Click it and Unblock the Notifications
The semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express running between Udaipur City and Agra Cantt will stop operating from February 15, as per railway sources and booking details on the IRCTC website. Ticket bookings are open only up to February 14, which clearly shows that the service will not run after that date.
Which Trains Will be Affected?
The trains affected by this decision are numbers 20979/20980, which operate between Udaipur and Jaipur, and 20981/20982, which run between Udaipur and Agra Cantt. The Udaipur-Agra Cantt Vande Bharat service started in September 2024 and operated three days a week. It was introduced to connect important tourist and cultural cities across Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
With this service being discontinued, the total number of Vande Bharat trains starting from or passing through Agra will reduce to three. This change is likely to affect both daily commuters and tourists who had begun using this faster train option for travel between the two cities.
Reason Behind Service Stoppage
Railway officials have said that low passenger numbers were a major reason for stopping the service. Another issue was the limited number of stops along the route, which meant fewer towns and cities could use the train, leading to lower overall demand.
While the Vande Bharat network is growing quickly across India, railway authorities regularly review how each route is performing. Trains with poor occupancy are being reconsidered, and some are being modified or withdrawn to improve efficiency.
Sources also mentioned that the same train set may be used for a new Vande Bharat service between Udaipur and Asarwa in Gujarat. This new route is expected to improve travel between Rajasthan and Gujarat, although no official confirmation has been made yet. Railways are expected to closely study passenger demand before deciding on any future service between the Agra and Udaipur route.
