SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Railways has informed Parliament that Jammu Tawi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra continue to be among the country’s major rail hubs, with more than 100 long-distance train services connecting the Union Territory to different parts of India, while the introduction of additional trains will depend on operational capacity and infrastructure availability.
The information was provided by the Ministry of Railways in a written reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 604 on July 22, 2026, raised by Jugal Kishore regarding new rail services in the Jammu Division.
According to the reply, Jammu Tawi is currently served by a wide network of express, Rajdhani and Vande Bharat trains linking the station with destinations including New Delhi, Howrah, Guwahati, Patna, Pune, Tirupati, Nanded, Ajmer, Kota, Indore, Bhagalpur, Sambalpur, Sealdah and Varanasi. The station is also connected through the Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat services.
The Ministry said Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra is served by 46 train services, including regular express trains and Vande Bharat services connecting the pilgrimage town with New Delhi, Amritsar, Chennai, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Jabalpur, Kota, Hapa, Gandhidham, Jamnagar, Bandra Terminus and other destinations. The list also includes the Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat services operating through Katra.
For Kashmir Valley, the Ministry said Budgam station is served by 19 train services, comprising DMU and MEMU operations connecting Budgam with Baramulla, Banihal and Sangaldan.
The Railways Ministry said the introduction of new train services is an ongoing process and depends on several operational factors, including line capacity, availability of train paths, rolling stock, supporting infrastructure for maintenance, track maintenance requirements, and passenger occupancy and traffic demand on the concerned route.
The details were furnished by the Ministry of Railways in its reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 604 answered on July 22, 2026.
