Our Bureau
New Delhi
Travelling from Delhi to Agra in just 59 minutes and reaching Varanasi in around three-and-a-half hours could soon become possible, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi approving the Northern Corridor of India’s bullet train network. The announcement was made by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on October 31, 2026, in Varanasi, ahead of the flagging off of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express between Varanasi and New Delhi.
The proposed high-speed rail corridor will begin in Delhi and connect several important cities, including Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Patna and Siliguri, before extending to Guwahati in Assam. The project is expected to improve connectivity across North and Eastern India, making travel easier for tourists, students, business travellers and daily commuters.
According to the travel estimates shared by the Railway Minister, the Delhi-Agra journey will take 59 minutes, while Delhi to Kanpur will take one hour and 45 minutes. Travelling from Delhi to Lucknow is expected to take two hours and 12 minutes, while the Delhi-Varanasi journey could be completed in three hours and 35 minutes. The Lucknow-Varanasi route is expected to take around one hour and 21 minutes.
The corridor could also give a boost to tourism by making popular destinations such as the Taj Mahal in Agra, Ayodhya’s Ram Temple and Varanasi’s religious sites more accessible. It may also make it easier for travellers to reach Prayagraj, Patna and destinations in the Northeast.
Vaishnaw said the project would follow the ‘Make in India’ initiative, with indigenous construction and greater involvement of Indian workers and engineers. He also indicated that fares would be economical and lower than air travel.