20°C for reliable, comfortable travel.
The service cuts travel time from 6-7 hours by road to about 3 hours, aiding pilgrims to Vaishno Devi, tourists, and local businesses. The route features the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, and the Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.
Bookings are open on the IRCTC platform, with estimated fares of ₹1,500-1,600 for AC Chair Car and ₹2,200-2,500 for Executive Chair Car. The ₹41,000 crore USBRL project, with 119 km of tunnels and 927 bridges, ensures seamless Kashmir connectivity.
Robust security, including NSG drills and Katra checks, ensures safety. The launch will transform travel and trade, with Delhi-Srinagar trains planned for late 2025, using a single-ticket system with a Katra stop.
