The Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express services carried 44,727 passengers in the first 10 days of regular operations, indicating strong demand on the newly operational rail corridor between Jammu and Kashmir.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had flagged off the augmented 20-coach Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express on 30 April, ahead of the regularisation of services from 2 May.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Railways, the four Vande Bharat train services carried 44,727 passengers up to 11 May after regular services began on 2 May.
In the maiden week itself, the services carried 28,762 passengers up to 8 May.
The services are operating on the 266 Km Jammu-Srinagar corridor, with two pairs of Vande Bharat trains providing connectivity across both directions.
Train number 26401 runs from Jammu Tawi to Srinagar, while train number 26402 operates the return service from Srinagar to Jammu Tawi. These services run six days a week, except Tuesdays.
The second pair, train number 26403 from Jammu Tawi to Srinagar and train number 26404 from Srinagar to Jammu Tawi, operates on all days except Wednesdays.
Together, the two pairs provide four train services a day on at least five days a week.
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, two train services continue to serve the route, ensuring regular to-and-fro movement for passengers.
The ministry said demand remained near capacity on several days when both pairs were operated.
The services carried 4,977 passengers on 3 May, 4,955 passengers on 8 May, 5,284 passengers on 9 May, 5,657 passengers on 10 May and 5,024 passengers on 11 May.
On days when a single pair was operated, occupancy touched 95.03 per cent on 5 May and 94.79 per cent on 6 May.
Weekend demand was particularly strong, with Saturday and Sunday together accounting for nearly 11,000 passengers.
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On Sunday, 10 May, occupancy stood at 98.21 per cent, reflecting the early demand for rail-based travel on the Jammu-Srinagar route during the summer tourist season.
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The Ministry of Railways said a service that earlier ran full with eight coaches is now drawing near-capacity loads even with 20 coaches.
The Vande Bharat services follow the inauguration of the 272 Km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 6 June 2025.
The rail link is one of the most significant connectivity projects for Jammu and Kashmir.
The ministry said the train is serving pilgrims, students, government officials, traders, tourists and local passengers, giving them a direct rail option between Jammu and Srinagar without a break in journey.
The route also passes through major engineering landmarks, including the Chenab and Anji bridges, along with tunnels built through Himalayan terrain.
According to the ministry, the train is engineered to operate in temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius.
This is expected to make the service an important all-weather travel option, especially during periods when snowfall or landslides affect road movement on the National Highway.
The ministry also described the Vande Bharat service as an affordable option on the corridor, saying Chair Car fares with meals remain lower than comparable air and road travel options.
The train allows passengers to travel from Jammu Tawi to Srinagar in under five hours, giving tourists and regular passengers a faster and more dependable alternative during the peak travel season.
With Kashmir’s summer tourist season underway, the Railways expects ridership to remain strong in the coming weeks.
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