Indian Railways has officially approved the extension of the Meerut City–Lucknow Vande Bharat Express (trains 22490/22489) to Varanasi Junction (Kashi Cantt.), with effect from August 27, 2025, in a significant step to increase passenger traffic and improve UP's rail connectivity.
Train 22490: Departs Meerut City at 6:35 AM, halts at Moradabad, Bareilly, Lucknow, and Ayodhya Dham, and reaches Varanasi Cantt at 6:25 PM.
Train 22489: Leaves Varanasi Junction at 9:10 AM, stops at Ayodhya Dham, Lucknow, Bareilly, and Moradabad, and arrives in Meerut at 9:05 PM.
The revised route connects important commercial hubs like Lucknow and Moradabad with important religious places like Ayodhya and Varanasi. After completing route assessments, Northern Railway's Lucknow division recommended the Ayodhya–Lucknow–Varanasi alignment. The direct Vande Bharat service makes it easier for pilgrims to get to Kashi Vishwanath and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi.
From August 27, travelers from west UP—including Meerut, Moradabad, and Bareilly—will gain fast, comfortable AC chair car access to Lucknow, Ayodhya, and Kashi via the expanded Vande Bharat route. This represents both an uplift in rail service quality and a boost for business and pilgrimage flows.
It's a meaningful upgrade in UP’s rail connectivity, combining speed, convenience, and cultural tourism.