Vande Bharat Express Jammu-Srinagar ₹730 fares draw over 5,000 riders
Travel between Jammu and Srinagar just got a major upgrade with the Vande Bharat Express.
Since its launch in May 2026, thousands have hopped on board: over 5,000 riders on day two alone.
At ₹730 a ticket (excluding food), it's way more budget-friendly than flights, which usually cost ₹4,000 to ₹6,000.
Passengers praise route, operators seek support
People are loving the under-five-hour ride and better safety compared to long mountain drives.
As Mohmmad Afzal Malik, a passenger at Srinagar railway station, put it, it's "It is cheaper than flights and far safer and more comfortable than a long and treacherous mountainous road journey."
But local cab and bus operators are concerned about losing business, with some urging the government to support road transport workers as travel habits shift.