Amritsar, April 4: The Indian Railways has officially changed the route for the Amritsar-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express. The train will now pass through Gurudaspur instead of Jalandhar Cantt, significantly enhancing travel convenience for passengers. This semi-high-speed train, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2025, is operated by the Northern Railway zone and will complete its journey in just five hours.
The train, numbered 26405/26406, will now take a new path through Gurudaspur. An official letter from the Railway Board confirmed this change, stating that the proposal to divert the route has been approved.
In addition to the route change, the train’s schedule has also been updated. It will now operate on all days of the week except Saturday, replacing the previous non-running day of Tuesday.
The Vande Bharat Express will make stops at four major stations along the new route:
1. Batala
2. Gurudaspur
3. Pathankot
4. Jammu Tawi
For passenger convenience, the new schedule has been shared:
– From Katra to Amritsar (Train No. 26406): Departs Katra at 6:40 AM and arrives in Amritsar at 11:40 AM.
– From Amritsar to Katra (Train No. 26405): Departs Amritsar at 4:40 PM and reaches Katra at 9:45 PM.
The new Vande Bharat Express will consist of eight coaches, offering two types of seating arrangements: AC Chair Car and Executive Chair Car, ensuring a world-class travel experience for passengers.
These changes will come into effect under the advance reservation period, and the Railway Board has indicated that if necessary, a special service may be planned for the new route before it settles into its regular schedule.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.