Varanasi and New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper Express flagged off
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the new overnight service on Saturday.
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 the Hindustan Times. The new service aims to improve overnight connectivity between eastern Uttar Pradesh and the national capital.
The train will travel 760 km, stopping at Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh, and Ghaziabad. It features 16 coaches with First AC, Second AC, and Third AC accommodation. The service will operate six days a week, with no Friday service from Varanasi and no Saturday service from New Delhi.
According to the Financial Express, the train number 27421 is scheduled to depart Varanasi at 8:50 pm and reach New Delhi at 6:10 am the next morning. The return service, train number 27422, will leave New Delhi at 9:40 pm and arrive in Varanasi at 7:10 am the following day.
The new service is expected to reduce travel time by 55 minutes from Varanasi to New Delhi and by 35 minutes on the return leg compared to the Shiv Ganga Express. Onboard features include Wi-Fi, USB ports, and a Train Collision Avoidance System.
Minister Vaishnaw noted that the Kashi railway station is becoming a major transport hub for North and North East India. He stated the station includes a large waiting area capable of holding over 50,000 passengers simultaneously.