Jammu, January 25, 2026 : In view of heavy snowfall disrupting road and air connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, the Jammu Division of Northern Railway has decided to operate special reserved trains between SMVD Katra and Srinagar next week to facilitate stranded passengers.
Officials said the decision to run special reserved trains on January 27 and 28 was taken under the directions of Divisional Railway Manager (Jammu), Vivek Kumar, keeping in mind passenger convenience and the non-availability of Vande Bharat services on these dates.
The move comes as the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, remained closed for two days due to heavy snowfall in the Banihal sector and was only partially reopened on Sunday. Flight operations in the Valley have also been affected due to adverse weather conditions. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has forecast fresh snowfall across most parts of Kashmir and higher reaches of Jammu from January 26 to January 27 evening.
As per the schedule, the special reserved train on January 27 will depart from SMVD Katra at 8:10 am and arrive in Srinagar at 11:00 am, with a halt at Banihal Railway Station. On its return journey, the train will leave Srinagar at 2:00 pm and reach SMVD Katra at 5:00 pm, with the same stoppage en route.
Similarly, on January 28, the special reserved train will depart from SMVD Katra at 10:30 am and arrive in Srinagar at 1:30 pm, again stopping at Banihal. The return service, train number 04630, will depart Srinagar at 3:00 pm and reach SMVD Katra at 6:00 pm.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, Uchit Singhal said the decision was taken in view of the rain and snowfall warning issued by the Meteorological Department for January 27 and 28.
“Earlier, on January 23, flight and road traffic were badly affected due to snowfall, following which stranded passengers were transported from Srinagar to Katra by the Vande Bharat train. Considering the prevailing situation and as an alternative, this special reserved train is being operated to provide a reliable travel option for passengers to and from Kashmir,” he said.
