The much-awaited Vande Bharat Express plying from Delhi to Katra is due to start in October

To accommodate the growing number of devotees to Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage and to provide smooth and comfortable journey during the festival season, Indian Railways will roll out the Vande Bharat Express during the Navratri-Durga puja festival.

A file photo of Mata Vaishno devi Shrine. Reuters

The second Vande Bharat Express train will start operations on the Delhi-Katra route in October. The first Vande Bharat Express (initially named Train 18) was launched on the Delhi-Varanasi route.

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal turned to Twitter on 18 September to inform people that the second Vande Bharat Express has completed its trial run to Vaishno Devi and it would be rolled out during the Navratri festival.

According to Railway Board chairman VK Yadav, the Vande Bharat train from Delhi to Katra will help capitalise on the high volume of traffic on the route. “For Mata Vaishno Devi devotees, the new Vande Bharat Express means a faster and more convenient mode of transport,” the chairman said.

All you need to know about Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express

• Shaped like a bullet train, Vande Bharat Express is a fully air-conditioned train. Maximum speed: 130 km/hr.
• Vande Bharat Express will run from Delhi to Katra.
• Stoppages in-between will include Ambala, Ludhiana and Jammu.
• The distance between Delhi and Katra is 655 km. While superfast trains usually take 12 hours to reach Katra from Delhi, Vande Bharat Express will take only eight hours.
• Vande Bharat Express timing: Depart from Delhi at 6 am and reach Katra at 2 pm. Return journey from Katra at 3 pm and reach Delhi at 11 pm. Halt duration at junctions: Two minutes.
• Vande Bharat train has been equipped with several mod-cons including automatic doors, comfortable seating, bio-vacuum type toilets, GPS-based audio-visual passenger information system, onboard hotspot WiFi for entertainment purposes, LED lighting and sufficient pantry space. To guard against stone-pelting cases, a special anti-spall film on train windows has also been provided.
• The train has a total of 16 coaches.