PM Modi to flag off 4 new Vande Bharat trains from Varanasi on Nov 8; check routes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on November 8 to flag off four new Vande Bharat Express trains, the government said on Thursday.

According to an official statement, the new Vande Bharat trains will operate on the Banaras–Khajuraho, Lucknow–Saharanpur, Firozpur–Delhi, and Ernakulam–Bengaluru routes. The prime minister is scheduled to flag them off at around 8:15 am.

The addition of these trains marks “another milestone” in the government’s efforts to provide citizens with faster and more comfortable rail travel through modern infrastructure, the release said.

The Banaras–Khajuraho Vande Bharat Express will cut travel time by nearly 2 hours and 40 minutes and connect major religious and cultural centres, including Varanasi, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, and Khajuraho. The route is expected to strengthen religious tourism and ease access to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Khajuraho.

The Lucknow–Saharanpur Vande Bharat Express will complete the journey in about 7 hours and 45 minutes, saving nearly an hour. The train will benefit passengers from several cities in Uttar Pradesh, including Bareilly, Moradabad, and Bijnor, and improve access to the pilgrimage centre of Haridwar via Roorkee.

The Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat Express will be the fastest train on that route, covering the distance in 6 hours and 40 minutes. It is expected to boost connectivity between the national capital and Punjab’s key cities such as Bathinda and Patiala.

In the south, the Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express will cut travel time by over two hours, completing the trip in 8 hours and 40 minutes. It will connect key IT and commercial hubs, offering a faster travel option for professionals, students, and tourists between Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

The Ministry of Railways said the launch of these trains will “enhance regional mobility, promote tourism, and support economic activity across the country.”