# New Vande Bharat Express Links Surat and Udaipur Starting October 2 > A new eight-coach Vande Bharat Express will begin operating between Surat and Udaipur City on October 2, cutting travel time across Gujarat and Rajasthan to around seven and a half hours. **Type:** article · **Category:** India · **Published:** 2026-10-01 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/national/surat-aura-udaipur-ke-bicha-nai-vande-bharat-express-ki-shuruata-2-aktubara-ko-hari-jhndi-41173 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Vande Bharat Express, Surat Railway, Udaipur City, North Western Railway, Indian Railways, Train Fares, Gujarat Rail 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. ## What this means for you The launch of this new semi-high-speed rail link will significantly cut travel time between key commercial and tourist hubs across Gujarat and Rajasthan. - **Across Rajasthan and Gujarat:** Passengers moving between these two neighboring states can now complete the journey in approximately seven and a half hours. With fares set at 1,460 rupees for Chair Car and 2,760 rupees for Executive Class, travelers receive a fast alternative to road and conventional rail journeys. - **In Surat and Udaipur:** Commuters get reliable same-day connectivity with Udaipur departures at 3:35 pm reaching Surat by 11:00 pm, and Surat departures at 6:10 am arriving in Udaipur by 1:40 pm. Operating six days a week (excluding Tuesdays), it offers consistent scheduling for business visitors and tourists alike. - **For Asarwa Route Commuters:** The older Udaipur-Asarwa Vande Bharat will be permanently discontinued starting October 2, 2026. However, because the new service halts at Asarwa, Himmatnagar, and Dungarpur, local passengers gain direct extended travel access all the way to Surat. - **For Industrial Belt Travelers:** Intermediate stops at Vadodara, Bharuch, and Anand integrate major manufacturing corridors with Rajasthan. Textile traders, corporate commuters, and students along these routes will benefit from predictable morning and evening semi-high-speed schedules. ## Why this happened Railway authorities planned this transition to satisfy heavy passenger demand between Rajasthan and Gujarat while upgrading an existing short-haul service into a high-capacity long-distance corridor. - **Route Extension and Optimization:** The earlier Vande Bharat run only linked Udaipur to Asarwa, leaving travelers bound for south Gujarat without direct connectivity. Extending the route through to Surat allows a single eight-coach trainset to serve major commercial centers like Vadodara, Bharuch, and Anand. - **Commercial and Tourism Demand:** Surat's massive textile and diamond markets have strong business ties with Rajasthan, while Udaipur remains a premier destination for Gujarati tourists. Introducing a seven-and-a-half-hour link satisfies persistent demand for faster, premium daylight transit. - **Fleet and Corridor Reorganization:** To optimize rolling stock, railway managers decided to withdraw the shorter Udaipur-Asarwa service (train numbers 26963/26964) starting October 2, 2026. Replacing it with the Surat service prevents redundant scheduling while covering all former intermediate stops such as Himmatnagar and Asarwa. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. When will the Surat-Udaipur Vande Bharat Express be inaugurated? The inaugural special train will depart from Surat on October 2 at 10:00 am and reach Udaipur City at 5:40 pm. ### 2. When do regular commercial operations commence? Regular services begin from Udaipur City on October 3 at 3:35 pm, while return operations from Surat start on October 4 at 6:10 am. ### 3. What is the weekly schedule of this train? The train will run six days a week, remaining off the tracks only on Tuesdays. ### 4. How long will the trip take between Udaipur and Surat? The entire journey between the two cities will take approximately seven and a half hours. ### 5. What are the ticket prices for Chair Car and Executive Class? The ticket fare is set at 1,460 rupees for Chair Car (CC) and 2,760 rupees for Executive Class. ### 6. Which intermediate railway stations will the train serve? The scheduled halts include Jawar, Dungarpur, Shamlaji, Himmatnagar, Asarwa, Maninagar, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, and Surat. ### 7. Which train service is being discontinued with this launch? The Udaipur City-Asarwa Vande Bharat Express (train numbers 26963/26964) will be discontinued starting October 2, 2026. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._