The Railway Board has approved a new route for the Amritsar-Katra Vande Bharat Express, diverting the train via Gurdaspur instead of Jalandhar Cantonment.
The decision, confirmed in a Railway Board letter dated March 23, 2026, also changes the train’s weekly rest day from Tuesday to Saturday.
What Changed and Why
Train numbers 26405/26406 will now travel through Gurdaspur, adding a key stop for passengers in that district. Northern Railway had proposed the diversion through a letter dated March 12, 2026.
“Diversion of 26405/26406 AmritsarโShri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express via Gurdaspur along with change in non-running day to Saturday instead of Tuesday,” the Railway Board stated in its official approval letter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Amritsar-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express in August 2025. The semi-high-speed service is operated and maintained by Northern Railway and was introduced to improve connectivity between Punjab and Jammu for pilgrims and general travellers.
The train covers the full distance in five hours. Train 26406 departs Katra at 06:40 and reaches Amritsar at 11:40. On the return, train 26405 leaves Amritsar at 16:40 and arrives in Katra at 21:45.
The Railway Board letter states that the new schedule should take effect from the advance reservation period, adding: “If required, the inaugural service may be planned as a special service, which should pick up its link subsequently.”
Full Route and Stops
| Station | Arrival | Departure |
|---|---|---|
| Amritsar | Start | 16:40 |
| Batala | โ | Scheduled stop |
| Gurdaspur | โ | Scheduled stop |
| Pathankot | โ | Scheduled stop |
| Jammu Tawi | โ | Scheduled stop |
| Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra | 21:45 | End |
The train runs with eight coaches offering two classes of travel โ AC Chair Car and Executive Chair Car. No sleeper accommodation is available on this service.
The rerouting benefits commuters and pilgrims in Gurdaspur district who previously had no direct Vande Bharat connectivity to Katra. The change also removes the Jalandhar Cantonment stop, which may affect some passengers from that area who will need to board at Amritsar or Batala instead.
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