In a major boost to India’s railway infrastructure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off four new Vande Bharat Express trains from Varanasi. This marks another milestone in the government’s push for modern and high-speed rail connectivity.
According to PIB, the new trains will operate on the Banaras-Khajuraho-Lucknow-Saharanpur, Ernakulam-Bengaluru and Firozpur-Delhi routes. The initiative aims to reduce the travel time, boost regional mobility across north, central, and southern India and promote tourism.
Addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister Modi stated, “Trains like Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat and Namo Bharat are laying the foundation for the next generation of Indian Railways.”
He further added, “Vande Bharat is a train made by Indians, for Indians…something every Indian is proud of. Now even foreign tourists are amazed to see the Vande Bharat trains.”
माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी ने 4 नई #VandeBharatExpress ट्रेनों को हरी झंडी दिखाकर रवाना किया।#विकसित_बनारस pic.twitter.com/eNGsaytaqH
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) November 8, 2025
Details of the four Vande Bharat routes
Banaras-Khajuraho Vande Bharat Express: This will directly connect crucial spiritual and heritage locations like Prayagraj, Varanasi, Khajuraho and Chitrakoot. It will save around 2 hours and 40 minutes in comparison to current services. It will provide pilgrims and tourists with a fast, comfortable journey to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Khajuraho.
Firozpur-Delhi Vande Bharat Express: This will be the fastest train on this rail network, covering the journey in about 6 hours and 40 minutes. It will boost rail connectivity between the national capital and Punjab’s key cities like Patiala, Firozpur and Bathinda. As a result, it will help boost tourism and job opportunities.
Lucknow-Saharanpur Vande Bharat Express: This train will complete its journey in about 7 hours and 45 minutes, cutting down travel time to an hour. The train will serve passengers from Sitapur, Saharanpur, Bareilly, Lucknow, Moradabad, Shahjahanpur and Bijnor. It will also enhance access to Roorkee and Haridwar.
Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express: In the southern region, this will lessen the travel time for over two hours, completing the journey in 8 hours and 40 minutes. The route will interlink crucial IT, educational hubs and commercial hubs. It will also boost connectivity among Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and will lift inter-state tourism and business growth.
PM Modi on India’s infrastructure growth
Underlining the broader vision behind such projects, PM Modi stated that infrastructure plays a crucial role in a nation’s development.
“In developed countries around the world, a major reason for economic development has been their infrastructure. The number of airports built, the number of Vande Bharat trains operating, all these things are connected to development, and today India is also moving very rapidly on this path,’’ he mentioned as reported by ANI.
With these latest additions, India has over 160 operational Vande Bharat Express trains, offering a safer, comfortable, faster rail travel experience for millions of passengers.
