Click it and Unblock the Notifications
Surat will soon get its first Vande Bharat Express, as the Ministry of Railways has approved a new Vande Bharat service between Surat and Udaipur, providing travellers from central and south Gujarat with a faster connection to Rajasthan's popular tourist destination. The train will operate six days a week and
is expected to start before the upcoming Navratri festival. With the new service, Gujarat will have six Vande Bharat trains.
Surat-Udaipur Vande Bharat Train Timings
According to the Railway Board's order, the new Surat-Udaipur Vande Bharat Express will have eight coaches and operate six days a week. Tuesday will be its weekly off. The train will depart from Surat at 6.10 am and reach Udaipur at 1.40 pm. On the return journey, it will leave Udaipur at 3.35 pm and arrive in Surat at 11 pm. The journey between Surat and Udaipur will take approximately 7 hours and 30 minutes. The new service is expected to benefit tourists, traders and families travelling from Surat and other parts of south Gujarat to Rajasthan.
Maintenance Facility to be in Surat
The primary maintenance facility for the train will be located in Surat. Water-refilling arrangements will be available at Vadodara and Asarwa stations in Ahmedabad. The new service is expected to make travel between Gujarat and Rajasthan more comfortable and convenient. It is also expected to support tourism and business movement between the two states.
Existing Asarwa-Udaipur Train to be Discontinued
The Railway Ministry has also approved changes to the existing Vande Bharat service on this route. Train numbers 26963/26964 Udaipur City-Asarwa (Ahmedabad) Vande Bharat Express, which started operations in February this year, will be permanently discontinued in its current form.
The route has now been extended and upgraded up to Surat. Therefore, the existing Asarwa-Udaipur service will effectively operate as the new Surat-Udaipur Vande Bharat Express.
What CR Patil Said
Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil announced the approval through a social media post. He said the Railway Board had approved the six-day-a-week Vande Bharat service between Surat and Udaipur and that the train would soon begin serving passengers.
Patil said the new service would make travel between Gujarat and Rajasthan faster, safer and more convenient. He added that it would also boost tourism, trade and social ties between the two states.
He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for approving the new service for Surat and south Gujarat.