Varanasi is well connected by plane, train, and buses. The trains and buses are dirty and overcrowded.
By Plane
Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport is located 25km northwest of the city center. A taxi to or from the airport takes an hour , while a tuk-tuk orauto-rickshaw can take twice as long . Allow extra time due to traffic. Air India , JetKonnect , SpiceJet , and IndiGo all operate regular flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Khajuraho, and Visakhapatnam. There are flights to Colombo on Mihin Lanka Airlines, and flights to Bangkok on Thai Airways.
Its easy to get a state-run bus to city center (opposite Varanasi Junction/Cantt station), which costs less than half a dollar. Bus stand is 10 minutes walking distance from airport. If taking state run (or private operator) bus from Varanasi to airport, take bus going to Jaunpur and get down at Babatpur airport stop. After walking 10 min, you can easily get to airport.
By Train
There are multiple daily services to cities including Delhi (13 hours), Agra (13 hours), Lucknow (7 hours), Mumbai, and Kolkata.
Varanasi is served by three major railway stations:
- Varanasi Junction (IR station code : BSB). The trip between the train station and the Ganges-area costs ₹100 in a tuk-tuk.
- Manduadih Railway Station. The trip between the train station and the Ganges-area costs ₹100 in a tuk-tuk.
- Mughal Sarai Junction. Mughal Sarai Junction (IR station code : MGS) is about 20km east of the city .
Here is a list of useful trains to reach Varanasi:
Train Number | Train Name | You may board at | You may alight at |
---|---|---|---|
12424 | Rajdhani Express | New Delhi | Mughal Sarai Junction |
12436 | Rajdhani Express | New Delhi, Lucknow | Varanasi Junction |
12560 | Shivganga Express | New Delhi | Varanasi Junction |
12165 | Lokmanya Tilak (T) – Varanasi Express | Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Mumbai) | Varanasi Junction |
12336 | Lokmanya Tilak (T) – Bhagalpur Express | Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Mumbai) | Mughal Sarai Junction |
12333 | Vibhuti Express | Howrah (Kolkata) | Mughal Sarai Junction, Varanasi Junction |
12307 | Howrah-Jodhpur Express | Howrah (Kolkata) | Mughal Sarai Junction |
12669 | Ganga Kaveri Express | Chennai Central | Varanasi Junction |
12295 | Sangamitra Express | Bangalore City, Chennai Central | Mughal Sarai Junction |
17091 | Secunderabad-Patna Express | Secunderabad (Hyderabad) | Mughal Sarai Junction, Varanasi Junction |
14854 | Marudhar Express | Jaipur, Agra Fort | Varanasi Junction |
14864 | Marudhar Express | Jaipur, Agra Fort | Varanasi Junction |
By Bus
The bus station in Varanasi is located just east of the Varanasi Junction train station. A tuk-tuk from the bus station to the Ganges area costs ₹100.