§  Vande Bharat Routes Closed 2026

§  Major Shake-Up in Semi-High-Speed Rail

§  Indian Railways Shuts Down Two Key Trains Amid Low Ridership – New Udaipur-Ahmedabad Express Announced

§  Udaipur-Jaipur and Udaipur-Agra Vande Bharat Services End This Week – Latest Updates on Why and What’s Next for Passengers

§  Indian Railways discontinues Udaipur-Jaipur and Udaipur-Agra trains due to low occupancy

§  Check new Udaipur-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat schedule, stops and impacts for travelers in Rajasthan and Gujarat – fresh news and expert insights

Diptota Dey, Agra: Indian Railways cancels 2 Vande Bharat routes – Udaipur-Jaipur (20979/80) from Feb 14 and Udaipur-Agra Cantt (20981/82) from Feb 15, 2026.
New Vande Bharat approved between Udaipur-Asarva (Ahmedabad) starting Feb 16 (6 days/week).

Details & Context

Cancelled Trains

·       20979/80 Udaipur City-Jaipur: Ends Feb 14

·       20981/82 Udaipur City-Agra Cantt: Ends Feb 15
Reason: Low occupancy (official not disclosed)

New Route

·       Udaipur-Asarva Vande Bharat (Ahmedabad junction)

·       6 days/week (no Tuesday)

·       Stops: Jawar, Dungarpur, Himmatnagar

~4 hour journey boosting tourism/economy

Let’s keep it straightforward. Vande Bharat, India’s home-made semi-high-speed train, kicked off in 2019 and has grown fast – over 160 trains running nationwide by December 2025. These beasts hit speeds up to 160 km/h, offering comfy rides with fancy seats, AC coaches and quick trips. But on February 11, 2026, the Railway Ministry dropped a bombshell: Two routes from Udaipur are closing shop. Train 20979/20980 (Udaipur-Jaipur) stops running from February 14, 2026 and 20981/20982 (Udaipur-Agra Cantt) from February 15. No bookings beyond those dates on IRCTC, folks.!

Why the closures.? Low passenger numbers are the main culprit – these trains weren’t filling up, hurting revenue. It’s a first for Vande Bharat, showing even fancy trains need riders to survive. On the flip side, the new Udaipur-Asarva (Ahmedabad) Vande Bharat gets the green light. Train 26963 leaves Udaipur at 6:10 AM, hits Asarva by 10:25 AM with stops at Zawar, Dungarpur and Himmatnagar. The return, 26964, starts from Asarva at 5:45 PM and reaches Udaipur by 10:00 PM – six days a week, no Tuesdays. This links Rajasthan’s lakeside city with Gujarat’s busy hub, cutting travel time and boosting business.

From X digs, posts like @Indian__Updates highlight the surprise over closures due to “low turnout” with 41 views quick. Web sources confirm the rakes (train sets) from closed routes might shift to the new one for better use. Railways aims for 4,500 Vande Bharats by 2047 with upgrades like Vande Bharat 4.0 coming in 18 months – better seats, toilets and safety tech. But these closures show the need to match routes with demand.

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Quotes

·       North Western Railway (NWR)
“Passenger convenience prioritized with new route approval.”

·       Railway voices are clear. A North Western Railway statement said: “Train No. 20981/82 (Udaipur City–Agra Cantt–Udaipur City) Vande Bharat Express will not be operated from February 15, 2026, while Train No. 20979/80 (Udaipur City–Jaipur–Udaipur City) Vande Bharat Express will not run from February 14, 2026.”

·       On the new train: “For the convenience of passengers, the Railway Board has approved the Udaipur City-Asarwa (Ahmedabad) Vande Bharat train.”

·       From X, @mathrubhumieng posted: “Two Vande Bharat trains cancelled as new Udaipur–Ahmedabad route gets nod; Kerala lead in occupancy.”

·       Trainwalebhaiya on Facebook: “In a first for Indian Railways, the Udaipur-Agra Cantt and Udaipur-Jaipur Vande Bharat trains have been withdrawn due to poor patronage.”

·       PM Modi, at the sleeper launch: “Vande Bharat is transforming rail travel with speed and comfort.” A rider on X, @srikanth_pai, shared: “I reached Madgaon station exactly at departure time... The doors of Vande Bharat were closed. But the Guard saw me... I got inside after he opened doors.” These fresh quotes from February 13, 2026, capture the mix of shock and hope.

Additional Information

Vande Bharat Status

·       Launched 2019 (Delhi-Varanasi)

·       160+ trains by Dec 2025

·       Targets: 500 by 2030, 8500 by 2047

·       Vande Bharat 4.0 coming (advanced seats/toilets/5G/KAVACH 5.0)

Recent Milestone: PM Modi flagged India’s 1st Vande Bharat Sleeper (Howrah-Kamakhya).

Deeper research from X and web as of February 13, 2026, adds flavor. The closures mark a rare step – first time Vande Bharats get axed for low occupancy. Udaipur-Jaipur ran since 2023 but struggled with riders, maybe due to other options like Shatabdi. Agra route, linking to Taj Mahal, also underperformed. The new Udaipur-Ahmedabad.? It launches around February 16, covering 299 km in about 4 hours 15 minutes. Stops help tribal areas in Dungarpur. X post @garg_trupti went viral with a video of a man nearly missing a Vande Bharat due to auto-doors, highlighting safety tweaks needed. Kerala tops occupancy for Vande Bharats, showing where they shine. Railways eyes Vande Bharat 5.0 with auto safety systems. No fare details yet for the new one but expect AC Chair Car around Rs 800-1000. Social media trends like #VandeBharat show excitement mixed with gripes over cancellations.

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Impact Analysis

Winners

·       Ahmedabad-Udaipur travelers (4hr vs 5-6hr road)

·       Tourism boost (Udaipur temples/airport link)

Losers

·       Jaipur/Agra passengers – use normal trains

·       Low demand routes rationalized

These closures sting hard. For folks in Rajasthan, losing Udaipur-Jaipur means longer trips on slower trains, hitting daily commuters and tourists. Agra route cut hurts Taj visitors from Udaipur, possibly dropping tourism bucks. Economy-wise, low occupancy shows Vande Bharats need better marketing or cheaper tickets to fill seats. Positive side: New Ahmedabad link boosts trade between Gujarat’s industries and Rajasthan’s mines, creating jobs. Environmentally, fewer empty runs save energy. X users like @IMD1BOSS complain about other cancellations, showing wider rail woes. Overall, it’s a smart tweak – redeploy rakes where needed but passengers want more options. Engagement soars with viral videos like the door incident, pushing safety talks.

Conclusion

Vande Bharat routes reshuffle shows Indian Railways optimizing for demand + growth.
160+ trains pave way for world-class rail network by 2030.

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