Kashmir Vande Bharat service to start from this date: Check schedule, stops, train numbers

Kashmir will soon have year-round railway access to the rest of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project on June 6. The 272-kilometer USBRL project will be inaugurated by PM Modi. The launch includes the opening of the Chenab railway bridge and the Anji Khad railway bridge. Two new Vande Bharat train services will also be flagged off. This project will provide consistent rail connectivity to Kashmir, regardless of the weather. It is expected to boost transportation, business, and tourism in the region.

Kashmir Vande Bharat Start Date

Regular operations of the two new Vande Bharat Express trains to Kashmir will begin on June 7, 2025, the day after the inauguration.

- The two Vande Bharat Express trains will operate six days a week.

- Initially, services will run from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar.
- The Jammu Tawi railway station is currently being redeveloped. Once finished, the Vande Bharat Express will extend to Jammu from Srinagar.

Katra Srinagar Vande Bharat Train Schedule and Numbers:

- Train Number 26401/26402: Train 26401 will depart Katra at 8:10 AM, reaching Srinagar at 11:08 AM, with a stop at Banihal at 9:58 AM.

- Train 26402 will leave Srinagar at 2:00 PM, arriving in Katra at 4:48 PM, stopping at Banihal at 3:10 PM. This train will not run on Tuesdays.

- Train Number 26403/26404: Train 26404 will depart Srinagar at 8:00 AM, reaching Katra at 10:58 AM, with a stop at Banihal at 9:02 AM. Train 26403 will leave Katra at 2:55 PM, arriving in Srinagar at 5:53 PM, stopping at Banihal at 4:40 PM. This train will not run on Wednesdays.

Kashmir Vande Bharat Project:

The USBRL is a significant project for Indian Railways. The remarkable 272-kilometre railway network is constructed at a cost of Rs 43,780 crore. The railway line comprises 36 tunnels extending across 119 kilometres, alongside 943 bridges that connect various valleys, ridges and mountain passes. Two key bridges are the Chenab railway bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, and the Anji Khad bridge, Indian Railways’ first cable-stayed bridge.

Kashmir Vande Bharat Express Features:

The Vande Bharat Express trains are designed to handle the harsh winter conditions of the Himalayas. The Vande Bharat Express being put to service on the Jammu-Srinagar route is specifically engineered to withstand severe winter conditions in the Himalayan region. The train maintains efficient functionality at temperatures dropping to minus 20 degrees Celsius. The incorporation of heated windscreens, sophisticated heating mechanisms and thermally insulated lavatories will ensure year-round operations whilst maintaining passenger comfort."