Jammu, October 8: In view of the expected surge in passenger traffic during the festive season, Northern Railway has announced two reserved Festival Special Express trains between New Delhi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to facilitate the journey of devotees and travellers.
Railway officials said Train No. 04083/04084 New Delhi–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–New Delhi Reserved Festival Special Express will make two trips in each direction.
Train 04083 will depart from New Delhi at 2:00 PM on October 9 and October 16, 2026, and reach Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 3:00 AM the following morning.
The return train, 04084, will leave Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 10:00 AM on October 10 and October 17 and arrive in New Delhi at 11:30 PM on the same day.
Covering a distance of around 655 kilometres, the special train will consist of 22 modern LHB coaches.
The train will halt at Sonipat, Panipat, Kurukshetra, Ambala Cantt, Dhandari Kalan, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, Shaheed Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua, Jammu Tawi and Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan stations.
Railway authorities also said that Train No. 04081/04082, another special service on the same route, is currently operational and will continue running until October 26.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, Uchit Singhal, said the number of devotees travelling to Mata Vaishno Devi increases significantly during the festive season. The special trains have therefore been introduced to provide passengers with a more convenient journey and confirmed seating.
Passengers have been advised to plan their travel in advance and book tickets through the IRCTC website or railway reservation counters.
The Jammu Division Railway Administration said it remains committed to providing enhanced passenger facilities and ensuring smooth travel during the festive period.
