Gujarat’s intercity rail network will expand further this week with the launch of a new Vande Bharat service between Asarwa in Ahmedabad and Udaipur City in Rajasthan. The train, scheduled for formal inauguration on February 16 and commercial operations from February 18, marks the sixth Vande Bharat corridor originating from the state, signalling deeper economic integration between western India’s urban and tourism hubs.
The Ahmedabad–Udaipur stretch has long been a crucial link connecting Gujarat’s manufacturing clusters with Rajasthan’s heritage and hospitality economy. Rail officials say the new service is expected to reduce travel time and improve reliability along a route that serves commuters, small traders, students and domestic tourists. Operating six days a week, the train will depart Asarwa in the early evening and reach Udaipur the same night, while the return service will run in the morning hours. Key intermediate halts include Himmatnagar, Dungarpur and Jawar towns that are seeing gradual urban growth and rising demand for dependable transport connections.
The Vande Bharat Ahmedabad Udaipur service will run with eight coaches, including air-conditioned chair car and executive chair car configurations. The train is equipped with automated doors, bio-toilets, onboard surveillance and passenger charging points features that have become standard across India’s semi-high-speed fleet. From an urban development perspective, improved rail connectivity between tier-two cities and major metropolitan regions has wider implications. Urban planners note that reliable intercity transit can support decentralised growth, enabling businesses to expand beyond saturated metros while maintaining access to larger markets. For Udaipur, a city reliant on tourism and hospitality, faster rail links to Ahmedabad’s airport and business districts may strengthen weekend travel and conference tourism.
Transport economists also point to the environmental case. Electrified semi-high-speed trains offer a lower-carbon alternative to road traffic along the corridor, particularly on stretches prone to congestion. As states pursue climate-resilient infrastructure, rail remains central to reducing per capita transport emissions while ensuring equitable mobility.The addition of the Vande Bharat Ahmedabad Udaipur route aligns with broader efforts to modernise railway stations, expand electrification and improve passenger amenities across western India. Booking for regular services opens ahead of the February 18 commencement, with demand likely to be driven by both leisure and business travel. As India continues investing in faster regional rail, corridors such as Ahmedabad–Udaipur may serve as test cases for how infrastructure upgrades can shape local economies linking heritage cities, industrial clusters and emerging towns into a more connected and sustainable urban network.
