Vande Bharat Express train arrives in Jmu

Srinagar, Jan 24: The much-awaited Vande Bharat Express train has arrived in Jammu, with a trail run scheduled for Saturday along the Srinagar-Katra route. Preparations for the trial run have been finalized, according to railway officials.
A senior railway officer described the arrival of the Vande Bharat Express in Jammu as a proud moment for Indian Railways. “This train is specially designed to handle the harsh winters of the region and aims to improve connectivity between Jammu, Kashmir, and the rest of the country,” the official told Rising Kashmir.
He added, “It’s a big step toward bringing Kashmir closer to the rest of India. On Saturday, rakes will be moved from Srinagar to Budgam, with testing set to take place between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (SVDK) and Baramulla (BDGM).”
The Vande Bharat Express is set to arrive at Srinagar station on Saturday morning before proceeding for further trials between Srinagar and Katra stations. “These trials are crucial in ensuring the USBRL section is fully operational ahead of its inauguration. The Vande Bharat rakes have been specially selected for their ability to serve the challenging terrain with both efficiency and comfort,” the official explained.
The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) section is expected to be inaugurated in the first week of February 2025, marking a significant milestone in the region’s connectivity improvements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anticipated to officially flag off the train from Katra, once the Commissioner of Railway Safety gives the green signal for operations on the Katra-Baramulla section.
“While the exact inauguration date is yet to be confirmed, this development is a major milestone in the USBRL project, which spans 272 kilometers,” the official added.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Modi virtually inaugurated the Jammu Division of Indian Railways, fulfilling a long-pending demand from the region. He hailed the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) as an engineering marvel and described the opening of the Jammu Railway Division as a historic step in the integration of Jammu and Kashmir into the national railway network.
Meanwhile, Northern Railways has announced the train timings for the Katra-Srinagar route, providing several travel options for passengers.
The Vande Bharat Express will depart from Katra at 8:10 am, arriving in Srinagar at 11:20 am. For those preferring a later departure, the Mail Express will leave Katra at 9:50 am, reaching Srinagar by 1:10 pm. Another Mail Express will depart from Katra at 3:00 pm, arriving in Srinagar at 6:20 pm.
For the return journey, the Mail Express will leave Srinagar at 8:55 am and reach Katra by 12:05 pm. The Vande Bharat Express offers a midday option, departing Srinagar at 12:45 pm and reaching Katra at 3:55 pm. Another Mail Express will depart from Srinagar at 3:10 pm, arriving in Katra by 6:30 pm.