Varanasi airport to the city: the drive to Shivpur, and what to book

Where the airport is

Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (code VNS) sits at Babatpur, on the north-western edge of Varanasi. The road into the city passes Shivpur on its way to the centre, so the hotel is about 20 km from the terminal and the ghats lie about 6 km further on. Guests who stay here skip the slowest part of the drive on arrival day.

Getting to the hotel

Hotel pickup

The travel desk arranges an airport pickup. Send your flight number on WhatsApp the day before, and the driver will track the landing.

Prepaid taxi

A prepaid counter is just outside Arrivals. Fares are fixed by vehicle type - pay at the counter, not the driver.

App cabs

Ola and Uber operate from the airport. Confirm the pickup point in the app before you walk out.

The ride usually takes a little under an hour, longer at the evening peak. The address to give: Shyam Nagar Colony, Central Jail Road, Shivpur.

Flights, fog and the first evening

• From about mid-December to mid-January, fog across north India can delay or divert morning and night flights. Keep the hotel posted if your flight slips - the pickup moves with it.
• Check-in is at 12:00 PM. If you land early, message the front desk ahead about an early room.
• If you land by mid-afternoon, the evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh is within reach the same day - about 6 km from the hotel.

Going back

For the return, allow for the drive and for security at the terminal. Check-out is at 11:00 AM; if your flight is in the evening, ask the desk to hold your bags so you have the day in the city. The travel desk books the drop along with the pickup if you ask.