Rail travel between southern Rajasthan and Gujarat is set for a major upgrade as regular commercial operations of the Vande Bharat Express between Udaipur and Surat will commence on October 3. The service previously operated along the Udaipur to Asarwa corridor, and while an extension up to Surat had been announced earlier, it was temporarily put on hold. Following representations by Udaipur Member of Parliament Dr. Mannalal Rawat, the Ministry of Railways has finalized the schedule and cleared the extended run starting from October 3.
Inaugural Arrival and Reception Ceremony in Udaipur
Detailing the launch schedule, Member of Parliament Dr. Mannalal Rawat shared that the train will depart from Surat on October 2 and reach Udaipur at approximately 5:30 pm. The rake will halt at Udaipur overnight. Railway authorities have planned a formal welcome reception upon the train's arrival, which will be attended by senior railway officials and regional public representatives. Following this ceremonial arrival, the train will embark on its inaugural regular commercial run from Udaipur to Surat on October 3 strictly as per its designated timetable.
Weekly Schedule and Complete Station Timings
Under the finalized operating framework, the semi-high-speed train will run six days a week between Udaipur and Surat. Passengers should note that the service will not operate on Tuesdays. The timetable has been framed to offer convenient point-to-point transit for traders, office-goers, students, and regular travelers moving between southern Rajasthan, commercial belts in Gujarat, and onwards to southern destinations.
Departing from Udaipur at 3:35 pm, the train will reach Jawar at 4:03 pm, followed by Dungarpur at 4:50 pm and Shamlaji Road at 5:27 pm. Continuing across Gujarat, it will halt at Himmatnagar at 6:18 pm and pull into Asarwa by 7:25 pm. It will then proceed to Maninagar at 8:58 pm, Anand at 9:50 pm, and Bharuch at 10:22 pm, ultimately terminating at Surat station at approximately 11:00 pm.
Return Timings from Surat to Udaipur
For the return journey heading north, the train will leave Surat early in the morning at 6:10 am. Stopping across its scheduled halts in reverse order, it will arrive at Udaipur at approximately 1:40 pm. This schedule delivers a fast, direct rail transit option between the two cities without the need for cumbersome mid-journey transfers. Dr. Mannalal Rawat expressed gratitude to Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for approving the route extension, stating that the central government had acted decisively on a longstanding public demand that will invigorate regional commerce, job creation, and daily commuting.
Improved Southern Connections and Trade Expansion
Surat serves as a major commercial magnet with extensive textile and diamond trading networks, where a sizeable demographic from the Mewar region resides or travels regularly for business. Furthermore, a substantial number of passengers regularly commute between Mewar and southern Indian commercial hubs. Previously, many commuters were forced to depend on long-distance road buses from Udaipur to reach Surat before catching connecting trains to further destinations. The direct Vande Bharat link simplifies transit substantially by offering a comfortable corridor to Surat, simultaneously making it much easier to transfer to major outbound trains serving southern India.
