UP's first Vande Bharat Sleeper train between Varanasi and Delhi flagged off: Timings, stations

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday flagged off the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express between Varanasi and New Delhi, extending the next-generation train service to another major route.

The new service is aimed at improving overnight connectivity between eastern Uttar Pradesh and the national capital, with upgraded onboard amenities, advanced safety features and sleeper accommodation.

The new service will connect Varanasi with the national capital. En route, the train will halt at Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh and Ghaziabad, connecting several important urban centres and surrounding districts.

The Vande Bharat Sleeper will depart Varanasi at 20.50 and arrive in New Delhi at 06.10 the following morning. On its return journey, it will leave New Delhi at 21.40 and reach Varanasi at 7.10 the next day.

Compared with the existing Shiv Ganga Express, the new service will reduce travel time from Varanasi to New Delhi by 55 minutes and from New Delhi to Varanasi by 35 minutes.

The train will operate six days a week, except Fridays for the Varanasi-originating service and Saturdays for the New Delhi-originating service. Its overnight schedule will allow passengers to leave in the evening and reach their destination the following morning.

The train will have 16 coaches and offer three classes of accommodation: Third AC, Second AC and First AC. Operating via Kanpur Central, it will cover the 760-km distance between the two cities in nine hours and 30 minutes.

According to the train schedule, train number 27421 will depart Varanasi at 8.50 pm and reach Delhi at 5.55 am the following day. Train number 27422 will leave New Delhi at 9.40 pm and arrive in Varanasi at 6.45 am the next morning.

The commercial circular detailing the fares is yet to be issued.

The charges are likely to be slightly higher than those of other trains operating on the route, reflecting the amenities offered, NDTV reported.

Launched on the New Delhi-Varanasi route in February 2019, Vande Bharat trains have served over 9.1 crore passengers through one lakh trips.

In FY25-25 alone, approximately 3.98 crore passengers availed the service, reflecting a year-on-year growth of nearly 34 per cent from 2.97 crore passengers in FY 2024-25.

After flagging off the Kashi-Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper train, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the convenience the service would offer passengers. He also spoke about Kashi railway station emerging as a major transport connectivity hub for North India and North East India.

"The 'Vande Bharat' sleeper trains will also be a significant convenience, allowing passengers to depart from Banaras at night and arrive in Delhi by morning, or vice versa. The (Kashi railway) station is emerging as a vital transport hub. Together with the 'Namo' bridge, the Kashi station will serve as a major transport connectivity hub for all of North India and North East India, a benefit the nation will reap for many years to come," he said.

He also detailed the facilities planned at the railway station, including a large waiting area and connectivity to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

"The Kashi station has been designed with expansive facilities on both its northern and southern sides, featuring a massive waiting area, roughly the size of a football field, capable of accommodating over 50,000 passengers simultaneously. Furthermore, the southern side of the station is located just about 2 kilometres from the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. This will allow devotees and pilgrims, arriving from across the country and the world, to easily access the temple and the iconic ghats of Kashi. This site is set to become a major railway and transport hub," he added.