Planning Vaishno Devi trip this summer? These are Indian Railways trains that run from Delhi to Katra

One of the holiest pilgrimages that is partaken in India is the Vaishno Devi temple. Every year, the temple witnesses a number of devotees, with the footfall at its peak during the vacation with the children as well as the elderly paying a visit to the temple. Vaishno Devi is a Hindu cave temple dedicated to Goddess Mata Adi Shakti, and is located in Katra. The temple is situated in the Trikuta Mountains in Jammu and Kashmir.

Thanks to the initiatives that the Indian Railways and its branch of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), there has been an increase in the number of trains that go directly to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, from various corners of the country. 

The trains going to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi include: the Shri Shakti AC Express (22461), Uttar Sampark Kranti Express (12445), Jammu Mail (14033) and Malwa SF Express (12919). These are the super fast expresses that run daily, from Sunday to Saturday. 

Trains that travel up to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi starting from New Delhi are Kota - Udhampur Weekly Express (19805), Andaman Express (16031), Himsagar Express (16317), Tirunelveli - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Express (16787), Jabalpur - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (Durgawati) Express (11449), Navyug Express (16687) and Kota - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Weekly Express (19803). However, one should note that these trains run on specific days only. The Tirunelveli - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Express (16787) runs on Sundays and Wednesdays while Jabalpur - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (Durgawati) Express (11449) runs only on Tuesdays.

The trains that have the shortest route to Katra from Delhi are Yesvantpur - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra SpecialFare Special (via Kolar) (065210, Hapa - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (Sarvodaya) SF Express (12475), Jamnagar - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (Sindhu) SF Express (12477), Sarvodaya Express (12473) and Swaraj Express (12471). The passengers should, however, note that these trains function on particular days of the week. 

Delhi Sarai Rohilla - Udhampur AC Express (9224010 starts from Delhi Sarai station and is a super fast AC train that runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Meanwhile, Anand Vihar Terminal - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra AC Special Fare Special (04401) initiates from Anand Vihar Terminals and runs on Mondays and Thursdays.