The first direct express train service between Ramnagar and Dehradun has been launched. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Ramnagar-Dehradun Express virtually on Saturday. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also joined the event via video conferencing. This new train will strengthen rail connectivity between the Kumaon and Garhwal regions and fulfil a long-standing public demand.
Train to run twice a week
The Ramnagar-Dehradun Express will operate every Wednesday and Friday. Train number 15310 will depart from Ramnagar at 5:50 AM and arrive in Dehradun at 12:40 PM. On the return journey, train number 15309 will depart from Dehradun at 3:55 PM and reach Ramnagar at 11:30 PM. En route, it will halt at Kashipur, Roshanpur, Pipalsana, Moradabad, Najibabad, and Haridwar stations.
Facilities for passengers across all classes
The train will feature AC Second Class, AC Third Class, AC Chair Car, Sleeper Class, Second Sitting, and General Second Class coaches. This service will benefit passengers from the Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, and Dehradun districts of Uttarakhand, as well as those from Moradabad and Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. It will enable students, farmers, traders, and other travellers to complete their tasks by making a round trip within a single day.
Boost to tourism and pilgrimage
The new rail service will facilitate easier access to religious and tourist destinations such as Jim Corbett National Park, Girija Devi Temple, and Sitamadhi-Sitabani. It will also provide improved rail connectivity for the Char Dham Yatra—covering Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri—via Haridwar and Dehradun.
Rishikesh to become a feeder station
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the Rishikesh railway station would be developed as a feeder station to alleviate the increasing pressure on Haridwar station. A master plan is being prepared for this purpose, which will create additional capacity and make passenger movement smoother. Redevelopment of 11 Railway Stations in Uttarakhand
The Railway Minister stated that 11 railway stations in the state—including Dehradun, Haridwar Junction, Harrawala, Kashipur Junction, Kichha, Kotdwar, Roorkee, Kathgodam, Lal Kuan Junction, Ramnagar, and Tanakpur—are undergoing redevelopment. He mentioned that priority would be given to amenities for passengers from the poor and middle-class sections during the development of the Haridwar and Dehradun stations, with a special focus on managing passenger congestion.
Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project to Serve as a Lifeline for Development
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that the Ramnagar-Dehradun Express would significantly strengthen rail connectivity in Uttarakhand. Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, he noted that work on the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line is progressing rapidly and will prove to be a lifeline for the state’s social, economic, religious, and tourism development. He highlighted that Uttarakhand has received a record railway budget allocation of ₹4,769 crore, and railway projects worth over ₹40,000 crore are currently underway in the state.
