Chief minister Yogi Adityanath and railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off several train services from Banaras railway station, including the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat sleeper train, as well as the Banaras-Prayagraj Rambagh and Banaras-Raja Talab train services. This is the second Vande Bharat sleep train service in India after the first one launched between Howrah and Kamakhya in January this year. The Varanasi-New Delhi train is UP’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train.
Vaishnaw stated the Vande Bharat sleeper train has been designed with meticulous attention to the comfort of passengers, as well as the needs of the loco pilots and staff.
“The railways consistently prioritises the requirements of all sections of the society, including the underprivileged and the middle class. This train allows passengers to depart from Varanasi at night and arrive in Delhi by morning; the same service is available in the reverse direction—from Delhi to Varanasi,” the railway minister said.
The fare for this train has been kept nominal. On Saturday, 10 MEMU services were inaugurated in Varanasi, the minister said.
The PM himself directed the launch of these MEMU services to ensure that the youth, traders, and farmers of Banaras all benefit, he said.
For MEMU trains, the Monthly Season Ticket (MST) fare from Varanasi to Rajatalab is ₹95, while the MST fare from Varanasi to Prayagraj Rambagh is ₹220.
{{/usCountry}}For MEMU trains, the Monthly Season Ticket (MST) fare from Varanasi to Rajatalab is ₹95, while the MST fare from Varanasi to Prayagraj Rambagh is ₹220.
{{/usCountry}}The Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat train will connect Varanasi, Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh and Ghaziabad before reaching New Delhi.
The service will depart Varanasi at 8.50 pm and arrive in New Delhi at 6.10 am the following morning. In the return direction, it will leave New Delhi at 9.40 pm and reach Varanasi at 7.10 am the next day.
Compared with the existing Shiv Ganga Express, the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express will reduce journey time from Varanasi to New Delhi by 55 minutes and from New Delhi to Varanasi by 35 minutes, offering passengers a faster overnight travel option in both directions, the railway ministry had said on Friday.
The service will operate six days a week, except Fridays for the Varanasi-originating train and Saturdays for the New Delhi-originating service.
The service is expected to particularly benefit pilgrims, tourists, students, working professionals and families who frequently travel between eastern Uttar Pradesh and the National Capital Region.