Western Railway has officially rolled out a major enhancement to interstate travel by launching a brand-new Vande Bharat Express service connecting the textile city of Surat with Rajasthan's premier tourist hub, Udaipur City. Commercial runs on this route commence on October 3, offering passengers a swift journey across a total distance of 530 kilometers in just 7 hours and 25 minutes. Ticket counters and digital booking windows opened for seat reservations on October 1. Passengers opting for this semi high-speed premium train can choose between two seating configurations: Executive Chair Car and standard AC Chair Car coaches.
Replacing Underutilised Asarwa Route to Expand Passenger Reach
This newly announced timetable replaces an earlier iteration of the premium train that formerly operated solely between Udaipur City and Asarwa. Introduced earlier this year in February under train numbers 26963 and 26964, that original service struggled with poor patron turnout and low passenger load. In order to turn the rake into a commercially viable operation, railway officials opted to overhaul the corridor entirely, reassigning fresh train numbers and stretching the run down into south Gujarat's bustling commercial core in Surat.
Complete Route Network and Scheduled Passenger Halts
Along its journey linking the two states, the train has been slated to stop at nine intermediate stations in both directions. The designated halts include Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Maninagar, Asarwa, Himmatnagar, Shamlaji Road, Dungarpur, and Zawar. By bridging these transit nodes, the schedule caters directly to corporate commuters, students, tourists, and traders travelling between industrial zones in Gujarat and scenic educational belts across southern Rajasthan.
Timetable for Train Number 26904: Udaipur to Surat
Train number 26904, covering the Udaipur to Surat stretch, begins regular operations on October 3. The service runs six days a week, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, while remaining off the tracks on Tuesdays for routine maintenance. The departure sequence unfolds as follows
- Departure from Udaipur is set for 15:35.
- Departure from Zawar occurs at 15:35.
- Departure from Dungarpur takes place at 16:52.
- Departure from Shamlaji Road is scheduled for 17:29.
- Departure from Himmatnagar follows at 18:20.
- Departure from Asarwa is timed for 19:30.
- Departure from Maninagar happens at 20:00.
- Departure from Anand is marked at 20:42.
- Departure from Vadodara takes place at 21:17.
- Departure from Bharuch is at 22:02, bringing the rake into Surat for its final arrival at 23:00.
Timetable for Train Number 26903: Surat to Udaipur
In the return direction, train number 26903 shuttles from Surat to Udaipur City, kicking off its inaugural commercial trip on October 4. Like its counterpart, it operates six days weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with no service on Tuesdays. The detailed timing chart is scheduled as follows
- Departure from Surat starts early at 06:10.
- Departure from Bharuch occurs at 06:48.
- Departure from Vadodara is booked for 07:40.
- Departure from Anand takes place at 08:08.
- Departure from Maninagar happens at 08:43.
- Departure from Asarwa follows at 09:30.
- Departure from Himmatnagar is set for 10:40.
- Departure from Shamlaji Road is timed for 11:10.
- Departure from Dungarpur is scheduled for 11:44.
- Departure from Zawar occurs at 12:47, before finally pulling into Udaipur City at 13:40 the same afternoon.
