JAMMU: The Indian Railways will soon operate the Vande Bharat Express between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Amritsar via Gurdaspur and Batala, replacing the earlier route through Jalandhar, officials said.
As per the revised schedule, the train will depart from Katra at 6:40 am and reach Amritsar at 11:40 am. On the return journey, it will leave Amritsar at 4:40 pm and arrive back in Katra at 9:45 pm the same day, officials from the Jammu Division of Northern Railway said.
The train will have stoppages at Jammu, Pathankot Cantonment, Gurdaspur and Batala in both directions.
Railway authorities said the route change aims to provide faster and more direct connectivity between Amritsar and Jammu while reducing travel distance compared to the earlier alignment via Jalandhar.
The revised route will also extend Vande Bharat services to border districts like Gurdaspur and Batala, benefiting pilgrims and local residents.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal said the decision has been taken to enhance passenger convenience and improve the travel experience for premium-class passengers.
Officials added that the move comes in response to growing passenger demand and is expected to reduce travel time while offering safe, modern, and world-class transport facilities.
In a related development, trains will now halt at Pathankot Cantonment instead of Pathankot City.
Passengers have been advised to check updated schedules and stoppages on official platforms such as the National Train Enquiry System (NTES) or by dialling 139 before travel.
