Varanasi travel guide: getting there, stays, things to do
Everything for a trip to Varanasi: how to get there by every mode, where to stay near the station, what to see, and how to get around.
Getting to Varanasi
By train (every way compared)
Bus
Stations, airports and where to stay
Railway stations
- Varanasi City (BCY) · stays nearby
- Varanasi Junction (BSB) · stays nearby
- Banaras (Manduadih) (BSBS) · stays nearby
Airports
- VNS · Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport · about 20 km from the centre (straight line)
Stays by area (live prices on the map)
- Near Varanasi City
- Near Varanasi Junction
- Near Banaras (Manduadih)
- Old city and centre
- Near the airport (VNS)
Station locations checked · OpenStreetMap
Things to do
Pilgrimages
- Kashi Vishwanath, Varanasi · season (from the guide): Oct–Mar
- Sarnath · season (from the guide): Oct–Mar
Things to do in Varanasi Veg and Jain food card for restaurants
Festival rush ahead
Navratri begins about · Diwali / Mahavir Nirvana about · Diwali about
National dates (Government of India 2026 holiday list), approximate; not a Varanasi events calendar. When trains are hardest to book · checked
Getting around Varanasi
We haven’t checked local transport here yet. App cabs and autos are the usual way; agree the fare or use the meter.
Questions people ask
Which railway stations serve Varanasi?
Varanasi City (BCY), Varanasi Junction (BSB), Banaras (Manduadih) (BSBS). Check which one your train uses before you leave.
Which airport is Varanasi’s?
VNS.
Varanasi has 3 railway stations we list and 1 airport.