Centre approves Delhi-Guwahati bullet train corridor via Varanasi, Patna and Siliguri
The Centre approves the Delhi-Guwahati bullet train corridor as part of the northern high-speed rail corridor, with the announced route and projected travel times.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the northern bullet train corridor linking Delhi to Guwahati, via Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna and Siliguri, with projected journey times sharply lower than today — but no completion deadline or project cost has been announced.
The approval and the route
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the northern bullet train corridor connecting Delhi with Guwahati, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Saturday, 31 October, ahead of the flagging-off of the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper Express. The proposed corridor will pass through Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna and Siliguri before reaching Guwahati.
Vaishnaw said the project would be built in India, with domestic workers and engineers involved in its construction, describing it as fully Make in India. He said the corridor would benefit young people, middle-income households and artisans engaged in small-scale industries.
The journey times on offer
According to the travel-time projections shared by the minister, the bullet train would cover Delhi to Agra in 59 minutes, Delhi to Kanpur in one hour and 45 minutes, and Delhi to Lucknow in two hours and 12 minutes. The journey between Lucknow and Varanasi is projected to take one hour and 21 minutes, while travel between Delhi and Varanasi could be reduced to three hours and 35 minutes.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said a plan had been prepared for the Delhi-Varanasi high-speed rail link, and that the journey would be simpler, more convenient and more affordable than flying. All of these times are projections shared at the announcement, not timetables for a running service.
What is not decided yet
The minister did not specify a completion deadline or a detailed project cost for the corridor. Details regarding the timeline, alignment and construction schedule for the Guwahati stretch are yet to be announced, and the project is still at the approval stage, with further details on its implementation awaited.
The announcement marks a proposed expansion of India's high-speed rail ambitions beyond the western region, but until timelines and costs are published, the corridor remains an approved plan rather than a service with a start date.
For now, the only firm facts are the approval itself, the ten-city route and the minister's projected journey times; everything else about the project is still to be announced.
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Frequently asked questions
Which cities will the corridor connect?
Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna, Siliguri and Guwahati, in that order.
How fast will the projected journeys be?
The minister's projections put Delhi to Varanasi at 3 hours 35 minutes, Delhi to Agra at 59 minutes, Delhi to Kanpur at 1 hour 45 minutes and Delhi to Lucknow at 2 hours 12 minutes.
Has a completion date been announced?
No. The minister did not specify a completion deadline or a detailed project cost, and details of the timeline, alignment and construction schedule for the Guwahati stretch are yet to be announced.