Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw will launch the 20-coach Vande Bharat Express between Jammu and Srinagar on April 30, while services for general public will start on May 2.
Direct train services between Srinagar and Jammu will reduce travel time between the twin capitals of Jammu and Kashmir, boost tourism besides providing all-weather road transport link.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first direct train service between Katra and Srinagar on June 6 last year. This service is now being extended up to Jammu Tawi Railway Station.
Work on $The 43,780-crore railway project, linking Kashmir to the rest of the country, began in the late 1990s with the first train running in the Kashmir Valley in October 2008.
While train services reached Udhampur by 2005, the treacherous terrain across the mountainous Pir Panjal range made it difficult to connect the valley to the rest of the country until 2025.
“The 20-carriage modern Vande Bharat train will start its maiden journey from Jammu Tawi (JAT), passing through the route to Srinagar while connecting the difficult geographical terrain of the valley,” officials said.
They said that a train from Srinagar will simultaneously start moving towards Jammu.
Before starting this important service, a trial run of Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat was conducted on Tuesday from Jammu to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, officials said.
The inaugural Vande Bharat train, equipped with latest amenities and having 20 coaches, will cover a distance of 267 km on Thursday.
The train service will operate six days a week from Jammu to Srinagar and from Srinagar to Jammu. There will be no train service on this route on Tuesdays.
“Created using indigenous technology, Vande Bharat Express will provide passengers with a world-class travel experience,” said Uchit Singhal, Chief Commercial Officer of the division.
“It features amenities like ‘Kavach’ security system for passenger security, GPS based information system and comfortable swivel seats.
This service will not only reduce travel time, but will also provide a huge boost to the local economy and tourism.”
While speaking to reporters on Monday, Prime Minister Omar Abdullah said: “This will definitely give a boost (to the tourism sector). You may remember that I have repeatedly pointed out that the train capacity is limited so far.”
“There was only an eight-car train running between Katra and Srinagar. Now, it will be a 20-car train, which means more passengers will be able to travel,” he said.
After hoisting the flag, Vaishnaw is scheduled to visit two of the most iconic engineering structures on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway (USBRL), Anji Bridge and Chenab Bridge.
The Vande Bharat to Jammu Tawi extension is the latest milestone in a decade-long effort to transform rail connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Udhampur-Katra section was commissioned in 2014. The Kashmir valley saw its first electric train in February 2024 while a dedicated railway section was set up in Jammu in January 2025.
Stations at Jammu Tawi, Katra, Udhampur and Budgam are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
USBRL was established at a total cost of $43,780 crore with 36 tunnels spanning 119 km and 943 bridges, is the connective tissue that makes it all possible.
