With the festive season expected to bring a surge in passenger traffic towards Jammu and Kashmir, Northern Railway has announced two trips of a reserved festival special train between New Delhi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra. The service is aimed at accommodating the additional rush of devotees travelling to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine during the busy festive period. Scroll down to know more.
NR To Launch 2 Special Festive Train Trips Between New Delhi & Katra
Train No. 04083 will leave New Delhi at 2 pm on October 9 and October 16. It will reach Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 3 am the following day, giving passengers an overnight option for the journey. The return service, Train No. 04084, will depart from Katra at 10 am on October 10 and October 17. It is scheduled to arrive at New Delhi at 11:30 pm on the same day.
Covering a distance of around 655 km, the festival special will consist of 22 LHB coaches. The train will stop at several important stations along the route, including Sonipat, Panipat, Kurukshetra, Ambala Cantt, Dhandari Kalan, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, Kathua, Jammu Tawi and Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan.
The additional service comes as the railways prepare for increased demand during the festive period, when large numbers of passengers travel for holidays, family visits and religious pilgrimages. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra is among the major pilgrimage destinations in the region and sees a significant movement of devotees throughout the year, with festive periods generally bringing additional pressure on transport services.
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Passengers To Plan Their Journey In Advance
Northern Railway is also operating another festival special service, Train Nos. 04081/04082, on the New Delhi–Katra route. The existing service will continue until October 26, providing passengers with another option to plan their journey during the festive rush.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, Uchit Singhal, said the additional trains have been introduced to meet the growing demand from devotees travelling to Mata Vaishno Devi during the festive season. Passengers have also been advised to plan their journeys and book tickets early to avoid last-minute availability issues.
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With several major festivals falling during this period, the additional services are expected to provide more reserved berths for passengers travelling between the national capital and Katra, while helping Northern Railway manage the seasonal increase in demand.
Good news for travellers.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
FAQs
How can I reach Vaishno Devi from Delhi?
You can reach Vaishno Devi from Delhi by taking a direct train, a flight to Jammu followed by a cab, or a road trip to the base town of Katra.