How to Reach Varanasi by Flight, Train, Car (Road), Ship (Boat)

How to Reach Varanasi

Being connected with all major cities of India by road, air, train and waterways, Varanasi can easily be reached. Being one of the holiest pilgrimages of the Hindus, the faithful keep coming from every nook and corner of India to Varanasi since the time immemorial. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims come here every day by car, bus, taxi, trains, flights and boats, hoping to free themselves from ‘samsara’, the endless circle of reincarnations. People wish to die in Varanasi as it is believed that it imparts them ‘Moksha’, i.e. the most direct way to merge with the Almighty (‘Parmatma’), without having to suffer any more. Perhaps, a large number of elderly people can be observed here. The Ganges is one of the most important rivers in the world, but it is, above all, the most sacred of all. And of all the cities that dot its banks, Varanasi, the city of Lord Shiva, is the most venerated. The pilgrims necessarily bathe in five ghats - Assi, Dashashwamedh, Varunasangam, Panchganga and Manikarnika .

Getting Varanasi by Road: Varanasi is well connected with all parts of India by a maze of roads – national highways and state highways. Major cities of India like Delhi, Agra, Khajuraho, Patna, Gaya, Kolkata, Allahabad, Lucknow are connected with Varanasi by roads. Uttar Pradesh Transport Corporation runs numerous buses that link all major cities and towns of the state with Varanasi. Buses also ply between Varanasi and neighboring states. It takes about 10 hours from Delhi, 8 hours from Agra, 3 hours from Allahabad, 10 hours from Kolkata to reach Varanasi by car.

Getting Varanasi by Train: Varanasi is a major railway station of Indian Railways with the large number of trains running between most Indian destinations. Most of the Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal bound trains from Delhi either pass through Varanasi or a nearby railway junction Mughal Sarai, now rechristened as Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay junction. It is about 14 kms from Varanasi. Auto-rickshaws, taxis and buses are readily available to transfer to Varanasi from Mughal Sarai. Premium trains like Rajdhani Express and Duranto Express stop at Varanasi. Scores of superfast express trains like Kashi Vishwanath Express, Shiv Ganga Express etc also originate from here for Delhi.

Getting Varanasi by Air: Varanasi has airport that operates daily flights to and from major Indian cities. From Delhi to Benares, there is regular flight via Khajuraho another major tourist destination of North India. International flights also land at and depart from Varanasi. Among the most notable international flights are between Singapore – Varanasi & Varanasi – Kathmandu. Air India, Jet Airways, SpiceJet, Indigo, Vistara etc. all major Indian carriers connect Varanasi with major cities of India. The distance between Varanasi and New Delhi is travelled in an hour by flight. Several flights operate between Varanasi- Delhi & Varanasi Mumbai, throughout the day.

Getting Varanasi by Boat & Ship: Adventure seekers opt for ship travel from Kolkata to reach Varanasi, wading through Ganga. People from Mirzapur & Sonebhdra many a times ride boat to reach Benares.