Varanasi Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper explained: timings, fare, stops, coaches

Uttar Pradesh is getting its first Vande Bharat Sleeper train. An inaugural special is set to leave Varanasi at 4.15 pm on Saturday (31 October) and reach New Delhi at 2 am on Sunday, stopping at Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh and Ghaziabad.

What are the regular timings? Train 27421 will leave Varanasi at 20:50 and reach New Delhi at 06:10 the next morning. In the return direction, it will leave New Delhi at 21:40 and reach Varanasi at 07:10. It will run six days a week, with no Varanasi departure on Fridays and no New Delhi departure on Saturdays.

How much time does it save? Compared with the Shiv Ganga Express, the journey will be 55 minutes shorter from Varanasi to New Delhi and 35 minutes shorter the other way, the Railway Ministry said.

What are the fares? According to the railway notification reported by The Economic Times, a Third AC berth costs ₹1,819.20, Second AC ₹2,349.80 and First AC ₹2,880.40. GST is charged separately. Like other Vande Bharat Sleeper trains, it will not offer RAC, waitlisted or partially confirmed tickets.

What is the train like? It has 16 coaches: 11 Third AC, four Second AC and one First AC, with room for 823 passengers. It is designed for 180 km/h and will run at up to 160 km/h. Safety features include the Kavach collision-avoidance system, and the coaches have charging points, accessible toilets and showers.

Who built it? The train was developed by BEML using technology from the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, and Northern Railway will run it.

Is this the first such train? No. It is the second Vande Bharat Sleeper route, after the Howrah–Guwahati service that began in January 2026.

When can you book? Railways said the date for the start of regular commercial operations will be announced separately, so check the IRCTC website before planning a trip.