The Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express has carried nearly 45,000 passengers within the first 10 days of its regular operations, underlining strong demand for the rail service that is rapidly emerging as a major connectivity lifeline for Jammu and Kashmir.
According to data released by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Tuesday, the four daily services on the route transported 44,727 passengers between May 2 and May 11, while 28,762 passengers travelled in the maiden week itself till May 8.
The surge in ridership comes less than a year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the historic 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) on June 6, 2025, a landmark infrastructure project that connected the Kashmir Valley with the national rail network.
The services received a further boost on April 30 this year when Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the augmented 20-coach Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, significantly increasing passenger capacity on the high-demand route.
Two pairs of Vande Bharat trains currently operate on the corridor. Train numbers 26401 and 26402 run six days a week except Tuesdays, while 26403 and 26404 operate every day except Wednesdays. This ensures at least two services daily on most days and one service each on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Passenger demand has remained consistently high, especially on days when both pairs of trains operated.
Railways recorded 4,977 passengers on May 3, 4,955 on May 8, 5,284 on May 9, 5,657 on May 10, and 5,024 on May 11, indicating near-capacity occupancy levels.
Even on days when only one pair of trains operated, occupancy remained robust, touching 95.03 per cent on May 5 and 94.79 per cent on May 6. On May 10, occupancy touched an impressive 98.21 per cent, reflecting growing tourist interest in the route.
Officials said the train service has become a preferred mode of travel for pilgrims, tourists, students, traders, and government officials, offering seamless travel between Jammu and Srinagar without disruptions often caused by landslides or snowfall on national highways.
The train route also offers passengers panoramic views of major engineering landmarks, including the Chenab Rail Bridge and Anji Khad Bridge, along with tunnels cutting through the Himalayan terrain before entering the Kashmir Valley.
Railways highlighted that the service is also more economical than air travel and road transport, with chair car fares, including meals, significantly lower than flight tickets and private taxi fares.
With summer tourism picking up in destinations such as Dal Lake, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam, officials expect passenger numbers to rise further in the coming weeks.
Indian Railways said the service is not just transporting passengers but also strengthening economic activity and bringing Kashmir closer to the rest of the country through faster, affordable, and all-weather connectivity.
