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On April 30, the Indian Railway Ministry’s launching a much-awaited direct Vande Bharat Express between Jammu and Srinagar.
The premium train service, which has been running between Katra and Srinagar for over nine months following PM Modi's inauguration of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link on June 6 last year, will now extend all the way to Jammu Tawi.
The semi-high-speed train is expected to cut travel time significantly, offering a faster, more comfortable and reliable journey through the Kashmir Valley, with modern amenities and improved safety features built in.
Government news broadcaster Akashvani reports that railway authorities have officially confirmed the completion of all necessary safety checks and infrastructure upgrades along the route, ahead of the launch.
The numbers do quite some talking. Passengers will cover the 266.66 km between Jammu and Srinagar in under five hours – a substantial reduction compared to the road, which has always been at the mercy of landslides, heavy snowfall, and the general chaos of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. The inaugural train departs Jammu Tawi at 10.30 am and pulls into Srinagar at 3.05 pm on April 20, according to PTI.
Useful if Gulmarg, Sonamarg or Pahalgam have been sitting on your visit list a little too long!