Railway authorities are set to roll out a major connectivity boost between Gujarat's industrial hub of Surat and Rajasthan's prime tourist destination, Udaipur. The Surat-Udaipur City-Surat Vande Bharat Express will be flagged off on October 2 as an inaugural special service departing from Surat. On its maiden run, the special train is scheduled to leave Surat at 10:00 am and pull into Udaipur City at 5:40 pm the same evening. Regular commercial operations will begin right after, offering travelers, professionals, and holidaymakers a much faster and more reliable rail corridor linking southern Rajasthan with prominent commercial hubs across Gujarat.
Inaugural Run Details and Full Regular Schedule
North Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Amit Sudarshan outlined the operational roadmap for the new semi-high-speed service. Train number 09103, operating as the Surat-Udaipur City Inaugural Special, will undertake its maiden journey on October 2 with an eight-coach trainset, leaving Surat at 10:00 am and arriving at Udaipur City at 5:40 pm. Following the launch, regular commercial services will kick off on October 3. From Udaipur, train number 26904 Udaipur City-Surat Vande Bharat Express will commence regular operations on October 3, departing Udaipur City at 3:35 pm and arriving at Surat at 11:00 pm on the same night. The journey will take approximately seven and a half hours, operating six days a week, excluding Tuesdays.
On the return leg, train number 26903 Surat-Udaipur City Vande Bharat Express will start its regular commercial schedule from Surat on October 4. It will depart Surat early in the morning at 6:10 am and terminate at Udaipur City by 1:40 pm in the afternoon. This early morning departure provides a rapid transit option for passengers traveling from coastal and central Gujarat into Rajasthan before late afternoon.
En Route Halts, Coach Configuration, and Ticket Fares
The eight-coach rake will serve critical passenger junctions across both states, expanding transit options beyond just the terminal points. As per the designated schedule, the train will halt at Jawar, Dungarpur, Shamlaji, Himmatnagar, Asarwa, Maninagar, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, and Surat. By including Asarwa and Maninagar in the Ahmedabad urban belt alongside industrial powerhouses like Vadodara, Bharuch, and Anand, the route ensures extensive coverage for business commuters and daily travelers alike.
Ticketing for the service is organized into two air-conditioned travel classes. Passengers traveling in the Chair Car (CC) class will pay a fare of 1,460 rupees. For those opting for the premium Executive Class, the fare has been set at 2,760 rupees. Both classes offer modern seating amenities and fast transit designed to cut down substantial journey hours between the two western states.
Discontinuation of the Udaipur-Asarwa Vande Bharat Service
The introduction of the expanded Surat route brings an operational restructuring to existing regional railway lines. Railway officials confirmed that the shorter Udaipur City-Asarwa-Udaipur City Vande Bharat Express, bearing train numbers 26963 and 26964, will be withdrawn permanently from October 2, 2026. Because the newly launched Surat service encompasses Asarwa and Himmatnagar within its scheduled stops, travelers moving between Udaipur and Gujarat will transition to this expanded route as their primary semi-high-speed travel option.
