Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper train to start regular service on Monday
The new sleeper service will run six days a week and cover approximately 760 km via Kanpur Central.
The Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper train will begin regular commercial operations on Monday, November 2, 2026, according to The Indian Express. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the service from Varanasi railway station on Saturday.
The Northern Railway zone will operate and maintain the service, which is the first Vande Bharat Sleeper train in Uttar Pradesh and the second in the country. The 16-coach train will offer Third AC, Second AC, and First AC accommodation classes.
Train number 27421 will depart Varanasi at 8:50 pm and arrive in New Delhi at 6:10 am the next day, running six days a week except Fridays. The return service, train number 27422, will depart New Delhi at 9:40 pm and reach Varanasi at 7:10 am, running six days a week except Saturdays.
The service will stop at Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh, and Ghaziabad during its journey. The trip from Varanasi to New Delhi will take 9 hours and 20 minutes, while the return journey will take 9 hours and 30 minutes.
Passengers can book tickets online through the IRCTC website or the Rail Connect and RailOne apps, or offline at Passenger Reservation System counters at railway stations. Dr. Shivam Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer for the North Central Railway zone, confirmed the regular run will commence from November 2.