Varanasi to Vrindavan Distance: Road, Train and Flight Guide

Key facts at a glance

Varanasi to Vrindavan distance: an overview

The Varanasi to Vrindavan distance is about 692 km by road on the shortest route, via the Ganga Expressway and the Agra to Lucknow Expressway, a journey of roughly 9 hours 2 minutes, with two other routes running via the Agra to Lucknow Expressway, about 714 km and around 10 hours 13 minutes and via the Ganga Expressway, about 706 km and around 10 hours 38 minutes. Vrindavan, the beloved town of Krishna's pastimes in the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh, lies just beyond Mathura and the two holy towns are reached on the same journey and visited together.

This guide covers the Varanasi to Vrindavan distance and the best ways to make the trip in full: the road routes and driving times on the new expressways, the trains to Mathura Junction with their durations and fares, the flight by way of Delhi, the bus option, the parallel Varanasi to Mathura distance and what to see when you arrive, along with the Kashi to Braj pilgrimage circuit and how to plan. Our how to reach vrindavan guide covers arriving in the region in more detail.

From the ground (Gurudutt): The big change on this route is the expressways. The Ganga Expressway and the Agra to Lucknow Expressway have made the drive from Varanasi to Vrindavan about nine hours, which is now faster than the train and that surprises many pilgrims who still think of a long overnight rail journey. So if you are comfortable with a full day on the road, a car is the simplest door-to-door choice and you can break it at Prayagraj, Lucknow or, better still, add Ayodhya on the way for the darshan of Rama. If you would rather fly, go via Delhi, about ninety minutes in the air, then down the Yamuna Expressway. The train still runs and is restful overnight, but it is the slowest here now. Darshan is free. See our Mathura Vrindavan tour Package  or message WhatsApp +91 7302265809. 

Varanasi to Vrindavan at a glance

Here are the essentials of the Varanasi to Vrindavan journey by each mode in one place.

In one line: Varanasi to Vrindavan is about 692 km and 9 hours by the expressways, faster than the roughly 14 hour train or about 1.5 hours flying to Delhi plus the drive down.

Varanasi to Vrindavan by road

By road, there are three main routes from Varanasi to Vrindavan, all using the new expressways, differing in distance and time.

The combined Ganga and Agra to Lucknow expressway route is the shortest and fastest, running west across Uttar Pradesh toward the Agra and Braj region, with Vrindavan just beyond Mathura. Thanks to these modern expressways, the whole drive is about nine to ten and a half hours, quick and smooth by Indian standards and now faster than the train. Many do it in a single day with a couple of breaks at Prayagraj, Lucknow or Agra and some add Ayodhya, off the route to the north or Agra, close to Mathura, for the Taj Mahal. So the road distance is about 692 to 714 km depending on the route. So drive the expressways with rest and care for the quickest single journey to Vrindavan.

Varanasi to Vrindavan by train

There is no station for long-distance trains in Vrindavan itself, so by train you travel to Mathura Junction (station code MTJ), the nearest major railhead, about 12 to 15 km from Vrindavan and cover the last short stretch by road. The Varanasi to Mathura distance by rail is about 687 km and a handful of direct trains run the route, including the Patna to Kota Express and some Humsafar and weekly and special trains, taking roughly 14 to 15.5 hours and generally arriving the next day; fares vary by class and date, roughly from around 375 to 400 rupees in sleeper class to around 2,500 rupees or so in the higher AC classes. Because the service is less frequent than on some routes, confirm timings and availability for your dates. From Mathura Junction, a taxi or auto covers the short distance to Vrindavan in about 20 to 30 minutes; our how to commute in vrindavan guide covers getting around Braj.

So the train is a restful, economical overnight option, though slower than the expressway drive here. So book to Mathura Junction from Varanasi. So arrive rested the next day and take the short road hop to Vrindavan.

Varanasi to Vrindavan by flight

Vrindavan has no airport of its own, so the practical way to fly is from Varanasi to Delhi, the gateway, a nonstop flight of about 1 hour 25 to 1 hour 45 minutes on airlines such as Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and SpiceJet and then about 150 to 180 km by road to Vrindavan, roughly 3 to 4 hours along the fast Yamuna Expressway toward Mathura. Fares vary with airline, date and how early you book, often from around 5,000 rupees upward for economy. Direct Varanasi to Agra flights are few and often involve a connection, so Delhi, with many flights, is the usual air gateway. So flying via Delhi takes much of a day door to door, close to the drive. So fly to Delhi, then drive down. Our best time to visit vrindavan mathura guide helps you choose your dates.

Varanasi to Vrindavan by bus

Buses run on the Varanasi to Mathura corridor, including state and private services, from which Vrindavan is a short hop by road, though some journeys involve a change at Mathura or Agra; the bus takes roughly 11 to 14 hours or more and is cheaper but slower and less comfortable than the expressway drive. So the bus is an economical but slower option via Mathura. So for comfort the expressway drive or a flight is usually better. So consider the drive or a flight over this distance, using a bus mainly as a budget choice from Varanasi to the Braj region, with a short hop on to Vrindavan.

Varanasi to Mathura distance

Since Mathura lies just before Vrindavan and the two are visited together, the Varanasi to Mathura distance is almost the same, a little shorter, on the same expressway routes.

Varanasi to Mathura is roughly 680 km by the fastest expressway route, just a little less than to Vrindavan, since Vrindavan sits about 12 to 15 km beyond Mathura; the same Ganga and Agra to Lucknow expressways serve both, in about nine hours. By train, you arrive at Mathura Junction, about 687 km by rail; by air, you reach Mathura the same way as Vrindavan, via Delhi. So reaching Mathura means reaching Vrindavan, close by. So plan Mathura and Vrindavan as one trip, seeing the birthplace of Krishna at the krishna janmabhoomi temple and the temples of both towns together.

What to see in Vrindavan and Mathura

Once you arrive, Vrindavan and Mathura hold a wealth of temples and sacred sites. In Vrindavan, the beloved banke bihari temple is the lively heart of darshan, along with the grand prem mandir vrindavan, the ISKCON temple and the ancient Goswami temples; in Mathura, the Krishna Janmabhoomi, the birthplace, is the chief site, with the Dwarkadhish temple and the Yamuna ghats. For priority darshan at the busiest shrine, see our banke bihari vip darshan page and check the mathura vrindavan temple timings before you set out, as the temples close for a while through the middle of the day.

From Vrindavan you can easily add Govardhan, the sacred hill and Barsana and Nandgaon in the western Braj, and, coming from Varanasi, you can weave in Ayodhya on the way and Agra with the Taj Mahal, for a fuller pilgrimage. So plan by how many days you have. So combine Vrindavan and Mathura with the wider Braj and Ayodhya and Agra, on your trip from Varanasi.

Tips, best time and how to plan

The best time to travel from Varanasi to Vrindavan is the cool season, roughly October to March, when the weather of the plains is pleasant; the summers are very hot and the monsoon can slow the roads and the festivals of Holi, Janmashtami and Radhashtami in Braj are vibrant but very crowded. Given the journey, allow at least three to four days in all and consider adding Ayodhya on the way for the classic Kashi to Braj pilgrimage. Our mathura vrindavan tour itinerary helps you shape the days. We arrange Vrindavan and Mathura tours and darshan for travellers from Varanasi, with local transport, temple routing timed around the darshan hours and a knowledgeable Braj guide, whether you drive the expressways, take the train to Mathura Junction or fly via Delhi.

A shared day tour in Braj starts from around ₹1,499 per person, with darshan free at the temples; our six-day mathura vrindavan ayodhya varanasi tour links the great holy cities on one pilgrimage, our two-day mathura vrindavan tour covers the twin cities and our one-day vrindavan tour package Vrindavan. Message me on WhatsApp at +91-7302265809 with your dates and arrival to plan your visit.

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