SRINAGAR, JUNE 4: The Ministry of Railways has released the timetable for the newly inaugurated Vande Bharat Express services between Jammu Tawi and Srinagar, marking a significant milestone in the expansion of high-speed rail connectivity in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to an official notification, two pairs of semi-high-speed trains—numbered 26401/02 and 26403/04—will operate six days a week, with one day allocated for maintenance. These services will halt only at four stations: Jammu Tawi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Banihal, and Srinagar.
Train Timings and Operations
Train no. 26402 will depart from Srinagar at 14:00 hrs and reach Jammu Tawi at 18:50 hrs, operating every day except Tuesday. Train no. 26404 will leave Srinagar at 08:00 hrs, arriving in Jammu Tawi at 12:40 hrs, and will not operate on Wednesdays.
In the return direction, train no. 26401 will depart Jammu Tawi at 06:20 hrs and reach Srinagar by 11:10 hrs, except on Tuesdays. Train no. 26403 will run from Jammu Tawi at 13:20 hrs and arrive in Srinagar at 18:00 hrs, remaining non-operational on Wednesdays.
The introduction of the Vande Bharat Express is expected to considerably reduce travel time between Katra and Srinagar, offering modern facilities and improved comfort to passengers. The service is anticipated to benefit both tourists and local commuters, while also boosting regional economic activity.
Prime Minister’s Visit and Infrastructure Inaugurations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the Union Territory on June 6 to flag off the new Vande Bharat trains and commission two landmark infrastructure projects—India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge at Anji and the world’s highest railway arch bridge across the Chenab river.
These developments come under the ambitious Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, a 272-kilometre strategic railway corridor constructed through challenging Himalayan terrain at a cost of Rs 43,780 crore. The USBRL includes 36 tunnels spanning 119 kilometres and 943 bridges.
Rail Electrification and Division Realignment
In February 2024, the 48-kilometre section between Banihal and Sangaldan via Khari and Sumber was commissioned. This was accompanied by the electrification of the 185.66-kilometre Baramulla–Srinagar–Banihal–Sangaldan stretch. Prime Minister Modi had also flagged off the Valley’s first electric train and inaugurated services up to Baramulla.
Final safety checks commenced in January 2025 on the 111-kilometre Banihal–Katra section, which includes 97 kilometres of tunnelling and four major bridges totaling seven kilometres in length.
Additionally, the Jammu Tawi railway station is undergoing comprehensive redevelopment, with plans to construct eight platforms and integrate modern passenger amenities. In the same month, the Indian Railways carved out a new Jammu Railway Division under the Northern Railway Zone. Headquartered in Jammu, the new division covers the territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Punjab. It incorporates 11 freight terminals to facilitate the transport of essential goods, including food grains, cement, coal, fuel, and perishable commodities.
The Chenab Times News Desk