Kashmir Impulse Desk
Jammu, Aug 20
Indian Railways has approved a third pair of Vande Bharat Express trains between Srinagar and Jammu, with a stop at Udhampur, expanding premium rail connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir’s two capitals less than four months after direct services began operating on the route.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh of the approval, saying the new service would operate as train numbers 26407 and 26408 between Srinagar and Jammu Tawi via Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Udhampur railway station.
The approval followed a demand from residents of Udhampur, which falls within Singh’s parliamentary constituency.
Singh announced the decision on social media, describing it as a response to a “popular public demand” and thanking Vaishnaw for approving the additional service with Udhampur as a scheduled halt.
The new service will add to two existing Vande Bharat pairs – 26401/26402 and 26404/26403 – currently operating between Srinagar and Jammu Tawi.
The 269-km journey between the two cities takes about four hours and 45 minutes.
Direct Vande Bharat services between Jammu and Srinagar began commercial operations on May 2 this year after being inaugurated by Vaishnaw on April 30.
The trains initially operated between Katra and Srinagar from June 2025 before being extended to Jammu Tawi in April, creating a direct rail connection between the two capitals.
The Srinagar-Jammu services stop at Udhampur, Katra, Reasi and Banihal, providing connectivity to several important population centres along the route.
The introduction of the third service comes as demand for faster and more reliable rail travel through the mountainous region remains strong.
Railways has said the expansion of services is determined by passenger demand, occupancy, line capacity, availability of train paths and rolling stock, maintenance requirements and supporting infrastructure.
Vaishnaw had told Parliament in July that four pairs of new train services, including two pairs of Vande Bharat trains, had been introduced in the Jammu division during the 2025-26 financial year.
The Jammu division, the 70th division of Indian Railways, was created in January 2025.
According to the minister, Jammu Tawi station currently handles 114 train services, Katra 46 and Budgam 19.
The expansion of Vande Bharat services is part of a broader effort to improve year-round rail connectivity to Kashmir, where road links can be disrupted by snowfall, landslides and other weather-related events.
For Udhampur, the third Srinagar-Jammu Vande Bharat service is also expected to strengthen its position as an important rail stop between Kashmir and Jammu.
