Daily Vande Bharat Between Jammu & Srinagar ?

Hemani Kandhari

Jammu, June 5, 2025: History will be made on June 6 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off two Vande Bharat Express trains on the newly completed Katra–Srinagar route, bringing high-speed rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley for the first time.

According to sources, the Railway Board has taken the landmark decision to start daily Vande Bharat services between Srinagar and Jammu Tawi, with two trains running in both directions.While bookings have already started for the Katra-Srinagar route from June 7 onwards, services between Jammu and Srinagar will begin at a later date.

This launch marks a major step forward in connecting Kashmir with the rest of India. It is a moment of national pride and regional progress.

The trains will run every day, except for one weekly maintenance day per route. The timings are:

Jammu to Srinagar : Departs at 6:20 AM, arrives at 11:10 AM

Srinagar to Jammu : Departs at 2:00 PM, arrives at 6:50 PM

They will run in reverse directions on alternate days to manage schedules smoothly.

Passengers on this new route will travel through two world-class engineering wonders:

Chenab Bridge – the highest railway bridge in the world, standing 359 meters above the river.

Anji Khad Bridge – India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, supported by 96 cables and stretching 725 meters.

Both are part of the ₹40,000 crore Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.

Designed for Harsh Winters

The Vande Bharat trains running in Kashmir are specially built to handle extreme weather. Key features include:

Modern heating inside coaches

Heated windshields for clear visibility in snow

Silicone heating pads in water and toilet systems to prevent freezing

Auto-drain features for plumbing when stationary in cold weather

These features ensure smooth travel, even in freezing temperatures.

A Boost for Tourism and Growth

The train launch is expected to benefit the tourism sector, pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi, and the local economy by making travel faster, safer, and more comfortable.

Originally planned for April 19, the inauguration was delayed due to bad weather and the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Now, with the entire route from Katra to Sangaldan and onwards to Srinagar ready, the project is back on track.

For decades, rail connectivity in the Kashmir Valley remained incomplete. But now, with Vande Bharat trains ready to run, Kashmir is finally connected — on track for a more united and promising future.