Varanasi Transportation

To get from the train station into the town you'll need to take a taxi or auto-rickshaw - we chose the later, which even though smaller than a taxi could only take us as far as a roundabout 100yards or so from Dasaswamedh Ghat. This is because larger vehicles aren't allowed into the back alleys (only motorbikes can get through), and nothing at all on the ghats.

The price should be around 20INR, though drivers will ask for a lot more - ours started at 70rupees.

Varanasi is filled with narrow winding lanes and alleyways. Some hotels are only accessible by Autorickshaw. When booking an hotel, always check if they can be reached by taxi.
Autorickshaws are able to navigate the narrow lanes, and are cheap as chips.
Good for getting around if you tire from walking. Negotiate a fee before departure, and make sure that driver understands exactly where you wish to go to. Most drivers can understand English.

There are trains to Varanasi from all major cities in India. We went overnight on Train number 2560 , which is overnight from Delhi. Train leaves at 18.60 and arrives at Varanasi 07.30am.
we travelled which sleeps two and has a door which can be locked.
Also available is 2AC- sleeping 4- with curtains for privacy.
The trains in India are a reliable and safe way to get from one destination to another. They are usually comfortable, and we have never have any problems.
One bit of advice - Always take along a toilet roll. There seems to always be a shortage of lack of this much needed western commodity.

Distance from Delhi is 776km

Auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are the most widely available public transport within Varanasi. In outer regions of the city, mini-buses are common. Small boats and small steamers are used to cross the river Ganga.

Varanasi is well connected by air, rail and buses with all the main Indian cities. Its distance from Delhi is 776 km. The Babatpur airport is about 25 km from the city center (about 45 minutes by taxi) and it is well connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, and Nepal. All the major domestic Indian carriers, including Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, Indian, Spicejet, and Alliance Air operate from here.

One of the major factors in Varanasi's sustained existence as an inhabited city is its role as an established transportation hub between different cities. Dating to ancient times, the city was connected to cities like Taxila, Gazipur, Pataliputra, Vaishali, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Agra etc.

The city was connected by a single road from Taxila going through Pataliputra during the Mauryan empire. This road was later renovated and extended by Sher Shah Suri during the 16th century and later came to be known as the famous Grand Trunk Road. (source needed)

The traffic is slow inside the city.

GETTING TO VARANASI:

BY TRAIN

Trains are the easiest and most likely way that you'll reach Varanasi, with multiple daily services to cities including Delhi, Agra, Lucknow and Kolkata.

Most trains arrive at Varanasi Junction station (Station Code: BSB), but there are a few other stations in and around the city so be sure to check which station your train arrives at. Many of the faster trains including the Shatabdi/Rajdhani Express leave from Mughal Serai station, about 15 km east of the city (around 45 minutes to an hour away in a rickshaw).

BY BUS

There are daily buses to the Nepali border and other points around northern India. Local buses leave from the main bus station near the train station, almost every hour in the morning and one in the evening, to Gorakhpur (5-6 hrs, Rs 120), from where buses leave to the Nepali border at Sonauli (~3 hrs, Rs 56).

There are buses run by state government from Lucknow (8hrs), Kanpur (9hrs - Rs. 195) and Allahabad(3hrs - Rs. 88)

BY PLANE

Varanasi Airport (IATA: VNS) is about 25km from the city center. Indian Airlines, Air Sahara, Jet Airways, Kingfisher and SpiceJet all have daily flights to Delhi and there are daily flights to Mumbai on Air Sahara ,Indian Airlines and SpiceJet.

Allow plenty of time to get to the airport, it can take an hour or more depending on traffic. A taxi should run around Rs 200-250 or about Rs 125 in an auto-rickshaw, but most drivers will want to charge double since they will likely be coming back empty. If it suits your schedule there is a daily bus at 10:00am that leaves from Hotel India and costs Rs 50.

GET AROUND

Many of the sights are in the tiny narrow winding alleys of the waterfront. Rickshaws are only useful for longer trips across town or to the train stations. A cycle-rickshaw from the Junction train station to Dasaswamedh Ghat (or Godaulia if the road is closed) should cost Rs 20. From Godaulia to Assi Ghat is Rs 10. Taxis exist but traffic makes them impractical. There is a pre-paid auto-rickshaw stand at the Varanasi Junction (Cantt) train station.

By foot is the only way to see the waterfront and the ghats but be ready to be hot, sweaty, and lost - locals are usually happy to point you in the right direction. The names of ghats and signs pointing to restaurants and hotels are often painted on the walls in Roman letters.

Varanasi...initially known as Banaras...is in Uttar Pradesh state of India. Tamil Nadu is in the very South of India whereas Varanasi is in the Northern Part of India...The rough distance between to places will be >2100km.

Kashi Viswanath Temple is very near to the banks of River Ganga and is considered to be one of the oldest and sacred place for Hindus.

U may catch Kashi Vishwanath Express (Train) from New Delhi which starts at 1330hrs and reaches Varanasi at around 0600hrs next day.

If you Google the journey any of the usual flight mongers will give you the various flight schedules. From the UK you will probably need into fly into Delhi (or Mumbai) first, which will take you around nine hours, after that it’s about an hour and a half flight to Varanasi, changing planes will take an hour at least, so with perfect timing you might possibly do take-off to touch down in around 12 hours, realistically the two flights are likely to take 14 hours plus.
Then there is getting through customs, security etc and getting to and from the airport etc at both ends so realistically you’re might be looking at the best part of 24 hours and when you arrive you could well be tired. It will save no end of hassle to have your accommodation booked in advance, most places will arrange someone to collect you from the airport for the around same price as a taxi.
You could of course spend some time in Delhi and take a train from there (it wouldn’t be India if you didn’t use the railway) the websites below will give you all the info you need for using India’s wonderful railways.

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If you want to tour all the places I have mentioned, namely Sarnath, Ramnagar Fort and the Ghats. It is an all day tour. Get an auto rickshaw from near the railway station and they will take you to all 3 locations and wait for you as well to be done. The total cost of the trip is not more than Rs. 300 per auto rickshaw. Tips are always welcome, so perhaps Rs. 50 more could be given as a goodwill gesture.

A boat ride on the Ganges to witness the cremations costs around Rs. 200 for a personal family ride. Again tips on this trip are welcome as well.