The Railway Board has approved a new daily Sabarmati–Varanasi Express, strengthening direct rail connectivity between Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, although the service launch date has not yet been announced.
According to a report by Gujarat Samachar – Ahmedabad citing the Railway Board’s order, train numbers 12206 and 12205 will operate between Varanasi and Sabarmati with modern Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches. The Board has instructed the concerned railway zones to complete the required preparations and begin operations at the earliest.
The Varanasi–Sabarmati service, numbered 12206, will depart from Varanasi at 5.30 pm and reach Sabarmati at 8.15 pm the following day. The return service, numbered 12205, will leave Sabarmati at 5.20 am and arrive at Varanasi at 6.30 am the next day.
The proposed service will provide commercial stoppages at a wide range of stations across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. These include Mirzapur, Subedarganj, Govindpuri, Tundla Junction, Idgah, Agra Junction, Bharatpur, Nadbai, Kherli, Mandawar Mahuwa Road, Bandikui, Gandhinagar Jaipur, Jaipur, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Beawar, Marwar, Falna, Abu Road, Palanpur and Mehsana.
The route will connect major urban and regional centres including Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur, Ajmer, Palanpur, Mehsana and Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati rail hub. For passengers, the service is expected to create a direct rail option across a corridor that links important pilgrimage, commercial, educational and employment destinations. The report, however, does not provide the proposed fare structure, the exact journey duration or the launch date.
The Railway Board has directed that primary maintenance for the train be carried out at Varanasi. Three LHB rakes have been allocated for operating the service. Arrangements for filling water in the coaches will be available at Govindpuri, Tundla, Jaipur and Ajmer stations, according to the reported order.
The use of LHB coaches is part of the service specification approved by the Railway Board. These coaches are widely used across Indian Railways’ longer-distance services and are designed for higher-speed operations and improved passenger safety compared with older conventional coach designs. The supplied report does not specify the final composition of the train, including the number of sleeper, air-conditioned or general coaches.
The proposed timetable also places the Sabarmati departure in the early morning and the Varanasi departure in the evening, allowing passengers to undertake overnight journeys in both directions. The practical passenger benefits will depend on the final operating date, detailed timetable, fares and reservation availability, none of which has been released in the reported announcement.
The Railway Board’s next step is for the relevant railway authorities to complete operational preparations before the service begins. The official launch date and any further details on coach composition, fare structure and booking arrangements remain awaited.
