Arriving in Varanasi by train: which station, and the ride to Shivpur

Four stations, one city

Varanasi has three stations inside the city - Varanasi Junction, Banaras and Kashi - and a fourth, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, across the river in Chandauli district. Check which one your ticket names before you plan the last leg.

Varanasi Junction (BSB)

The main station, also called Varanasi Cantt. About 2 km by road from the hotel - the closest of the four.

Banaras

Called Manduadih until it was renamed Banaras in 2020. A little further from the hotel than Varanasi Junction.

Kashi

On the northern edge of the old city, across town from Shivpur.

Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (DDU)

Formerly Mughalsarai, on the far bank of the Ganga. Many long-distance trains stop here rather than in Varanasi. The furthest of the four from the hotel.

From Varanasi Junction to Shivpur

Shivpur is on the quiet side of Varanasi Junction, away from the old city, so the ride avoids the worst of its traffic. Prepaid autos and cabs from the station reach the hotel in about 15 to 20 minutes.

• Easiest: message the hotel on WhatsApp with your train number and coach, and the travel desk will arrange a pickup.
• Otherwise use the prepaid booth or an app cab, and agree the fare before you load the bags.
• The address to give: Shyam Nagar Colony, Central Jail Road, Shivpur.

If your train stops at DDU

DDU Junction is on the eastern bank of the Ganga, so the road into Varanasi crosses the river - the longest of the four rides to the hotel. Allow for bridge traffic, especially in the evening. The travel desk will arrange a pickup from DDU as well; tell us the train the day before.

Winter fog and late trains

From about mid-December to mid-January, dense fog is common across north India, and trains into Varanasi often run hours late. Check running status on Indian Railways' NTES before you leave for the station, or before your pickup is sent, and keep the hotel posted - check-in is at noon, and a late-night arrival is expected rather than a problem if we know it is coming.

Check-in is at 12:00 PM and check-out at 11:00 AM. If your train arrives early in the morning, message the front desk ahead - an early room depends on the night before, and the desk will tell you what it can do.