I am visiting some relatives in Jammu for a week or two, and what I would like to know is if we decide to go to Vaishno Devi from there, can we easily get a train from Jammu to Katra? Some detailed which I need to know is: 1. Can I easily get a confirmed seat for the Jammu to Katra train? 2. How much is the ticket cost? 3. How long does it take from Jammu to Katra?
Hi there, welcome to the forum! (Images from Hemant Manral, India Rail Info and India Rail Info) Overview The distance between Jammu and Katra is about 46.2 kilometres or about an hour of driving. If you're taking a train though, journey duration can be as long as two hours. The Jammu Tawi Railway Station is directly connected to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station. There is a number of daily trains and even weekly trains plying through this route. Fares vary too depending on which class of seat you decide to take. Below, we would highlight the different trains plying through this route, how much seats cost and how long the journey duration is. Fortunately, all trains from Jammu to Katra are reserved ones so you can easily book a seat for you or your loved ones. Trains from Jammu Tawi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Train Name and NumberDeparture TimeArrival TimeScheduleJourney DurationHemkunt Express Train No. 146094:406:30Daily1 Hour and 50 MinutesAhmedabad SVDK Express Train No. 194155:057:00Tuesday1 Hour and 55 MinutesUttar Sampark Kranti Express Train No. 124456:458:40Daily1 Hour and 55 MinutesShri Shakti Express Train No. 224613:105:10Daily2 HoursKalka SVDK Express Train No. 145032:304:35Wednesday and Saturday2 Hours and 5 MinutesAndaman Express Train No. 1603113:1015:20Tuesday, Friday and Saturday2 Hours and 10 MinutesHimsagar Express Train No. 1631713:1015:20Monday2 Hours and 10 MinutesTirunelveli SVDK Express Train No. 1678713:1015:20Monday and Thursday2 Hours and 10 MinutesJabalpur Katra Express Train No. 1144913:1015:20Wednesday2 Hours and 10 MinutesNavyug Express Train No. 1668713:1015:20Thursday2 Hours and 10 MinutesKota Katra Weekly Express Train No. 1980313:1015:20Sunday2 Hours and 10 MinutesKamakhya SVDK Express Train No. 1565513:5016:00Tuesday2 Hours and 10 MinutesSarvodaya Express Train No. 1247514:5517:10Thursday2 Hours and 15 MinutesJamnagar Katra SF Express Train No. 1247714:5517:10Wednesday2 Hours and 15 MinutesSarvodaya Express Train No. 1247314:5517:10Sunday2 Hours and 15 MinutesSwaraj Express Train No. 1247114:5517:10Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday2 Hours and 15 MinutesYesvantpur SVDK Suvidha Express Train No. 8265118:0520:25Monday2 Hours and 20 MinutesJammu Mail Train No. 140338:4011:05Daily2 Hours and 25 MinutesThe table above depicts the trains that ply from Jammu to Katra. The trains are arranged in order, from the train with the shortest journey duration to the train with the longest journey duration. Also included are their schedules, whether they are daily trains or weekly trains or which days in a week that they run. Lastly, their departure time from Jammu and their arrival time in Katra are also included. As mentioned above, all these trains are reserved trains so you can easily book a ticket prior to your preferred departure schedule. Which Trains to Choose from Jammu to Katra? The Hemkunt Express Train No. 14609 has the shortest journey duration at just 1 hour and 50 minutes. It runs daily, departs from the Jammu Tawi Railway Station at 4:40 and arrives at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station at 6:30. It has just one stopover in between but its average delay is about 38 minutes. Aside from that, this train is a good option, and it has three classes of seats: 2AC for Rs. 695, SL for Rs. 140 and General Quota for Rs. 60. The Ahmedabad SVDK Express Train No. 19415 has a running time of 1 hour and 55 minutes. It only runs during Tuesdays though and has just one halt in between. If you absolutely hate delays, this train doesn't have an average delay and even arrives four minutes earlier in Katra than its schedule. It departs from Jammu at 5:05 and arrives in Katra at 7:00. Fare is at Rs. 60 for General Quota. The Uttar Sampark Kranti Express Train No. 12445 has a running time of 1 hour and 55 minutes too. It departs at 6:45 from Jammu and arrives at 8:40 in Katra. It has daily schedules too and only has two halts in between. Its average delay though is about 40 minutes so you have to keep your schedule open for this one. It has five classes of seats: 1AC for Rs. 1,235, 2AC for Rs. 740, 3AC for Rs. 540, SL for Rs. 170 and General Quota for Rs. 75. Next is the Shri Shakti Express Train No. 22461 which has a running time of 2 hours and has just 1 halt in between. It runs daily, departs from Jammu at 3:10 and arrives in Katra at 5:10. It is a good option since it doesn't have an average delay. Fares are at Rs. 1,235 for 1AC, Rs. 740 for 2AC and Rs. 540 for 3AC. Lastly, there's the Kalka SVDK Express Train No. 14503, which has a running time of 2 hours and 5 minutes. It departs at 2:30 from Jammu and arrives in Katra at 4:35. It runs only on Wednesday and Saturday but doesn't have an average delay plus only has one stop. Fare is at Rs. 60 for General Quota. The remaining trains have running times of above 2 hours and 5 minutes. Most of them also has average delays of more than an hour. They aren't good options for those who have tight schedules or who hate delays. It's best to avoid them and just choose the first five trains mentioned above. Fare Rates for Trains from Jammu to Katra Train Name and Number1AC2AC3ACSLGeneral QuotaHemkunt Express Train No. 14609-Rs. 695-Rs. 140Rs. 60Ahmedabad SVDK Express Train No. 19415----Rs. 60Uttar Sampark Kranti Express Train No. 12445Rs. 1,235Rs. 740Rs. 540Rs. 170Rs. 75Shri Shakti Express Train No. 22461Rs. 1,235Rs. 740Rs. 540--Kalka SVDK Express Train No. 14503----Rs. 60Andaman Express Train No. 16031--Rs. 490-Rs. 60Himsagar Express Train No. 16317---Rs. 140Rs. 60Tirunelveli SVDK Express Train No. 16787----Rs. 60Jabalpur Katra Express Train No. 11449-Rs. 695Rs. 490Rs. 140Rs. 60Navyug Express Train No. 16687----Rs. 60Kota Katra Weekly Express Train No. 19803-Rs. 695Rs. 490Rs. 140Rs. 60Kamakhya SVDK Express Train No. 15655----Rs. 60Sarvodaya Express Train No. 12475----Rs. 75Jamnagar Katra SF Express Train No. 12477----Rs. 75Sarvodaya Express Train No. 12473-Rs. 740Rs. 540Rs. 170Rs. 75Swaraj Express Train No. 12471----Rs. 75Yesvantpur SVDK Suvidha Express Train No. 82651-Rs. 740Rs. 540Rs. 170-Jammu Mail Train No. 14033Rs. 1,160Rs. 695Rs. 490Rs. 140Rs. 60The table above shows the train fares from Jammu to Katra. A General Quota ticket costs Rs. 60 to Rs. 75 per passenger. For the Sleeper class, it costs Rs. 140 to Rs. 170 per passenger. For the 3AC seating, it costs between Rs. 490 to Rs. 540 per passenger. For the 2AC, it costs Rs. 695 to Rs. 740 per passenger. For the 1AC seating, it costs Rs. 1,160 to Rs. 1,235 per passenger. Not all trains have these seatings though so you need to choose accordingly as to which seat you want. Conclusion Katra is well-known for the Vaishno Devi Bhavan pilgrimage that devotees try and do at least once in their lifetime. Reaching Katra is not an issue at all since direct trains reach the small town through its own railway station, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station. Its direct connection to most cities, even Jammu, is a breath of relief for pilgrims who rely on public transportation to reach the sacred town of Katra. I hope this helps you!
