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Overview
The distance between New Delhi and the Vaishno Devi Bhavan in Jammu & Kashmir is about 652 kilometres. Driving this distance can take around 10 to 11 hours, more or less. With public transportation, such as a train or a bus, the journey is a bit longer, around 11 to 12 hours. It can even take up to 15 hours at the most for some trains. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station serves both the town of Katra and the Vaishno Devi Bhavan devotees. The railway station is merely 1.4 kilometres away from Katra. It is your best option when reaching Katra from Delhi, since it is directly connected to the latter.
Trains from New Delhi to Vaishno Devi Katra
| Train Name and Number | Departure Station - Time | Arrival Time | Schedule | Journey Duration |
| Shri Shakti AC Express Train No. 22461 | New Delhi - 17:30 | 5:10 | Daily | 11 hours & 40 minutes |
| Uttar Sampark Kranti Express Train No. 12445 | New Delhi - 20:50 | 8:40 | Daily | 11 hours and 50 minutes |
| Sarvodaya Express Train No. 12475 | New Delhi - 4:50 | 17:10 | Thursday | 12 hours and 20 minutes |
| Jamnagar Katra SF Express Train No. 12477 | New Delhi - 4:50 | 17:10 | Wednesday | 12 hours and 20 minutes |
| Sarvodaya Express Train No. 12473 | New Delhi - 4:50 | 17:10 | Sunday | 12 hours and 20 minutes |
| Swaraj Express Train No. 12471 | New Delhi - 4:50 | 17:10 | Monday, Tuesday, Friday & Saturday | 12 hours and 20 minutes |
| Yesvantpur SVDK Suvidha Express Train No. 82651 | New Delhi - 7:50 | 20:25 | Monday | 12 hours and 35 minutes |
| Andaman Express Train No. 16031 | New Delhi - 00:10 | 15:20 | Tuesday, Friday & Saturday | 15 hours and 10 minutes |
| Himsagar Express Train No. 16317 | New Delhi - 00:10 | 15:20 | Monday | 15 hours and 10 minutes |
| Tirunelveli SVDK Express Train No. 16787 | New Delhi - 00:10 | 15:20 | Monday & Tuesday | 15 hours and 10 minutes |
| Jabalpur Katra Express Train No. 11449 | New Delhi - 00:10 | 15:20 | Wednesday | 15 hours and 10 minutes |
| Navyug Express Train No. 16687 | New Delhi - 00:10 | 15:20 | Thursday | 15 hours and 10 minutes |
| Kota Katra Weekly Express Train No. 19803 | New Delhi - 00:10 | 15:20 | Sunday | 15 hours and 10 minutes |
So these are all the trains plying between New Delhi and Vaishno Devi Katra. There's a total of 13 trains plying this route from New Delhi to Vaishno Devi. Fares vary depending on the train that you choose. Journey duration also varies, as you can see from the table above.
Which Trains to Choose from New Delhi to Vaishno Devi Katra?
The first train, the Shri Shakti AC Express Train No. 22461, is your best option. It has a journey duration of 11 hours and 40 minutes plus it runs daily as well departing at 17:30 from the New Delhi Railway Station. It only has six halts and it has an average delay of 14 minutes only. There are three types of seats available, Rs. 1,005 for 3AC, Rs. 1,425 for 2AC and Rs. 2,400 for 1AC.
The second train, the Uttar Sampark Kranti Express Train No. 12445, has a running time of only 11 hours and 50 minutes. It also runs daily departing at 20:50 from the New Delhi Railway Station. It has nine halts and has an average delay of 40 minutes. It has five seats available, Rs. 215 for General Quota, Rs. 385 for Sleeper, Rs. 1,005 for 3AC, Rs. 1,425 for 2AC and Rs. 2,400 for 1AC.
The third train, the Sarvodaya Express Train No. 12475, has a running time of 12 hours and 20 minutes. It doesn't run daily though but it departs from the New Delhi Railway Station during Thursdays at 4:50 in the morning. However, its average delay is an hour and 30 minutes plus it has 8 halts in between. It has four seats available, Rs. 215 for General Quota, Rs. 385 for Sleeper, Rs. 1,005 for 3AC and Rs. 1,425 for 2AC.
The fourth train, the Jamnagar Katra SF Express Train No. 12477, has a running time of 12 hours and 20 minutes as well. It only runs during Wednesdays though and departs from the New Delhi Railway Station at 4:50 as well. Its average delay is worse at 2 hours and more. It has 8 halts too and has the same fares as above.
Another good option is the Sarvodaya Express Train No. 12473 which has a running time of 12 hours and 20 minutes too. It runs during Sundays only and departs from the New Delhi Railway Station at 4:50. Its average delay is an hour and more. It has four seats available, Rs. 215 for General Quota, Rs. 385 for Sleeper, Rs. 1,005 for 3AC and Rs. 1,425 for 2AC.
Day Train or Night Train?
The trains posted above are mostly dawn, early morning and night trains. It depends upon you but all are good options. The good thing about night and early dawn journey is that you won't encounter much traffic. Plus, you can rest during the night time too, so that once you arrive in Vaishno Devi, you can start your pilgrimage to the Bhavan. The good thing about the early morning journey is that you can enjoy the views along the way. However, once you arrive in the Vaishno Devi Bhavan, you might need to rest a bit before starting your pilgrimage.
Conclusion
I hope this little guide helps you in finding the right train option for you. The fares are also listed above so you can choose accordingly too. The first seven trains are your best options since they have the quickest journey durations. They also have the least number of halts so the possibilities of delays are lesser.
