NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Varanasi on 8 November to flag off four new Vande Bharat Express trains, marking another major expansion of India’s high-speed rail network. The flag-off ceremony is scheduled for 8:15 am, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed.
The new trains will operate on the Banaras-Khajuraho, Lucknow-Saharanpur, Firozpur-Delhi and Ernakulam-Bengaluru routes. The initiative is aimed at improving intercity connectivity, reducing travel time and boosting tourism and trade across several states. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the launch is part of the government’s vision to provide faster, safer and more comfortable travel through world-class rail services. Each of the new routes connects major cultural, commercial and regional hubs, enhancing passenger convenience and regional mobility.
The Banaras-Khajuraho Vande Bharat will save nearly two hours and forty minutes compared to existing special trains, linking key religious and heritage destinations such as Varanasi, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot and Khajuraho. The Lucknow-Saharanpur service will complete the journey in about seven hours and forty-five minutes, cutting travel time by nearly an hour and improving connectivity across central and western Uttar Pradesh, including access to Haridwar via Roorkee. The Firozpur-Delhi Vande Bharat will become the fastest train on the route, completing the journey in six hours and forty minutes. It is expected to strengthen economic and cultural links between Punjab and the national capital, benefiting cities such as Bathinda and Patiala.
In the south, the Ernakulam-Bengaluru train will reduce travel time by over two hours, completing the trip in eight hours and forty minutes. The service will connect major IT, educational and commercial centres, promoting regional cooperation and tourism across Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Officials said the new trains reflect the government’s continued focus on modernising India’s rail infrastructure and providing world-class mobility to citizens.
