Special reserved trains Katra Srinagar set for Jan 27–28

Special reserved trains Katra Srinagar will operate on January 27 and 28, Northern Railway’s Jammu division said on Sunday, to help passengers stranded after heavy snowfall disrupted road and air traffic, as reported by The Economic Times.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Officials said the decision was taken under the directions of Divisional Railway Manager (Jammu) Vivek Kumar. The trains, they added, were planned for passenger convenience and because Vande Bharat services will not run on January 27 and 28.

Weather disruptions across Jammu and Kashmir

Travel links across Jammu and Kashmir have remained under pressure. The Jammu–Srinagar national highway—described as the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country—was partially opened on Sunday after staying shut for the past two days due to heavy snowfall in the Banihal sector on Friday. Flight operations also saw disruptions in the snow-bound Kashmir.

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Officials noted that the weather department has predicted snowfall across most parts of Kashmir and the higher reaches of Jammu from January 26 until the evening of January 27, an outlook also reflected in an India Meteorological Department press release.

Timings for special reserved trains between Katra and Srinagar

On January 27, the special reserved train will leave Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Katra at 8.10 am and reach Srinagar at 11 am, stopping at Banihal Railway Station en route. The return run on the same day will depart Srinagar at 2 pm and arrive at SMVD Katra at 5 pm, with the same stoppages.

Services are also scheduled for January 28. The train will depart SMVD Katra at 10.30 am and arrive in Srinagar at 1.30 pm, again halting at Banihal Railway Station. On the return journey, special reserved train number 04630 will leave Srinagar at 3 pm and reach SMVD Katra at 6 pm; officials said the stops along the route will remain unchanged. The same schedule was also carried in coverage by Hindustan Times.

Why this service is being added as a Vande Bharat alternative?

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Jammu Uchit Singhal said the decision was taken in view of the Meteorological Department’s warning of heavy rain and snowfall for Jammu and Kashmir on January 27 and 28.

He recalled that on January 23, snowfall affected both flight and road traffic, and stranded passengers were transported from Srinagar to Katra by the Vande Bharat train. With similar conditions expected—and Vande Bharat trains absent on January 27 and 28—officials said the special reserved trains Katra Srinagar are being run to provide passengers with a suitable option for travel to and from Kashmir.

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