Varanasi–Ranchi and Varanasi–Deoghar Vande Bharat Timings Changed From September 2: Check New Departure Schedule

Indian Railways has revised the departure timings of two Vande Bharat Express services originating from Varanasi. The updated timetable for the Varanasi–Ranchi and Varanasi–Deoghar Vande Bharat Express trains is scheduled to come into effect from September 2, 2026.

The changes affect the departure time of Train No. 20888, the Varanasi–Ranchi Vande Bharat Express, and Train No. 22500, the Varanasi–Deoghar Vande Bharat Express.

Passengers travelling from Varanasi are advised to check the revised schedule before beginning their journey, as both trains will now leave earlier than their existing departure times. According to the information provided, there will be no change to the timetable of these services at stations beyond Varanasi.

Varanasi–Ranchi Vande Bharat to leave 10 minutes earlier

The departure time of the Varanasi–Ranchi Vande Bharat Express will be revised from September 2.

Train No. 20888 currently departs from Varanasi at 4:05 pm (16:05 hours). Under the new schedule, the train will leave 10 minutes earlier, at 3:55 pm (15:55 hours).

New timing at a glance

Passengers travelling on the service should therefore reach the station well before the revised departure time.

According to the information available, the schedule after the train leaves Varanasi remains unchanged.

Varanasi–Ranchi Vande Bharat route and stops

The Varanasi–Ranchi Vande Bharat Express, operating under train numbers 20887 and 20888, connects Varanasi with Ranchi and makes scheduled stops at several important stations along the route.

The service stops at:

• Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction
• Sasaram
• Gaya
• Koderma
• Hazaribagh Road
• Parasnath
• Bokaro Steel City
• Muri

The train offers passengers two travel classes:

• AC Chair Car
• Executive Chair Car

The service provides an important high-speed rail connection between Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.

Varanasi–Deoghar Vande Bharat timing also revised

Indian Railways has also changed the departure schedule of the Varanasi–Deoghar Vande Bharat Express, Train No. 22500.

The service currently leaves Varanasi at 6:20 am.

From September 2, 2026, the revised departure time will be 6:10 am, which means the train will also leave 10 minutes earlier than its current schedule.

Varanasi–Deoghar Vande Bharat new schedule

As with the Varanasi–Ranchi service, the revised timing applies to the train’s departure from Varanasi. No change in the schedule at stations further along the route has been mentioned in the provided information.

Both revised timings take effect on September 2

The key point for passengers is that both Vande Bharat Express services will now begin their journeys from Varanasi 10 minutes earlier than before.

The revised timings are:

• Varanasi–Ranchi Vande Bharat (20888): 3:55 pm instead of 4:05 pm
• Varanasi–Deoghar Vande Bharat (22500): 6:10 am instead of 6:20 am

The revised timetable is expected to take effect from September 2, 2026.

Passengers holding tickets for travel on or after the date should check the latest journey information through official Indian Railways channels before travelling, particularly because operational schedules can occasionally be updated further.

Indore–Nagpur Vande Bharat extension proposal also under discussion

Meanwhile, a separate proposal concerning the Indore–Nagpur Vande Bharat Express has also drawn attention.

According to the information available, a proposal has been sent to the Railway Board to extend the service towards Bilaspur three days a week.

However, this remains a proposal and has not received final approval from the Railway Board, according to the report.

The proposal reportedly includes changes to the train’s schedule as well as an extension of its route beyond Nagpur.

Proposed Indore–Nagpur–Bilaspur schedule

Under the proposed timetable, the train would depart from Indore at 6:10 am and reach Nagpur at 2:35 pm.

It would then continue towards Chhattisgarh with the following proposed timings:

• Gondia: 4:13 pm
• Durg: 5:53 pm
• Raipur: 6:37 pm
• Bilaspur: 8:25 pm

For the return journey, the proposal suggests that the train would depart Bilaspur at 6:45 am.

The proposed return schedule is:

• Raipur: 8:01 am
• Durg: 8:43 am
• Gondia: 10:25 am
• Nagpur: 12:30 pm
• Indore: 9:05 pm

These timings should be treated as proposed rather than confirmed until an official Railway Board approval or notification is issued.

Current Nagpur–Indore Vande Bharat timing

At present, the Nagpur–Indore Vande Bharat Express follows a different timetable.

The train currently departs from Nagpur at 3:20 pm and reaches Indore at 11:50 pm.

If the proposed extension and revised timetable receive final approval, the service could provide a new rail connectivity option between Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

Passengers travelling from areas including Betul and nearby districts could potentially benefit from improved connectivity towards destinations such as Raipur, Durg and Bilaspur.

What passengers should know

The latest railway update contains two different types of developments.

The timing changes for the Varanasi–Ranchi and Varanasi–Deoghar Vande Bharat Express services are reported as revised schedules taking effect from September 2, 2026.

The Indore–Nagpur–Bilaspur plan, however, is a proposal that is reportedly awaiting final approval.

Passengers should therefore distinguish between the confirmed timetable changes and the proposed expansion.

For travellers using the Varanasi–Ranchi or Varanasi–Deoghar Vande Bharat, the most important update is straightforward: both trains are scheduled to depart from Varanasi 10 minutes earlier from September 2.

With revised train schedules often affecting connecting journeys, local transport and station arrival plans, passengers are advised to check their train status and latest timetable before travelling.