Katra–Amritsar Vande Bharat to run via Gurdaspur, Batala; Northern Railway revises route

The Jammu Division of Northern Railway on Tuesday announced a major route change for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Amritsar Vande Bharat Express (Train Nos. 26406/26405), with operations set to commence shortly. The premium train will now operate via Gurdaspur and Batala in Punjab instead of via Jalandhar City.

The train will depart from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 6:40 AM and arrive in Amritsar at 11:40 AM on the same day.

Advertisement

On its return journey, the train will depart from Amritsar at 4:40 PM and reach Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 9:45 PM on the same day.

Along its route, the train will continue to make scheduled stops—in both the up and down directions—at the railway stations of Jammu, Pathankot Cantt, Gurdaspur, and Batala.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal said the change will provide passengers travelling between Amritsar and Jammu with faster, more comfortable, and direct connectivity, while also reducing the longer travel distance previously incurred via the Jalandhar route.

He added that the revised route will extend the service of a modern train like the Vande Bharat Express to the regions of Batala and Gurdaspur, benefiting both pilgrims and local residents.

“This decision has been taken with the aim of directly benefiting premium-class passengers and making their travel experience even more convenient,” he said.

Singhal further noted that, in view of overwhelming passenger demand and for greater convenience, the route of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Amritsar Vande Bharat Express has been revised.

The train will now operate via Batala and Gurdaspur instead of Jalandhar City. This modification will directly benefit passengers in border regions and will also reduce travel time.

“Our objective is to provide passengers with a safe and world-class travel experience in the shortest possible time,” he added.

In a related development, changes have also been made to the scheduled halts of Train No. 19223/19224. Going forward, this train will stop at Pathankot Cantt instead of Pathankot City.