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Jammu and Kashmir: Schedule released for Vande Bharat trains; Check details

The Ministry of Railways has released the official timetable for the newly launched Vande Bharat Express train services between Jammu Tawi and Srinagar. This initiative marks a significant step forward in enhancing rail connectivity across Jammu and Kashmir. The semi-high-speed trains stop at limited stations, i.e., Jammu Tawi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Banihal, and Srinagar. The ministry has issued a notification stating two pairs of Vande Bharat trains, numbered 26401/02 and 26403/04, have been approved to run on this route. Jammu - Srinagar Vande Bharat Express train timings These trains will operate six days a week, with one day reserved for maintenance. Train number 26402 will leave Srinagar at 2:00 PM and reach Jammu Tawi at 6:50 PM, except on Tuesdays. Meanwhile, train 26404 will depart from Srinagar at 8:00 AM and arrive in Jammu Tawi at 12:40 PM, not running on Wednesdays. In the opposite direction, train number 26401 will depart from Jammu Tawi at 6:20 AM and reach Srinagar at 11:10 AM, except on Tuesdays. Train 26403 will leave Jammu Tawi at 1:20 PM and reach Srinagar at 6:00 PM, skipping operations on Wednesdays. The new train service is expected to boost tourism, business, and daily commuting in the region by reducing the travel time between Katra and Srinagar while offering passengers a more comfortable and efficient journey. The launch of this service is part of a broader effort to modernise rail infrastructure in the Union Territory. Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express train inauguration Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new Vande Bharat services during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir on June 6. He will also commission two landmark projects: the world's highest railway bridge over the Chenab River and India's first cable-stayed railway bridge at Anji. The completion of the 272-kilometre Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) through mountainous terrain is another major achievement. It features 36 tunnels with a combined length of 119 kilometres and 943 bridges, and was constructed at a cost of ₹43,780 crore. In February 2024, a 48-kilometre segment from Banihal to Sangaldan—via Khari and Sumber—was commissioned, along with the electrification of the 185.66-kilometre Baramulla–Srinagar–Banihal–Sangaldan section. This included the launch of the first electric train service in the Valley. Final safety checks for the 111-kilometre Banihal–Katra section began in January 2025. This segment comprises 97 kilometres of tunnels and four major bridges spanning a total of seven kilometres. Jammu Railway Station redevelopment Additionally, Jammu Railway Station is undergoing a major redevelopment, with eight platforms and modern passenger amenities in the works. Indian Railways also inaugurated a new Jammu Railway Division in January 2025, carved out from the Ferozepur Division under Northern Railway. The division, headquartered in Jammu, will serve the regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Punjab. The newly formed division comprises 11 freight terminals, designed to facilitate the transportation of goods such as food grains, cement, coal, fuel, and perishable items across the region.