New Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Approved by Railways

The Railway Board has approved a new Vande Bharat Sleeper Express service between Varanasi and New Delhi. This semi-high-speed train is developed by BEML using technology from Chennai's Integral Coach Factory and aims to change overnight travel on this route.

Train Schedule and Stops

Train numbers 27421 and 27422 will cover a distance of about 760 kilometres in nine hours and thirty minutes. The orange-and-grey train will run six days a week, with train 27421 departing Varanasi at 8:50 pm and reaching New Delhi at 6:10 am the next day, except on Fridays. The return service, train 27422, will leave New Delhi at 9:40 pm and arrive in Varanasi at 7:10 am the following day, except on Saturdays. The train will run via Kanpur Central and stop at four stations: Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh, and Ghaziabad.

Coaches and Operations

The train features 16 coaches with three travel classes: Third AC, Second AC, and First AC. Northern Railway will handle the maintenance and operation of this service. Two chair car versions of the Vande Bharat currently run between these cities and operate at full capacity.

Context

Semi-high-speed train projects like the Vande Bharat sleeper series are part of India's ongoing efforts to modernise passenger rail networks and improve overnight travel comfort. These routes connect major cultural and political hubs to meet rising passenger demand across busy corridors.