New Delhi, October 31, 2026: Indian Railways has announced a new Vande Bharat Sleeper Express connecting Varanasi and New Delhi, offering passengers an overnight journey of nine hours and 20 minutes. The train is scheduled to depart Varanasi at 8:50 pm and arrive in New Delhi at 6:10 am the following morning, saving 55 minutes compared with the Shiv Ganga Express.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw are scheduled to flag off the service from Varanasi on October 31, according to a Ministry of Railways announcement issued on October 30.
The return service will depart New Delhi at 9:40 pm and arrive in Varanasi at 7:10 am the following day, completing the journey in nine hours and 30 minutes. This represents a saving of 35 minutes compared with the Shiv Ganga Express.
The train will operate six days a week in each direction. Services originating from Varanasi will not run on Fridays, while those departing New Delhi will not operate on Saturdays.
The overnight service will connect Varanasi, Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh, Ghaziabad and New Delhi, providing another travel option for passengers travelling between eastern Uttar Pradesh and the National Capital Region.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper is designed for long-distance overnight travel, offering air-conditioned sleeping accommodation and modern onboard facilities.
Passenger amenities include charging sockets, USB ports, Wi-Fi equipment, improved luggage space, automatic doors and vacuum toilets. Hot-water shower facilities will be available in First AC coaches.
The train also incorporates safety features such as a train collision avoidance system, fire and smoke detection equipment, CCTV cameras, emergency alarm buttons and fire-resistant design features.
According to Indian Railways, regenerative braking technology will help recover energy during braking, while other design features are intended to improve ride comfort and operational efficiency.
The new service follows the introduction of Vande Bharat Sleeper operations between Howrah and Kamakhya in January 2026, expanding modern overnight rail travel to another major intercity route.
The announced journey times make the new sleeper service faster than the Shiv Ganga Express in both directions. However, it will not be the fastest train between Varanasi and Delhi, as daytime Vande Bharat Express services already operate on the route with shorter scheduled journey times.
The ministry’s October 30 announcement does not specify ticket fares, train numbers, booking commencement dates or when regular commercial passenger services will begin.
The scheduled October 31 flag-off marks the planned inauguration of the service, but the announcement does not confirm that the ceremony has taken place or that regular bookings have opened.
Once regular passenger operations begin, the Varanasi–New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper will provide an additional overnight rail option, combining sleeping accommodation, modern amenities and shorter scheduled journey times than the Shiv Ganga Express.
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