On 31 October 2026, the Varanasi‑New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw. The new overnight service, which calls at Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh and Ghaziabad, offers a journey time up to 55 minutes faster than the existing Shiv Ganga Express. Trains depart Varanasi at 20:50 and arrive New Delhi at 06:10, while the return service leaves New Delhi at 21:40 and reaches Varanasi at 07:10. The service operates six days a week, excluding Friday departures from Varanasi and Saturday departures from New Delhi. The Ministry of Railways highlighted that the timetable is designed to accommodate families, students, professionals, tourists and pilgrims travelling between the National Capital Region and eastern Uttar Pradesh. The Vande Bharat Sleeper features a stainless‑steel body meeting EN15227 crash standards, EN45545 fire protection, TCAS, smoke and fire detection, CCTV, and passenger‑friendly amenities such as vacuum toilets, disability‑friendly berths, USB charging ports, Wi‑Fi and hot‑water showers in First AC. The launch follows the earlier introduction of Vande Bharat Sleeper services on the Howrah‑Guwahati corridor in January 2026.
Lead
On 31 October 2026, the Varanasi‑New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw. The new overnight service, which calls at Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh and Ghaziabad, offers a journey time up to 55 minutes faster than the existing Shiv Ganga Express.
Verified facts
The Ministry of Railways released the timetable on 30 October 2026. Trains from Varanasi depart at 20:50 and arrive in New Delhi at 06:10 the following morning. The return service leaves New Delhi at 21:40 and reaches Varanasi at 07:10. The service operates six days a week, with no Varanasi departure on Fridays and no New Delhi departure on Saturdays. Compared with the Shiv Ganga Express, the new sleeper saves 55 minutes on the trip to New Delhi and 35 minutes on the trip to Varanasi. The trip toward New Delhi is 10 minutes shorter on the timetable and saves 20 minutes more against the Shiv Ganga Express.
Organizations and responsibilities
• Ministry of Railways – responsible for the release of the timetable, operational schedule and safety compliance.
• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath – flag‑off participant.
• Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw – flag‑off participant.
• Indian Railways – operator of the Vande Bharat Sleeper service.
Operational and commercial context
The overnight timing is intended to serve families, students, working professionals, tourists and pilgrims who travel between the National Capital Region and eastern Uttar Pradesh. The Vande Bharat Sleeper’s design, featuring austenitic stainless‑steel body, EN15227 crash standard compliance, EN45545 fire protection, TCAS, smoke and fire detection, CCTV, and passenger amenities such as vacuum toilets, disability‑friendly berths, USB charging ports, Wi‑Fi and hot‑water showers in First AC, positions the service as a premium long‑distance option. The introduction follows the earlier launch of Vande Bharat Sleeper trains on the Howrah‑Guwahati corridor in January 2026.
Sources
https://www.railway.supply/varanasi-delhi-vande-bharat-sleeper-beats-shiv-ganga-express-by-up-to-55-minutes/
Railway Supply
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