on Saturday commenced commercial operations of Vande Bharat trains between Katra and Srinagar, officials said. The Vande Bharat express train, which was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Katra on June 6, connects Kashmir with the rest of the country through rail.

Passengers who boarded the trains from Katra to Baramulla, or vice versa, expressed immense enthusiasm, with many stating they had eagerly awaited the opportunity to travel to Kashmir by train.

The first day of commercial operations went smoothly, as the trains reached their destinations by the evening, officials said.

They added that public excitement was high, with most of the seats booked within hours of the train's inauguration.

According to Northern Railway, two Vande Bharat train sets made four trips during the day between Katra and Srinagar. They said the train has two travel classes -- Chair Car (CC) and Executive Class (EC) -- with tickets priced at Rs 715 and Rs 1,320, respectively.