The Surat-Udaipur Vande Bharat Express was flagged off on 2 October, opening a new semi-high-speed rail connection between Gujarat and southern Rajasthan and promising a journey time of about 7 hours and 30 minutes between the two cities. Ticket bookings for the service began online and at railway counters on 1 October, according to the report by Aaj Tak Business.
The service is expected to support passengers travelling for business, tourism, education and personal work between Surat and Udaipur. The route links Surat’s commercial base with cities and towns across Gujarat and Rajasthan, while also providing a faster rail option for visitors travelling towards Udaipur and the surrounding tourist region.
According to details attributed to Western Railway, train number 26903 will leave Surat at 6:10 am on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It is scheduled to reach Udaipur at 1:40 pm on the same day. The report states that this service will operate from 4 October 2026.
The return service, train number 26904, will depart from Udaipur at 3:35 pm on the same operating days and arrive in Surat at 11 pm. The report states that the return operation will begin on 3 October 2026. The schedule therefore provides a same-day travel option in both directions, although the timing and frequency will determine how useful the service is for different passenger groups.
The train will stop at Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Maninagar, Asarva, Himmatnagar, Shamlaji Road, Dungarpur and Javar, in addition to its originating and terminating stations. These stops extend the service beyond a direct Surat-Udaipur connection and bring the new train within reach of passengers travelling from several major urban centres and regional towns along the route.
The Vande Bharat train is equipped with automatic sliding doors, 360-degree rotating seats, a GPS-based passenger information system, Wi-Fi, closed-circuit television cameras and the Kavach anti-collision system, according to the report. These features combine passenger information, onboard comfort and safety systems in a service designed for longer intercity journeys.
Western Railway also shared visuals and statements about students travelling on the new service. The students described the train’s seating, interior and facilities positively, while the railway’s social media posts showed them experiencing the inaugural journey. Their presence highlighted the service’s potential relevance beyond business travellers, including students and families using rail for intercity movement.
The launch also creates a new scheduled connection between Gujarat and Rajasthan for tourism and commercial travel. Surat, Vadodara and Ahmedabad-area stations on the route are connected to Udaipur through a single service, while intermediate stops such as Himmatnagar, Shamlaji Road and Dungarpur may benefit from the additional premium rail link.
The immediate operational milestones are the start of the Udaipur-Surat service on 3 October and the Surat-Udaipur service on 4 October. Passengers will need to check the applicable timetable, booking availability and station-specific stoppages before travelling.
