The newly launched Katra-Srinagar-Katra Vande Bharat Express trains have quickly become popular among pilgrims, tourists, and travellers, prompting railway authorities to urge people to book their tickets in advance.

The two semi-high-speed trains started service on June 7 2025, and are already fully booked.

Train number 26401 has no seats available until June 12, and train 26403 is sold out until June 10.

This shows the strong success of the new Srinagar-Jammu rail link, which connects the religious town of Katra with the scenic Kashmir Valley.

The Vande Bharat trains have become a popular choice because they are fast, comfortable, and more reliable than road travel, which can be affected by bad weather or traffic in hilly regions.

Both Chair Car (CC) and Executive Class (EC) seats are currently unavailable on the IRCTC app.

Tour operators in Kashmir are hopeful that this train service will help bring back tourists after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 27 people, mostly tourists, were killed. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on the night of  May 7, targeting areas in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

A brief period of fighting followed between India and Pakistan, but ended after a four-day ceasefire agreement.

Travel agents say the attack and the short conflict created fear and led to many holiday cancellations. But now, the Vande Bharat service is helping rebuild trust in safe and smooth travel to Jammu and Kashmir, and could spark renewed interest in visiting the Valley.

The trains depart from Katra at 8.10 am and 2.55 am and reach Srinagar on time. Over the weekend, both services ran at full capacity.

Many of the passengers were pilgrims returning from the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, which draws millions of devotees every year.

The train covers the 200-kilometre distance in under four hours—much faster than the usual six to eight hours by road. The journey also includes a ride over the world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, offering beautiful views along the way.