Two Vande Bharat trains cancelled as new Udaipur–Ahmedabad route gets nod; Kerala lead in occupancy

The Ministry of Railways has approved a new Vande Bharat Express between Udaipur and Asarwa (Ahmedabad), even as two existing Vande Bharat trains from Udaipur are set to be discontinued this week.

The new Udaipur–Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express will replace services on the Udaipur–Agra Cantt and Udaipur–Jaipur routes.

According to the North Western Railway (NWR):

Train No. 20981/82 (Udaipur City–Agra Cantt) will stop operating from February 15, 2026

Train No. 20979/80 (Udaipur City–Jaipur) will be discontinued from February 14, 2026

The move comes as Indian Railways restructures services amid fluctuating passenger demand and revenue concerns.

New Udaipur–Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express details

The newly approved Vande Bharat Express between Udaipur City and Asarwa (Ahmedabad) will run six days a week (except Tuesday).

Timings:

Train No. 26963:

Departs Udaipur at 6:10 AM, reaches Asarwa at 10:25 AM

Train No. 26964:

Departs Asarwa at 5:45 PM, reaches Udaipur at 10:00 PM

Stops:

Zawar, Dungarpur, Himmat Nagar

The semi-high-speed train can run at a maximum speed of 160 kmph, offering faster and more comfortable travel between Rajasthan and Gujarat.

The service will be operated and maintained by the North Western Railway (NWR) zone.

Kerala Vande Bharat trains lead in occupancy

While several Vande Bharat trains across India are struggling with low passenger numbers, three Vande Bharat Express trains from Kerala are leading the country in occupancy rates.

Reports suggest that these Kerala routes have seen occupancy close to 200 percent, making them the top-performing Vande Bharat services in India.

However, nearly half of the 82 Vande Bharat trains currently running nationwide are witnessing lower demand, with over 30 services facing empty seats, including the Mangaluru–Goa Vande Bharat.

Railway officials have reportedly been concerned about revenue fluctuations, particularly on certain eight-coach Vande Bharat trains.

Why are passenger numbers fluctuating

Despite being India’s most punctual train service, passenger demand varies mostly on the route. Railway sources suggest that route planning and regional demand patterns have influenced occupancy levels across different states.