Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will flag off the extended Srinagar–Katra Vande Bharat Express up to Jammu Tawi on April 30, marking a significant upgrade to rail connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir.

The move comes alongside a major capacity expansion, with the train’s rake increased from 8 to 20 coaches in response to consistently high passenger demand.

The service, which earlier terminated at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, will now run till Jammu Tawi Railway Station, directly linking the Union Territory’s largest railhead with the Kashmir Valley.

Following the ceremonial run, regular operations will begin from May 2, with two pairs of trains operating six days a week across the 266-km corridor.

The first service will depart Jammu Tawi early morning and reach Srinagar in under five hours, while a second service will offer additional morning and afternoon options from both ends, improving flexibility for travellers.

Seamless travel for pilgrims, tourists and commuters

The extension eliminates the need for passengers to change trains at Katra, a long-standing inconvenience for pilgrims heading to the Vaishno Devi shrine and tourists travelling further into the Valley. It also enables a single, uninterrupted rail journey connecting Jammu directly to Srinagar.

For pilgrims, especially those combining visits to Vaishno Devi and the Amarnath Yatra routes via Srinagar, the new service simplifies travel logistics significantly. Tourists arriving in Jammu can now access Kashmir’s key destinations entirely by rail, bypassing weather-prone mountain roads.

Boost for local mobility and business

The expanded service is expected to benefit daily commuters, including students, officials and patients travelling between Jammu and Srinagar, particularly during winter when highway closures disrupt road connectivity.

For traders and artisans, the faster and more reliable rail link is likely to ease movement of goods and reduce travel costs, strengthening economic activity across the region.

Akashwani News

Engineering backbone of the route

As part of the visit, the minister will inspect the Chenab Rail Bridge and the Anji Khad Bridge, both critical components of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.

The Chenab bridge, standing taller than the Eiffel Tower, and the Anji bridge represent some of the most complex railway engineering efforts undertaken in the Himalayan region.

Part of a broader rail transformation

The extension is the latest milestone in a decade-long push to modernise rail infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. The USBRL project, spanning 272 km with extensive tunnelling and bridge construction, has enabled all-weather connectivity to the Valley.

The first Vande Bharat service on the route was flagged off by Narendra Modi in June 2025. The latest extension now brings that high-speed service to a wider population base, linking Jammu more directly with Kashmir’s economic and tourism circuits.