13 May 2026 – Barely two weeks into service, the Jammu–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express has emerged as one of the busiest rail corridors in the country. In the first ten days of operation, nearly 45,000 passengers boarded the service, with occupancy on May 10 alone breaching 98 per cent as more than 5,600 travellers used the route. The numbers point to a pent-up demand that has long characterised connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India.
Two pairs of Vande Bharat trains currently serve the corridor — one set running six days a week except Tuesdays, the other daily except Wednesdays. The upgraded 20-coach service was flagged off by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on April 30, following the inauguration of the full Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2025.
The rail link, decades in the making and built through extraordinarily challenging terrain, has reduced Jammu–Srinagar travel time to under five hours. For Kashmiris, the train is more than a convenience; it is a symbol of integration and normalcy. However, near-full occupancy from day one signals that two train pairs may not be sufficient for a valley that receives millions of tourists and has a large resident population reliant on intercity movement. Railway authorities will likely face pressure to add more services as summer tourism season peaks.
