Indian Railways has announced the operation of reserved special trains between New Delhi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to facilitate passengers travelling to and from the popular pilgrimage destination. According to the Northern Railway schedule, special train services numbered *04085 and 04086* will operate on selected dates in October 2026, providing an additional travel option for devotees and other passengers heading towards Katra.

The special train services are expected to benefit passengers travelling to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, particularly those planning their journeys during the busy festive and pilgrimage season. Passengers are advised to check the train timings, scheduled stoppages and travel dates carefully before making their travel arrangements.

New Delhi–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Special Train: Train No. 04085

Train number 04085, operating from New Delhi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, is scheduled to depart from New Delhi at 2:00 PM. The train will pass through several important stations, including Sonipat, Panipat Junction, Kurukshetra Junction, Ambala Cantt, Dhandari Kalan, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt and Jammu Tawi before reaching its destination.

As per the published timetable, the train will arrive at Sonipat at 2:53 PM and depart at 2:55 PM. It will reach Panipat Junction at 3:42 PM, with departure scheduled for 3:44 PM. At Kurukshetra Junction, the train is scheduled to arrive at 4:26 PM and depart at 4:28 PM.

The train will reach Ambala Cantt at 5:50 PM and depart at 5:55 PM. It is scheduled to arrive at Dhandari Kalan at 7:20 PM, departing at 7:25 PM. The next important stop is Jalandhar Cantt, where the train will arrive at 8:30 PM and depart at 8:35 PM.

Further along the route, the train is scheduled to reach Pathankot Cantt at 10:30 PM and leave at 10:35 PM. It will arrive at Martyr Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua at 11:05 PM and depart at 11:07 PM. The train will then reach Jammu Tawi at 12:10 AM and depart at 12:20 AM. It is scheduled to arrive at Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan at 1:53 AM and leave at 1:55 AM, before reaching Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 3:00 AM.

According to the railway announcement, train 04085 will operate on October 15 and October 17, 2026.

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–New Delhi Special Train: Train No. 04086

For passengers returning from Katra towards the national capital, Northern Railway has also announced train number 04086, operating from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to New Delhi.

The train is scheduled to depart from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 10:00 AM. It will stop at Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan, Jammu Tawi, Martyr Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua, Pathankot Cantt, Jalandhar Cantt, Dhandari Kalan, Ambala Cantt, Kurukshetra Junction, Panipat Junction and Sonipat before reaching New Delhi.

According to the timetable, the train will arrive at Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan at 10:28 AM and depart at 10:30 AM. It is scheduled to reach Jammu Tawi at 11:45 AM, departing at 11:50 AM. At Martyr Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua, the train will arrive at 1:05 PM and depart at 1:07 PM.

The train is scheduled to reach Pathankot Cantt at 2:00 PM and leave at 2:05 PM. It will arrive at Jalandhar Cantt at 4:15 PM and depart at 4:17 PM. At Dhandari Kalan, the scheduled arrival is 5:25 PM, with departure at 5:30 PM.

The train will reach Ambala Cantt at 7:30 PM and depart at 7:40 PM. It is scheduled to arrive at Kurukshetra Junction at 8:19 PM and leave at 8:21 PM. At Panipat Junction, the arrival time is 9:20 PM, followed by departure at 9:22 PM. The train will reach Sonipat at 10:08 PM and depart at 10:10 PM, before arriving at New Delhi at 11:30 PM.

Train number 04086 is scheduled to operate on October 16 and October 18, 2026.

AC, Sleeper and General Class Coaches Available

The railway notice states that the special trains will have AC, Sleeper and General Class accommodation. This provides passengers with different travel options according to their requirements and budget.

Passengers should confirm seat availability, applicable fares and reservation requirements through official railway channels before travelling. The announcement identifies these services as reserved special trains, so travellers should check the applicable booking arrangements rather than assume that every coach is available for unreserved travel.

Important Dates to Remember

The two services will operate on alternate dates. Train number 04085 will run from New Delhi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra on October 15 and 17, 2026. In the opposite direction, train number 04086 will run from Katra to New Delhi on October 16 and 18, 2026.

“>October 14, 2026

Passengers should select the correct train number and date when planning their journey. It is also advisable to recheck the timetable before departure, as operational changes can occur.