I live in Bihar with my family, and I wish to take my mother to Vaishno Devi. She does not like traveling on buses, so I thought that going by train would be the best option. I would like to know what the nearest railway station to Vaishno Devi is? I knew that Katra would have a train station as well, but is this operational yet?
Hello and welcome to the forum! Yes, the Katra Railway Station has been operational since July of 2014. It is owned by Indian Railways and operated by Northern Railways. It is made to serve the Katra Town as well as the Vaishno Devi Temple devotees. The nearest railway station to the Vaishno Devi is no other than the Katra Railway Station. The New Delhi Railway Station is about 645.5 kms from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Katra Railway Station. It will take you about 11 hours or more to reach your destination. You would also take into account your travel time from Bihar to Delhi and that is about 1,104 kms and can take 17 or more hours. There are also some trains from Bihar to Delhi. From there, you can take the train from Delhi to Katra. Your other option would be via the Udhampur Railway Station which is about 43.6 kms from Katra. But it can take longer and even more expensive. I hope this helps!