JAMMU — For generations, reaching Kashmir in winter has depended on a mix of luck and patience. Snowstorms grounded flights. Landslides shut the Srinagar–Jammu highway for days. Travelers waited, uncertain, often stranded.
This winter, that pattern has begun to shift.
With the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) now fully operational, rail travel has emerged as the most reliable way into the valley during the coldest months. The line, completed after decades of construction, is proving especially valuable during the current winter season.
A Route Built for Harsh Conditions
Unlike the mountain highway, which remains vulnerable to snowfall and landslides near Ramban and Banihal, the USBRL route runs largely through long tunnels and reinforced mountain sections. These stretches protect trains from weather disruptions that routinely shut down road traffic.
Railway officials say this design allows services to continue even when surface conditions deteriorate. During recent snowfall episodes, trains have remained operational while parts of the highway were temporarily closed.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Impact
A key part of this winter’s shift has been the introduction of Vande Bharat Sleeper services on the Delhi–Srinagar route. According to railway data, these trains have been running at full occupancy in recent days.
The journey from New Delhi to Srinagar now takes about 13 hours, offering a direct overnight option that was previously unavailable. Passengers travel in heated coaches, with insulated cabins designed for cold conditions, along with basic onboard amenities such as Wi-Fi.
For many travelers, the appeal lies not just in comfort, but in certainty.
“Once you board, you know you will reach,” said one passenger arriving in Jammu before continuing north. “That was never guaranteed before.”
A Cost Advantage
The rail link is also reshaping travel costs.
With New Year demand driving airfares sharply higher, one-way flights to Srinagar are currently priced between ₹12,000 and ₹18,000. In comparison, sleeper-class train tickets cost under ₹2,500, making rail travel the most affordable option during peak winter season.
Tour operators say the price difference has encouraged more budget travelers and families to plan winter trips that were previously considered too risky or expensive.
A Backup Plan When Flights Fail
Even for travelers who initially book flights, the rail network is becoming a crucial fallback.
Dense fog at Srinagar airport continues to cause delays and cancellations, particularly in the mornings. In such cases, travelers are increasingly opting to reach Banihal by road from Jammu, where weather conditions are often clearer, and then board local trains for the final leg into the valley.
The Banihal–Baramulla section, which passes through the Pir Panjal tunnel, remains one of the most reliable winter routes into Kashmir.
A Quiet Transformation
The full operation of the USBRL may not carry the spectacle of a new airport or highway, but its impact is being felt quietly and steadily. For the first time, winter travel to Kashmir is less dependent on weather forecasts and more on fixed timetables.
As the valley moves through Chillai Kalan, its harshest winter phase, the train has become an unlikely symbol of reassurance , a warm, moving corridor through snowbound mountains, delivering travelers to Kashmir with a reliability that was long missing.
