The Indian Railways has officially launched the Banaras-Agra Vande Bharat train, which began its regular service today, September 23, 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the train a week ago on September 16.

This eight-coach Vande Bharat train is expected to cover the journey from Agra to Banaras in approximately seven hours. Ashok Kumar, the public relations officer for the Varanasi division of North Eastern Railway (NER), provided details about the train's schedule.

Vande Bharat Train Schedule:

• Train Number: 20175
• Departure from Banaras: 3:20 PM
• Arrival at Agra Cantonment: 10:20 PM

Stops Along the Route:

• Prayagraj at 4:50 PM
• Kanpur Central at 6:57 PM
• Etawah at 8:17 PM
• Tundla at 9:32 PM
• Agra Cantonment at 10:20 PM

For the return journey, the train number 20176 will leave Agra Cantonment at 6 AM, arriving in Banaras at 1 PM. It will stop at the following times:

• Tundla at 6:48 AM
• Etawah at 7:40 AM
• Kanpur Central at 9:15 AM
• Prayagraj at 11:25 AM
• Banaras station at 1 PM

The Vande Bharat train will operate every day except Friday. Fare details for chair car and executive class coaches will be announced soon.

Enhancing Religious Tourism

During the inauguration on September 16, PM Modi launched six Vande Bharat trains aimed at boosting religious tourism in the region. These trains provide faster access to popular pilgrimage sites, including Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, Kalighat, and Belur Math in Kolkata. Additionally, the Prime Minister distributed letters to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G) in Tatanagar, Jharkhand, and released the first installment of financial aid for the trains.

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