Overview

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the service on June 6 and commercial operations began June 7, linking Katra to Srinagar via the USBRL project.
• Tickets for the Vande Bharat Express have been sold out for the next 10–14 days with bookings extending into July in anticipation of the Amarnath Yatra from July 3.
• The high-speed train cuts travel time between Katra and Srinagar to three hours, replacing the often-disrupted Srinagar–Jammu highway.
• The 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link includes 36 tunnels and 943 bridges, featuring the world’s highest Chenab Bridge and the Anji cable-stayed rail bridge.
• The Rs 43,780 crore railway project is expected to boost tourism and economic opportunities across Jammu and Kashmir.