June 4, 2025 | Srinagar – In a significant boost to the infrastructure and connectivity of Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off two pairs of Vande Bharat Express trains connecting Katra to Srinagar, and also inaugurated the iconic Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge.

The launch marks a historic moment for the region, with the state-of-the-art semi-high-speed trains set to revolutionize rail travel in the Kashmir Valley and beyond.

🚆 New Vande Bharat Trains in Kashmir: Route, Timings, and Fare

According to railway officials, the new Vande Bharat services—Train Nos. 26404/26403 and 26401/26402—will start operating from June 7, 2025, on the Srinagar–Katra–Srinagar corridor with stops at Banihal.

📍 Train Nos. 26404/26403 (Srinagar – Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra – Srinagar)

• Start Date: June 7, 2025

• Runs On: Six days a week (no service on Wednesdays)

• Train No. 26404 Timing:

  • Departs Srinagar at 08:00 AM

  • Stops at Banihal: 09:02 AM

  • Arrives at Katra: 10:58 AM

• Train No. 26403 Timing:

  • Departs Katra at 2:55 PM

  • Stops at Banihal: 4:40 PM

  • Arrives at Srinagar: 5:53 PM

📍 Train Nos. 26401/26402 (Katra – Srinagar – Katra)

• Start Date: June 7, 2025

• Runs On: Six days a week (no service on Tuesdays)

• Train No. 26401 Timing:

  • Departs Katra at 08:10 AM

  • Stops at Banihal: 09:58 AM

  • Arrives at Srinagar: 11:08 AM

• Train No. 26402 Timing:

  • Departs Srinagar at 2:00 PM

  • Stops at Banihal: 3:10 PM

  • Arrives at Katra: 4:58 PM

💸 Ticket Prices

• Train 26404/26403

  • Chair Car: ₹715

  • Executive Class: ₹1,350

• Train 26401/26402

  • Chair Car: ₹660

  • Executive Class: ₹1,270

🏗️ Chenab Bridge: Engineering Marvel Unveiled

During the same event, PM Modi also inaugurated the Chenab Bridge in Reasi district, Jammu & Kashmir — the world’s highest railway bridge spanning the Chenab River. Standing at 359 meters (1,178 feet) above the riverbed, it is taller than the Eiffel Tower and is a part of the crucial Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL).

🗣️ What It Means for Jammu & Kashmir

The flagging off of Vande Bharat trains and the completion of the Chenab Bridge are seen as part of a broader effort to improve regional connectivity, tourism, and economic integration of the Union Territory with the rest of India.

These projects are expected to:

• Reduce travel time between Jammu and Srinagar.

• Boost pilgrimage tourism to Vaishno Devi Shrine.

• Provide faster, modern transit options to locals and tourists.

• Symbolize India’s engineering and infrastructural capabilities in challenging terrain.