Yogi Adityanath, Ashwini Vaishnaw flag off Varanasi-Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper train
The new overnight service will connect Varanasi and New Delhi via Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh and Ghaziabad.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express between Varanasi and New Delhi on Saturday, according to reports by Hindustan Times, Financial Express and Business Standard.
The new overnight service aims to improve connectivity between eastern Uttar Pradesh and the national capital. The train will stop at Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh and Ghaziabad during its journey.
The service will operate six days a week. The Varanasi-originating train will not run on Fridays, while the New Delhi-originating service will not operate on Saturdays.
According to the schedule, the train departs Varanasi at 8.50 pm and reaches New Delhi at 6.10 am the next day. For the return trip, it leaves New Delhi at 9.40 pm and arrives in Varanasi at 7.10 am the following morning.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper will reduce travel time by 55 minutes from Varanasi to New Delhi and by 35 minutes on the return journey compared to the Shiv Ganga Express. The 760-km trip will take approximately nine and a half hours.
The 16-coach train offers First AC, Second AC and Third AC accommodation. Features include Wi-Fi, USB ports, noise-reduction arrangements and the Train Collision Avoidance System.