Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat train passes through snow covered Kashmir amid fresh snowfall

Snowfall in Kashmir today: Several parts of the Kashmir Valley received fresh snowfall on Friday, with snow reported from Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Shopian, Pulwama, Bandipora, Anantnag and Kulgam districts. Srinagar city also witnessed the season’s first snowfall. The weather disruption led to the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and the cancellation of several flights.

However, train operations in the valley, remained unaffected. The railway staff posted in the Jammu Division of Northern Railway are working round the clock to clear snow from the tracks, ensuring the safe and smooth movement of trains amid the snowfall.

Sharing photos with Indianexpress.com, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northern Railway, where it shows the stunning pics of the orange-and-grey coloured Vande Bharat train moving through snow-covered railway tracks.

Flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, the Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express passes over the Chenab and Anji rail bridges. The train takes just about three hours to travel between Katra and Srinagar, reducing the journey time by nearly two to three hours.

These are: train number 26402/26401 Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Srinagar–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and 26404/26403 Srinagar–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express trains. A total of two Vande Bharat trains are operational on Katra-Srinagar route.

Both these trains commenced their commercial journey from June 7, 2025. During its journey, the train stops at two railway stations – Reasi and Banihal. Kashmir’s Vande Bharat train is composed of eight coaches and has two types of seating arrangements: Chair Car and Executive Chair Car.

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. ... Read More