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Newly Launched Vande Bharat Express Between Katra and Amritsar to Operate Six Days a Week, Enhancing Connectivity and Comfort

Swarnadwip Nath Published Aug 11, 2025, 11:01 AM Updated Sep 16, 2026, 01:54 AM

The Indian Railways has introduced a new Vande Bharat Express train service between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra in Jammu and Kashmir and Amritsar in Punjab, scheduled to run six days a week, except Tuesdays. This semi-high-speed train, flagged off virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 10, 2025, promises to revolutionize travel between these two significant spiritual and tourist destinations by reducing travel time and offering world-class amenities to passengers.

Key Highlights of the Vande Bharat Katra-Amritsar Train Service:

The new Vande Bharat Express will depart from Katra at 6:40 AM, arriving in Amritsar by 12:20 PM, covering the approximately 370 km distance in 5 hours and 35 minutes. The return service leaves Amritsar at 4:25 PM and reaches Katra by 10:00 PM, enabling comfortable same-day round trips for travelers.

The service operates six days weekly, with Tuesday designated as the weekly holiday, ensuring scheduling convenience and maintenance windows.

The train stops at four key stations en route: Jammu Tawi, Pathankot Cantt, Jalandhar City, and Beas, enhancing regional connectivity while maintaining efficient travel times.

Equipped with modern features such as automatic doors, onboard Wi-Fi, infotainment screens, reclining ergonomic seats including executive chair cars, bio-vacuum toilets, GPS tracking, and the Kavach automatic train protection system, the service provides passengers with safety, comfort, and convenience.

The train composition includes eight coaches split between AC Chair Car and Executive Chair Car classes. Ticket pricing stands at approximately ₹1,170 for AC Chair Car and ₹2,085 for Executive Chair Car, offering options to suit different budget preferences.

This addition marks the fifth Vande Bharat train service for Jammu and Kashmir, further strengthening the Northern Railway zone’s network and complementing the region’s existing four Vande Bharat trains.

The enhanced connectivity is expected to boost tourism, commerce, and spiritual travel significantly, benefiting pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine and tourists exploring Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir.

Officials highlight that the advent of this train will also benefit passengers boarding from Pathankot, Jalandhar, and Beas stations, expanding access for wider communities.

The Prime Minister lauded the new train's role in fostering regional growth and connectivity, emphasizing the government’s focus on improving infrastructure and transport services to support economic and cultural development.

Operational and Regional Impact:

This new Vande Bharat service is set to provide a major boost to the region’s transportation ecosystem, facilitating quicker and more comfortable journeys compared to existing options that take significantly longer. With travel time slashed to under 6 hours, the train fosters more frequent travel possibilities, encouraging tourism and pilgrimage activities. The train’s introduction coincides with efforts to revitalize economic growth and integration between Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir by improving logistics and access.

Passengers will benefit from a world-class travel experience described as spacious, quiet, and technologically advanced. The train’s safety features including real-time GPS tracking and the Kavach system assure reliability and a focus on passenger security.

Conclusion:

The Katra-Amritsar Vande Bharat Express train running six days a week stands as a significant milestone in India’s railway modernization journey. It exemplifies the government’s commitment to enhancing passenger services, regional connectivity, and economic development across key cultural and spiritual corridors. The reduced journey time and superior onboard amenities promise to elevate travel for thousands of passengers, positioning this service as a preferred mode of transit for pilgrims, tourists, and local commuters alike.

Source: Indian Express, Financial Express, Tribune India, PTI

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