Jammu, Aug 20: Third and new Vande Bharat Express, between the two capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar with Udhampur as a stopover, is on the anvil, following approval by the Railway Ministry.
Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, while sharing this significant news with the Union Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh, has asserted that the fresh (third) pair of Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, will comprise train numbers 26407 and 26408.
“To facilitate people and further enhance the regional connectivity, Indian Railway keeps on expanding, introducing new and additional train services in view of public demands raised from time to time and also depending on other operational factors including passenger occupancy and traffic demand on the section(s),” Vaishnaw said.
In a communique in Hindi addressed to Singh, the Minister for Railways said, “In furtherance of that sequence, you will be glad to know that an approval has been granted to the operation of third Vande Bharat Express between Jammu Tawi and Srinagar via Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Udhampur (Railway Station). This service will operate as – train numbers 26407 and 26408 – Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express.”
Singh broke this “Good news for Udhampur” – a part of his parliamentary constituency- with the screenshot of Vaishnaw’s letter.
“In response to a popular public demand of the local population and an earnest request made by us, the Railway Ministry has agreed to include Udhampur as a stopover for the third and new Vande Bharat Express between Jammu and Srinagar,” he shared with his electorate through his social media handles.
“This is yet again a reiteration of PM NarendraModi’s sensitive concern for the aspirations of the people of this region,” Singh posted, thanking Railway Minister Vaishnaw for “this positive and prompt gesture.”
The state-of-the-art Jammu–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express with almost full occupancy rate has emerged as preferred, reliable and all-weather option for the passengers to travel between two capitals of J&K, since commencement of its commercial operations on May 2, 2026, after being flagged off by the Union Railway Minister on April 30, 2026, from Jammu Railway Station.
Currently, two pairs of Vande Bharat Express (train numbers 26401/26402 and 26404/26403) are operating between the two capital cities, covering the distance of 269 km in 4 hours 45 minutes.
The Vande Bharat Express operation to Kashmir from Katra had started on June 6, 2025.
Yet the services were extended to Jammu Tawi on April 30, 2026 – establishing direct rail link between Jammu and Srinagar, with stopovers at Udhampur, Katra, Reasi and Banihal.
Earlier on July 22, 2026, Vaishnaw, in a written reply to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, had informed that Indian Railways introduced four pairs of new train services, including two pairs of Vande Bharat Express trains, in Jammu division during 2025-26 to improve rail connectivity in the region.
The minister said that Jammu Division, the 70th Division of Indian Railways, was created in January 2025.
The newly introduced train services included the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Budgam Express, Amritsar–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express and two pairs of Jammu Tawi–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express trains.
According to Vaishnaw, Jammu Tawi railway station is presently served by 114 train services, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station by 46 train services and Budgam station by 19 train services.
Regarding the introduction of additional train services, the minister said it was an ongoing process and depended on various operational factors, including line capacity, availability of train paths, rolling stock, supporting infrastructure, maintenance requirements of railway tracks and other assets, as well as passenger occupancy and traffic demand on the section.
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