Ahmedabad: Several cities and towns of Gujarat have gained connectivity with the fastest train currently operating in the country, the Vande Bharat Express. With five of these semi-high-speed trains running between Gujarat and the neighboring states of Rajasthan and Maharashtra, 18 cities and towns in the state are now connected by the Vande Bharat Express.

The cities and towns in Gujarat connected by these trains are Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Surat, Vapi, Palanpur, Mehsana, Sanand, Viramgam, Surendranagar, Wankaner, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Dwarka, Okha, Junagadh, and Veraval.

Among these cities, Ahmedabad has connectivity with all five Vande Bharat Express trains, while Vadodara, Surat, Vapi, Rajkot, Viramgam, Surendranagar, and Wankaner are connected with two Vande Bharat trains. In contrast, only one Vande Bharat train passes through the remaining towns such as Palanpur, Mehsana, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Veraval, Somnath, and Dwarka.

Operated by Indian Railways, these semi-high-speed trains are enhancing regional connectivity, reducing travel time, and boosting tourism and business across Gujarat. Here are the details of the trains currently running across the state:

1. Mumbai Central – Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express (20901/20902)

India’s third Vande Bharat Express connects Mumbai in Maharashtra with Gandhinagar in Gujarat, passing through Borivali, Vapi, Surat, Vadodara, Anand, and Ahmedabad. This train operates six days a week, strengthening the economic corridor between the two states.

2. Jodhpur – Sabarmati Vande Bharat Express (12461/12462)

This train connects the popular tourist destination of Jodhpur in Rajasthan with Sabarmati in Ahmedabad. In Gujarat, the train halts at Palanpur and Mehsana, enhancing interstate rail access to northern Gujarat.

3. Ahmedabad – Okha Vande Bharat Express (22925/22926)

This service connects Ahmedabad with the coastal town of Okha, offering improved connectivity to the temple town of Dwarka. En route, it stops at Sabarmati, Sanand, Viramgam, Surendranagar, Wankaner, Rajkot, Jamnagar, and Dwarka. It significantly boosts connectivity to the Saurashtra region and key pilgrimage destinations.

4. Ahmedabad – Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express (22961/22962)

This is the second Vande Bharat train connecting Ahmedabad and Mumbai — one of the country’s busiest rail routes. Introduced due to heavy demand on the earlier train (which was running over 100% capacity), this new service has fewer halts, stopping only at Vadodara, Surat, Vapi, and Borivali. It enhances both business and passenger movement between the two financial hubs.

5. Sabarmati – Veraval Vande Bharat Express (26901/26902)

The newest Vande Bharat Express was flagged off on Monday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Gujarat visit. The semi-high-speed train, which begins regular service from May 27, connects Sabarmati (Ahmedabad) with the pilgrimage town of Veraval near Somnath. It stops at Viramgam, Surendranagar, Wankaner, Rajkot, Junagadh, and Veraval, promoting religious tourism and regional development in western Gujarat.

Another Modi-Era Train – Vande Bharat Metro

After the success of the Vande Bharat Express in the medium-distance segment, the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail—also known as Vande Metro—became another train introduced under the government of Prime Minister Modi. The country’s first Namo Bharat Rapid Rail was flagged off by PM Modi in September 2024, connecting Ahmedabad and Bhuj in Gujarat.

This non-suburban metro train runs six days a week, except on Saturdays, connecting cities like Ahmedabad and Bhuj with towns such as Viramgam, Dhrangadhra, Halvad, Samakhiali, Bhachau, Gandhidham, and Anjar. The train covers a distance of 359 km in a little over five and a half hours.

DeshGujarat