Srinagar, 12 June 2026: To further boost connectivity in South Kashmir, the Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has announced that the Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express will get a new halt station at Anantnag.
On 10th June, 2026, the Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw met Kashmir Chief Minister Mr. Omar Abdullah and reviewed various ongoing railway projects and discussed issues related to the expansion of rail services in Jammu & Kashmir. During the meeting the chief minister appreciated the quality of service and punctuality of the Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express and requested the union minister to connect the train services to Anantnag Railway Station.
This new halt is expected to benefit commuters, tourists and traders, offering a faster and more reliable transport link to one of Kashmir’s key economic and cultural hubs.
The train initially began operations between Katra and Srinagar on 6 June 2025. The extended direct route starting from Jammu Tawi was launched in April 2026, and to meet the rising passenger demand the number of coaches was increased from 8 to 20. At present, the Jammu–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express runs a total of 4 services (two pairs) (26401/26402 and 26404/26403) in the Kashmir Valley. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the service on April 30, 2026. Regular commercial operations commenced on 2 May 2026, reducing the travel time to 4 hours 50 minutes.
