Meerut City–Varanasi Vande Bharat Express

Meerut City Jn – Varanasi Jn Vande Bharat Express
This Mini Vande Bharat Express on standby at Meerut City Junction
Overview
Service type	Vande Bharat Express
Locale	Uttar Pradesh
First service	August 31, 2024 (2024-08-31) (Inaugural) September 02 2024;13 months ago (September 02 2024) (Commercial) August 27, 2025 (2025-08-27) (extension)
Current operator	Northern Railways (NR)
Route
Termini	Meerut City Junction (MTC) Varanasi Junction (BSB)
Stops	5
Distance travelled	782 km (486 mi)
Average journey time	11 hrs 55 mins
Service frequency	Six days a week [a]
Train number	22490 / 22489
Lines used	Varanasi-Lucknow line Lucknow–Moradabad line Moradabad–Delhi line (till Hapur Junction) Hapur–Meerut line
On-board services
Classes	AC Chair Car, AC Executive Chair Car
Seating arrangements	Airline style Rotatable seats
Sleeping arrangements	No
Catering facilities	On board Catering (TBC)
Observation facilities	Large windows in all coaches
Entertainment facilities	On-board WiFi Infotainment System Electric outlets Reading light Seat Pockets Bottle Holder Tray Table
Baggage facilities	Overhead racks
Other facilities	Kavach
Technical
Rolling stock	Mini Vande Bharat 2.0
Track gauge	Indian gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead line
Operating speed	64 km/h (40 mph) (Avg.)
Average length	192 metres (630 ft) (08 coaches)
Track owner	Indian Railways
Rake maintenance	Meerut City Junction (MTC)
Route map Legend 22490 ↓ Meerut City Junction Hapur Junction Moradabad Junction Bareilly Junction Lucknow Charbagh Ayodhya Dham Junction 22489 ↑ Varanasi Junction

The 22490/22489 Meerut City - Varanasi Jn Vande Bharat Express is India's 54th and 2nd longest route Vande Bharat Express train in India, connecting the capital of the kingdom of Mayasura, Meerut with the cultural and spiritual city, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Initially it was started between Meerut City and Lucknow.

This express train was inaugurated on 31 August 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conferencing from New Delhi. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]} On 27 August 2025, this train extended upto Varanasi Jn.

Overview

This express train is operated by Indian Railways, connecting Meerut City Jn, Hapur Jn, Moradabad Jn, Bareilly Jn, Lucknow Charbagh, Ayodhya Dham Jn and Varanasi Jn. It is currently operated with train numbers 22490/22489 on 6 days a week basis. ^{[8] [9]}

Rakes

It is the fifty-second 2nd Generation and thirty-sixth Mini Vande Bharat 2.0 Express train which was designed and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory at Perambur, Chennai under the Make in India Initiative. ^[10]

Service

The 22490/22489 Meerut City - Varanasi Vande Bharat Express currently 6 days a week, covering a distance of 782 km (486 mi) in a travel time of 11 hrs 55 mins with average speed of 64 km/h. ^{[11] [12]} The Maximum Permissible Speed (MPS) will be 110 km/h.

1. Except Tuesdays

Route & Halts

Route and Schedule of 22489/22490 Varanasi-Meerut City Vande Bharat Express

Station	22489 Varanasi → Meerut City			22490 Meerut City → Varanasi
	Arrival	Departure	Halt	Arrival	Departure	Halt
Varanasi Junction	—	09:10	—	18:25	—	—
Ayodhya Dham Junction	11:40	11:42	2m	15:53	15:55	2m
Lucknow Charbagh	13:40	13:50	10m	13:45	13:55	10m
Bareilly Junction	17:13	17:15	2m	10:04	10:06	2m
Moradabad Junction	18:50	18:55	5m	08:35	08:40	5m
Hapur Junction	20:10	20:12	2m	07:08	07:10	2m
Meerut City Junction	21:05	—	—	—	06:35	—

See also

• Vande Bharat Express
• Tejas Express
• Gatimaan Express
• Meerut City Junction railway station
• Varanasi Junction railway station

References

1. "PM Modi flags off three new Vande Bharat Express trains: Check route timing and stops". The Times of India. 31 August 2024. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 31 August 2024.
2. "PM Modi flags off 3 Vande Bharat trains, check routes". English.Mathrubhumi. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
3. "மதுரை - பெங்களூரு, சென்னை எழும்பூர் - நாகர்கோவில் வந்தே பாரத் எக்ஸ்பிரஸ் ரயில் நேர அட்டவணை, டிக்கெட் கட்டணம் - முழு விவரம்". TimesNowTamil (in Tamil). 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
4. salah, Jibrael. "6170415-0: 1.Meerut to lucknow 2.Chennai to nagerc 20671/Madurai - Bengaluru Cantt. Vande Bharat Express - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
5. "Southern India to get two new Vande Bharat Express trains; Check details here". News9live. 27 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
6. Anbuselvan, B. (30 August 2024). "PM Modi to flag off Chennai to Nagercoil Vande Bharat on August 31". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
7. Bureau, DTNEXT (30 August 2024). "PM Modi to flag off Chennai-Nagercoil, Madurai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat trains". www.dtnext.in. Retrieved 30 August 2024.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
8. "Meerut to Lucknow: New Vande Bharat Express set for inaugural run on August 31". The Times of India. 29 August 2024. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 29 August 2024.
9. "मेरठ से लखनऊ तक वंदेभारत का किराया कितना, कहां-कब कितनी देर ठहरेगी, जानें पूरा टाइमटेबल". Zee News (in Hindi). Retrieved 29 August 2024.
10. "Train 18, India's Fastest, Named "Vande Bharat Express": Piyush Goyal". NDTV.com. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
11. "मेरठ सिटी - लखनऊ वंदे भारत एक्सप्रेस का बरेली में होगा स्वागत". Live Hindustan (in Hindi). 29 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
12. "New Vande Bharat train from Meerut-Lucknow to start on August 31, know route, timing, fare, top speed to be..." DNA India. Retrieved 29 August 2024.