Railways Approves Surat-Udaipur Vande Bharat Express Train via Ahmedabad ; Timings Suitable for Tourists

Gandhinagar: The Railway Board has approved the introduction of a new Vande Bharat Express between Surat and Udaipur City, creating a new semi-high-speed rail link between South Gujarat, central Gujarat, Rajasthan and the Udaipur region.

According to a Railway Board communication issued on August 31, 2026, the proposed train will operate as Train No. 26903 Surat-Udaipur City Vande Bharat Express and Train No. 26904 Udaipur City-Surat Vande Bharat Express.

The service will run six days a week, except Tuesday, and will be operated with an eight-car Vande Bharat Express rake. Surat will be the train’s primary maintenance base.

Surat departure at 6.10 am, arrival in Udaipur at 1.40 pm

As per the approved timetable, Train No. 26903 will depart from Surat at 6.10 am and reach Udaipur City at 1.40 pm, covering the journey in approximately 7 hours and 30 minutes.

On the return journey, Train No. 26904 will depart from Udaipur City at 3.35 pm and reach Surat at 11.00 pm.

The timings are designed to provide a full-day connection in both directions, with the train reaching Udaipur in the afternoon and departing for Surat later in the day.

Major stations on the route

The new Vande Bharat will connect Surat and Udaipur through a number of important stations across Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The approved route and timings are:

The train will have commercial stoppages at Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Maninagar, Asarva, Himmatnagar, Shamlaji Road, Dungarpur and Zawar.

Notably, the approved timetable provides connectivity to both Ahmedabad’s Maninagar and Asarva stations, before the train heads north towards Himmatnagar and Rajasthan.

New direct Vande Bharat connectivity to Rajasthan

The introduction of the service will establish a direct Vande Bharat connection between Surat and Udaipur, linking several major commercial and urban centres along the route.

For passengers from South Gujarat, the train will provide a faster premium rail option to destinations in northern Gujarat and southern Rajasthan. The route also brings Udaipur within direct Vande Bharat connectivity from cities including Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, Himmatnagar and Dungarpur.

The service could also be significant for tourism, particularly for passengers travelling between Gujarat and Udaipur, one of Rajasthan’s major tourism destinations.

Existing Udaipur-Asarva Vande Bharat to be discontinued

Along with approving the new Surat-Udaipur service, the Railway Board has also approved the discontinuation of Train Nos. 26963/26964 Udaipur City-Asarva Vande Bharat Express.

The move indicates that the existing Udaipur-Asarva service is proposed to be replaced or restructured as part of the new Surat-Udaipur Vande Bharat operation.

The Railway Board communication, however, does not specify a final inaugural date for the new service.

Inaugural run could be operated as a special service

The Railway Board has directed that the introduction may be given effect from an advance reservation period (ARP) or no-booking date, whichever is earlier, and has asked the concerned railway authorities to take necessary action.

The communication also states that, if required, the inaugural service may be planned as a special service, which can subsequently be brought onto its regular timetable.

The authorities have also been asked to give wide publicity to the new service and ensure compliance with the approved arrangements.

Surat to serve as primary maintenance base

According to the Railway Board’s approved operating plan, Surat will be the primary maintenance location for the new Vande Bharat rake.

The train’s watering stations will be Vadodara and Asarva, while the composition has been specified as an eight-car Vande Bharat Express rake.

The proposed schedule therefore represents a significant expansion of Vande Bharat connectivity on the Gujarat-Rajasthan corridor, while giving Surat a direct Vande Bharat link with Udaipur for the first time under the approved arrangement.