Lucknow to Varanasi Distance: Routes, Time, Trains and How to Reach

Varanasi is my own city and the road from Lucknow is the one that brings most travellers to her. Lucknow is the gateway of the region, the big airport and the big junction and from there Kashi lies a half-day's drive to the south-east. Since the Purvanchal Expressway opened, this journey has become far smoother and quicker than it used to be, a clean run across the plains of eastern Uttar Pradesh to the oldest living city in the world.

This guide gives you the real Lucknow to Varanasi distance, the fastest route and the alternatives, the return routes to Lucknow and the train, flight and taxi options, so you can reach the ghats of Kashi without any guesswork. I have travelled and arranged this road countless times; here is exactly how it works. Travelling onward for darshan? See our Varanasi tour packages.

Lucknow to Varanasi Distance at a Glance: Key Takeaways

• Road distance: about 314 km by the fastest route, the Purvanchal Expressway.
• Driving time: about 5 hours 23 minutes by car on the Purvanchal Expressway, the quickest option now.
• Shortest route: about 296 km via the Lucknow - Sultanpur road and NH731, only a little slower.
• By train: several daily trains from Lucknow to Varanasi, roughly 5 to 7 hours.
• By air: flights connect Lucknow and Varanasi and many pilgrims simply fly straight into Varanasi.
• Best mode: a private car or taxi, for comfort, stops and a door-to-ghats journey.

A Word From Your Guide

I am Rajeev Sharma, born in Varanasi and guiding pilgrims across Kashi, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Naimisharanya and Bodhgaya for more than forty years. Kashi is my home, so the Lucknow road is one I know like the back of my hand, the one most of my guests arrive on. I speak Hindi, Telugu and Kannada and I have welcomed countless families from the South along this very route for their first darshan of Vishwanath and their first evening at the Ganga Aarti. It is an easy drive now, but the fastest route shifts with the traffic, so let me walk you through all of it.

Lucknow to Varanasi Distance at a Glance

Road times and distances are live-traffic figures and change with roadworks and the route taken; confirm before you set out.

Lucknow to Varanasi by Road: The Three Routes

The drive south-east from Lucknow to Varanasi can be done three sensible ways. The expressway is the quickest by far. Here is how they compare:

Figures as shown by live navigation; the quickest option can change through the day, so check before leaving.

In short: the Purvanchal Expressway is the one to take, a long, smooth, access-controlled run that saves you the stop-start of the old highways. The Lucknow - Sultanpur road with NH731 is the shortest in distance and a good alternative if you want to pass through the towns on the way.

Varanasi to Lucknow: The Return Routes

Coming back, the expressway is again the quickest. The main return options are:

Return times also move with traffic and roadworks; your driver or navigation app will pick the best live route.

Lucknow to Varanasi by Train

The train is a comfortable and economical option on this route. Lucknow is a major junction and a number of daily trains run to Varanasi Junction (Varanasi Cantt) and Banaras station, taking roughly 5 to 7 hours depending on the service. From the station it is a short auto or taxi ride to the ghats and the Kashi Vishwanath temple. On festival dates and weekends trains fill fast, so book well ahead.

Lucknow to Varanasi by Air

Flights connect Lucknow and Varanasi and the hop takes about an hour in the air, though the schedule is limited and, once you add airport time at both ends, the gain over the drive is small. What many pilgrims do instead is fly directly into Varanasi's Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at Babatpur, which has good connections from across India and the South and skip the Lucknow leg altogether. If you are already in Lucknow, check the current Lucknow to Varanasi flights before deciding between the plane, the train and the car.

By Bus and Shared Taxi

State and private buses, including comfortable Volvo services, run through the day between Lucknow and Varanasi and they are the most economical way to travel, though slower than the expressway drive. Shared taxis also ply the route. For a family or a group carrying luggage and keeping a darshan schedule, a private car remains the easiest choice and it lets you stop where you wish along the way.

Which Route and Mode Should You Choose?

• In a hurry, by car: take the Purvanchal Expressway, the fastest road at about 314 km and 5 hours 23 minutes.
• For the shortest distance: the Lucknow - Sultanpur road with NH731, about 296 km, is only a little slower.
• On a budget: a daily train to Varanasi, around 5 to 7 hours, is cheap and comfortable.
• Flying in from afar: fly straight into Varanasi or into Lucknow and drive across.
• For pilgrims with family: a private car or taxi, door to ghats, is the most comfortable of all.

What to See When You Reach Varanasi

Once you arrive, Kashi unfolds in all her glory. The natural sequence of a first visit runs:

A representative first day of Kashi; plan the order around temple darshan hours and the time of the Ganga Aarti.

Best Time to Make the Journey

The road is open all year, but the drive and the darshan are most pleasant in the cool months from October to March, when Kashi is also at its most beautiful for Dev Deepawali on the ghats. Avoid the peak of summer and the heaviest monsoon days. For a full season-by-season plan, see our guide to the best time to visit Varanasi.

Practical Tips for the Drive

• Take the expressway; the Purvanchal Expressway is far smoother and faster than the old highways.
• Start early; leave Lucknow in the morning to reach Kashi in time for the evening Ganga Aarti.
• Trust live navigation; the fastest route changes with traffic, so let the app or your driver pick it on the day.
• Carry water and snacks; the expressway has fewer stops, so be stocked for a family drive.
• Book trains ahead on festival dates; Dev Deepawali, Mahashivratri and weekends fill fast.
• Hire a car with a local driver; he will know the live route, the ghat-side parking and the quiet hours.

The Honest Bit

Let me be honest with you. The Lucknow to Varanasi drive is easy on the expressway, but it is a long half-day, not a short hop, so plan for five to six hours door to door. Kashi itself is crowded and intense and the old lanes near Vishwanath and the ghats can be packed, especially on festival days. Road times shift with traffic and roadworks, so treat the figures here as a close guide, not a promise. Start early, keep your plans flexible and both the journey and the city will reward you.

Why Experience My India Is the Right Choice

I am Rajeev Sharma, born in Varanasi and guiding pilgrims for more than forty years across Kashi, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Naimisharanya and Bodhgaya. Kashi is my home, so for the Lucknow to Varanasi trip we handle the whole thing: a clean car, a driver who knows the live route and the ghat-side parking and a day of Kashi planned around the darshan and the aarti so you waste none of it. I speak Hindi, Telugu and Kannada, so South Indian families are looked after in their own tongue. With our Ayodhya Varanasi Tours team, the road, the darshan and the day are all taken care of.

Related Guides

• Kashi Vishwanath Temple - the golden temple of Shiva and how to have darshan.
• Dashashwamedh Ghat Ganga Aarti - the grand evening ceremony on the Ganga.
• Best time to visit Varanasi - the season-by-season plan for your trip.
• Varanasi tour packages - for an easy, car-and-darshan-arranged pilgrimage.

Explore More Varanasi Guides

• The ghats of Varanasi - Manikarnika, Assi and the full river-front of Kashi.
• Ganga boat ride - a sunrise row past the ghats, the finest view of the city.
• Sarnath - where the Buddha gave his first sermon, a short drive out.
• Varanasi places to see - the full map of temples, ghats and sacred sites.

Plan Your Lucknow to Varanasi Trip

Tell me your dates, your group size and whether you are landing at Lucknow or Varanasi and I will arrange the car, the driver and a full day of Kashi around your darshan and the aarti. Browse our Ayodhya Varanasi Tour Packages or call and WhatsApp +91 7302265809 and we will plan it together.