Booking has opened for the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, which will begin regular commercial operations on Monday, 2 November 2026, with fares starting at Rs 1,915 for a Third AC ticket. The train is Uttar Pradesh’s first Vande Bharat sleeper service and will run overnight between the two cities.
The service, numbered 27421/27422, will be operated and maintained by the Northern Railway zone. The Varanasi-New Delhi service will run on all days except Friday, while the New Delhi-Varanasi service will operate on all days except Saturday, according to details attributed to the Railway Ministry.
The train will cover the route with scheduled stops at four stations: Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh and Ghaziabad. These stops connect the overnight service to major urban centres and railway hubs along the Varanasi-Delhi corridor.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Express has 16 coaches and offers three accommodation classes: Third AC, Second AC and First AC. The reported fare from Varanasi to New Delhi is Rs 1,915 for Third AC, Rs 2,470 for Second AC and Rs 3,030 for First AC. A station-wise fare list has also been made available as bookings begin.
Passengers can book tickets online through the IRCTC website, the Rail Connect app and the RailOne app. Tickets can also be purchased offline at railway passenger reservation system counters at stations.
The train has been designed for high-speed operation and can reach a maximum speed of 180 kmph. On the Varanasi-New Delhi route, however, it is expected to operate at speeds ranging from 130 kmph to 160 kmph, according to the report.
The commercial launch follows the inauguration of the service from Varanasi on Saturday. Its sleeper configuration is intended for overnight travel, adding a premium rail option for passengers travelling between eastern Uttar Pradesh and the national capital.
The regular schedule begins on 2 November, with the two directions following different weekly operating patterns. Passengers will need to check the applicable date, boarding station, class and station-wise fare while making reservations through the railway booking platforms or reservation counters.
