Northern Railway’s Jammu Division has announced the operation of special trains in view of increased passenger demand during Holi 2026. The additional services will operate between New Delhi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Varanasi.
New Delhi – Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Special Train (04081/04082)
Special Train No. 04081 will operate from 21 February to 8 March, departing New Delhi Railway Station at 11:45 pm and arriving at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station at 12:00 pm the following day. The train will halt at Panipat, Kurukshetra, Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, Jammu and Udhampur stations.
In the return direction, the service will operate as Train No. 04082 from 22 February to 9 March. It will depart Katra at 9:20 pm and reach New Delhi at 10:00 am the next day.
Varanasi – Katra Special Train (04603/04604)
Special Train No. 04603 will operate four trips between 24 February and 8 March. It will depart Varanasi Junction Railway Station at 5:00 am and arrive at Katra at 6:00 am the following day. The train will halt at Pratapgarh, Raebareli, Lucknow, Bareilly, Moradabad, Saharanpur, Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, Jammu and Udhampur stations.
The return service, Train No. 04604, will operate four trips from 22 February to 6 March. It will depart Katra at 6:15 pm and arrive in Varanasi at 7:00 pm the next day.
Railway officials stated that the special trains are being operated to ensure smooth and safe travel during Holi, when the number of passengers travelling to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Dham increases. The temple is among the major religious destinations in India and receives lakhs of pilgrims every year.
