Indian Railways has announced another Vande Bharat Express on the busy Jammu and Kashmir route, offering passengers an additional travel option between Jammu Tawi and Srinagar via Udhampur. This will be the third Vande Bharat Express serving Jammu and Kashmir. The decision to introduce the additional service comes amid sustained demand for the existing Vande Bharat services operating between Jammu and Srinagar. According to the Railways, both trains currently running on the route have been operating at full capacity since their launch. The new service is expected to increase the capacity of the Jammu-Srinagar rail corridor while providing passengers with another convenient and faster option to travel between the two cities.
When will the new Vande Bharat start?
According to information from Indian Railways, the new Vande Bharat Express could begin operations next month, in September, possibly around the Navratri period. The timing is significant as the number of devotees travelling to Vaishno Devi increases considerably during Navratri. The Railways may therefore look to launch the new train around the festive period to cater to the additional passenger demand. However, the exact launch date will be confirmed by the Railways.
What will be the route and stoppages?
The new Vande Bharat Express travelling from Jammu towards Kashmir will also stop at Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Udhampur station. As per the proposed schedule, the train will depart from Jammu Tawi at 10:30 am and reach Udhampur at 11:30 am. It will then leave Udhampur at 12:10 pm and proceed to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra before continuing directly towards Srinagar. The train is scheduled to reach Srinagar at 3:10 pm.
Return journey timing
On the return journey, the Vande Bharat Express will depart from Srinagar at 4 pm. It will reach Katra at 6:55 pm and then arrive at Udhampur at 7:30 pm. The train will subsequently leave Udhampur and reach Jammu Tawi at around 8:40 pm. This schedule would allow passengers travelling between Jammu, Katra and Srinagar to plan their journeys with another Vande Bharat option on the route.
How much will the new Vande Bharat ticket cost?
The exact fare for the new Vande Bharat Express has not been specified in the information released so far. However, the existing Vande Bharat services operating between Jammu and Srinagar currently have fares ranging from Rs 855 to Rs 1,780, depending on the train and class of travel.
For Vande Bharat Express 26401, the AC Chair Car fare is Rs 855, while the Executive Class fare is Rs 1,585. For Vande Bharat Express 26403, passengers pay Rs 1,020 for an AC Chair Car ticket, while the Executive Class fare is Rs 1,780.
Based on these existing fares, the ticket price of the third Vande Bharat is expected to remain within a similar range, although the final fare will be known only after the Railways officially announces it.
Another boost for Jammu-Kashmir rail connectivity
The proposed third Vande Bharat service comes at a time when rail connectivity between Jammu and the Kashmir Valley is witnessing growing passenger demand. An additional premium train on the route could provide more flexibility to commuters, tourists and pilgrims travelling between Jammu, Katra and Srinagar. The service could also be particularly useful during peak travel periods such as Navratri, when Katra sees a major increase in the number of pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.
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