New Delhi, Dec 26 (AHN) To manage the expected surge in passenger traffic during the New Year period, Northern Railway’s Jammu Division has announced the operation of a special reserved train between New Delhi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, officials said on Friday.

The special train service will run for five trips in each direction between December 27, 2025 and January 1, 2026, aiming to provide relief to passengers during the peak holiday rush.

According to the Jammu Division of Northern Railway, the decision has been taken keeping in mind the increased travel demand due to New Year celebrations and the influx of tourists and pilgrims heading towards Jammu and Kashmir.

The special train is expected to facilitate smoother travel while also helping the Railways manage crowd movement more effectively.

Special Reserved Train No. 04081 will operate from New Delhi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra from December 27 to December 31, 2025.

The train will depart from New Delhi at 11:45 p.m. and reach Katra at 12 noon the following day. En route, it will halt at Panipat, Kurukshetra, Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, Jammu and Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan (Udhampur) stations.

In the return direction, special reserved train no. 04082 will run from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to New Delhi from December 28, 2025 to January 1, 2026.

It will depart Katra at 9:20 p.m. and arrive in New Delhi at 10 a.m.e next day, stopping at Udhampur, Jammu, Pathankot Cantt, Jalandhar Cantt, Ludhiana, Ambala Cantt, Kurukshetra and Panipat.

Uchit Singhal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Northern Railway's Jammu Division, said the special train has been introduced to cater to the growing number of tourists and to meet the travel requirements of local residents during the holiday season.

He added that the train service will help passengers connect with their families and friends for New Year celebrations while easing congestion on regular trains.

The special reserved train will operate with 16 coaches.

Passengers can book tickets through the official Indian Railways website, mobile application or authorised booking agents.

Railway officials have advised passengers to check train schedules and timings before commencing their journey.