Khajuraho – Varanasi Vande Bharat Express (26505 / 26506)

Timetable last checked 12 November 2026 (data from 11 November 2026). Fares checked 13 November 2026.

Train summary

Which Varanasi station? This Vande Bharat train does not use Varanasi Jn (BSB), the city’s main station. It starts and ends at Banaras (BNRS), the station that was called Manduadih until it was renamed in 2020. Source: Deccan Herald On IRCTC, search for “Banaras” or the code BNRS; a search from Varanasi Jn will not show 26506. The New Delhi Vande Bharat trains leave from Varanasi Jn, so if you are changing trains in Varanasi, allow time to cross the city.

Which Prayagraj station? The train calls at Prayagrajcheoki (PCOI), written Prayagraj Chheoki in most news reports, and not at Prayagraj Jn. Chheoki is a separate station outside the city centre, so check the road time to your hotel or the Sangam before you pick it as your stop.

What kind of train this is

The Khajuraho to Varanasi Vande Bharat Express is a daytime Chair Car train with reclining seats and no berths. CC has 3+2 seating and EC has wider 2+2 seats. Before the launch, India TV reported the rake as eight coaches: seven AC Chair Car coaches and one Executive Chair Car. Source: India TV With only one EC coach, EC seats are few, so book early if you want them. See CC vs EC and the seat guide for layouts and window seats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Khajuraho–Banaras Vande Bharat on Saturday 8 November 2025. Source: Free Press Journal The government said it would connect Varanasi, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot and Khajuraho directly and save about 2 hours 40 minutes against the special trains then running on the route. Source: All India Radio News

Old train numbers and timings. Reports from before the launch gave the numbers as 26421/26422, with departures from Varanasi at 05:25, arrival in Varanasi at 23:00 and a distance of 443 km. Source: India TV Many travel sites still copy those figures. The train runs today as 26505/26506, leaving Banaras at 05:15, over a charged distance of 469 km, so go by the tables on this page and check IRCTC or NTES for your date.

26505 Khajuraho to Banaras timetable

26506 Banaras to Khajuraho timetable

All stops are on the same day. For live running status, use NTES with train number 26505 or 26506.

Khajuraho is the only stop in Madhya Pradesh. Mahoba, Banda, Chitrakoot Dham Karwi, Prayagraj Chheoki, Vindhyachal and Banaras are all in Uttar Pradesh. The average speed works out to about 60 km/h, slower than most Vande Bharat routes.

Khajuraho Varanasi Vande Bharat boarding guide: every stop

Every stop below is a boarding and alighting point, and IRCTC sells tickets between any two of them. Times are scheduled; check live running on NTES on the day.

Train 26505, Khajuraho → Banaras, and its return 26506 (times for 26505 first):

• Mahoba Jn (MBA). 26505 arrives at 16:18 and leaves at 16:20, 58 min and 64 km after Khajuraho, with 6 h 50 min still to go to Banaras. In the other direction, 26506 calls here at 11:58.
• Banda Jn (BNDA). 26505 arrives at 17:03 and leaves at 17:05, 1 h 43 min and 117 km out of Khajuraho. 26506 calls here at 10:58.
• Chitrakoot Dham Karwi (CKTD). 26505 arrives at 18:03 and leaves at 18:05, 2 h 43 min and 186 km out of Khajuraho, with 5 h 5 min to go to Banaras. 26506 calls here at 09:55. This is the station for Chitrakoot.
• Prayagrajcheoki (PCOI). 26505 arrives at 20:10 and leaves at 20:15, 4 h 50 min and 309 km out of Khajuraho, with 2 h 55 min to go. 26506 calls here at 07:45. It is the longest halt on the route, five minutes.
• Vindhyachal (BDL). 26505 arrives at 21:00 and leaves at 21:02, 5 h 40 min and 383 km out of Khajuraho, with 2 h 8 min to go. 26506 calls here at 06:48, only 1 h 33 min after leaving Banaras.

To board at an intermediate station, search from that station on IRCTC, or change the boarding point of an existing e-ticket once, up to the final chart. See the ticket change guide.

Banaras to Khajuraho Vande Bharat for Chitrakoot and Prayagraj

The Vande Bharat train works as a fast link between the pilgrimage towns on the way, not just between the two ends. From Banaras, 26506 reaches Prayagraj Chheoki in 2 h 30 min (161 km) and Chitrakoot Dham Karwi in 4 h 40 min (284 km). Between Prayagraj Chheoki and Chitrakoot, a 123 km hop, it takes 2 h 5 min in either direction. From Khajuraho, Chitrakoot is 2 h 43 min away on 26505, arriving 18:03.

For Khajuraho itself: the Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Source: UNESCO Coming from Varanasi, 26506 gets you there at 13:10, so a temple visit fits into the same afternoon if the train is on time.

Can you go and return the same day by Vande Bharat?

• Banaras → Khajuraho → Banaras: 26506 reaches Khajuraho at 13:10 and 26505 leaves at 15:20. That leaves 2 h 10 min in Khajuraho, enough for a short look at the temples but little else, and a late arrival cuts it further. Most visitors stay at least one night.
• Banaras → Chitrakoot → Banaras: 26506 reaches Chitrakoot Dham Karwi at 09:55 and 26505 leaves at 18:05, giving 8 h 10 min in Chitrakoot. You are back in Banaras at 23:10.
• Banaras → Prayagraj Chheoki → Banaras: arrive 07:45, leave 20:15, 12 h 30 min on the ground.
• Banaras → Vindhyachal → Banaras: arrive 06:48, leave 21:02, about 14 hours.
• From Khajuraho: a day trip is not possible on this train, because 26505 leaves Khajuraho in the afternoon and 26506 comes back the next day.

Both trains must run on the same day, and neither runs on Thursday. The same-day return planner checks this for any pair of stations, and the running days checker confirms a date.

Khajuraho to Varanasi Vande Bharat ticket price

Fares are for one adult, General quota, with the meal, checked 13 November 2026. They come from erail.in’s IRCTC fare data, and we kept a figure only where it agreed with erail’s own fare calculation, so confirm on IRCTC before you pay. We could not confirm fares for intermediate pairs such as Banaras to Prayagraj Chheoki or Chitrakoot; they are lower than the full fare, and IRCTC shows the exact amount when you search your stations.

The morning train from Banaras costs ₹75 more in CC and ₹65 more in EC than the afternoon train from Khajuraho over the same 469 km. The base fare depends only on distance and class, so the difference sits in the catering charge, which IRCTC lists in the fare breakdown. Choosing No Food lowers the price by the meal charge on either train. See the food guide for what is served.

The fare is built from a base fare (1.4 times Shatabdi in CC and 1.3 times in EC), reservation and superfast charges, GST and the optional meal. Source: PIB There is no dynamic fare, so the price does not rise as seats fill up. Source: PIB, February 2026 See how Vande Bharat ticket prices work or estimate a station pair with the fare calculator.

CC or EC? On 26505, EC costs ₹1,080 more than CC; on 26506, ₹1,070 more. For an 8-hour daytime ride, EC’s wider seats are worth it for some travellers, but with a single EC coach it fills fast.

Booking the Khajuraho Varanasi Vande Bharat train

Booking for 26505 and 26506 opens on IRCTC 60 days before the journey, at 08:00 IST, not counting the journey day. For a journey on Tuesday 12 January 2027, booking opens on Friday 13 November 2026 at 08:00. Do not pick a Thursday: the train does not run, and IRCTC will not show it. Find the opening date for your trip with the booking date calculator.

If CC is full, look at EC before taking a waiting-list ticket, and the other way round. A ticket still waitlisted when the chart is made is cancelled and refunded automatically, less ₹60 clerkage plus GST (₹63) per passenger.

Tatkal opens at 10:00 IST the day before the train leaves its first station: the day before at Khajuraho for 26505, and the day before at Banaras for 26506. A confirmed Tatkal ticket gets no refund if you cancel. See the Tatkal guide.

The booking guide covers IRCTC step by step, including quotas, waiting lists and how to pick a seat.

Refund if you cancel a Khajuraho Varanasi Vande Bharat ticket

The refund bands are counted from the train’s scheduled departure at its first station, so a passenger boarding 26506 at Prayagraj Chheoki still works from the 05:15 departure from Banaras. For a confirmed ticket, per passenger, with 5% GST on the charge, using the 72, 24 and 8-hour bands the Ministry of Railways announced in March 2026:

• 26505 in CC (₹1,335): cancel more than 72 hours before and you get back about ₹1,146; 72 to 24 hours before, about ₹985; 24 to 8 hours before, about ₹634; less than 8 hours before, nothing.
• 26505 in EC (₹2,415): more than 72 hours before, about ₹2,163; 72 to 24 hours, about ₹1,781; 24 to 8 hours, about ₹1,147; less than 8 hours, nothing.
• 26506 in CC (₹1,410): more than 72 hours before, about ₹1,221; 72 to 24 hours, about ₹1,040; 24 to 8 hours, about ₹670; less than 8 hours, nothing.
• 26506 in EC (₹2,480): more than 72 hours before, about ₹2,228; 72 to 24 hours, about ₹1,829; 24 to 8 hours, about ₹1,178; less than 8 hours, nothing.

IRCTC’s published refund rules still show the older 48, 12 and 4-hour cut-offs, so the IRCTC cancellation screen is final. The Vande Bharat cancellation charges guide explains both sets of bands, and the refund calculator and cancellation deadline tool give your own figure and clock times.

When is the chart prepared for the Khajuraho Varanasi Vande Bharat?

• 26506 leaves Banaras at 05:15, so its first chart is prepared by 20:00 the evening before.
• 26505 leaves Khajuraho at 15:20, so its first chart is prepared by 05:20 on the day of travel (10 hours before departure).

After the first chart, waiting-list tickets are settled and your coach and seat number appear on the PNR. The chart preparation time tool works it out for any date.

Khajuraho Varanasi Vande Bharat FAQs

What is the timing of the Khajuraho to Varanasi Vande Bharat? Train 26505 leaves Khajuraho at 15:20 and reaches Banaras (BNRS) in Varanasi at 23:10, a journey of 7 h 50 min.

What is the timing of the Banaras to Khajuraho Vande Bharat? Train 26506 leaves Banaras at 05:15 and reaches Khajuraho at 13:10, a journey of 7 h 55 min.

On which day does the Khajuraho Varanasi Vande Bharat not run? Thursday, in both directions.

Does the Khajuraho Vande Bharat leave from Varanasi Jn? No. It uses Banaras (BNRS), formerly Manduadih, not Varanasi Jn (BSB).

What is the Khajuraho to Varanasi Vande Bharat ticket price? ₹1,335 in CC and ₹2,415 in EC with the meal on 26505. The return 26506 is ₹1,410 in CC and ₹2,480 in EC (checked 13 November 2026; confirm on IRCTC).

What are the stops of the Khajuraho Varanasi Vande Bharat? Five intermediate stops: Mahoba Jn (MBA), Banda Jn (BNDA), Chitrakoot Dham Karwi (CKTD), Prayagrajcheoki (PCOI) and Vindhyachal (BDL), in reverse order on 26506.

Does the Vande Bharat stop at Prayagraj? Yes, at Prayagrajcheoki (Prayagraj Chheoki), not Prayagraj Jn: 07:45 towards Khajuraho and 20:10 towards Banaras.

Does the Khajuraho Varanasi Vande Bharat stop at Chitrakoot? Yes, at Chitrakoot Dham Karwi (CKTD): 09:55 on 26506 and 18:03 on 26505.

What is the Khajuraho Varanasi Vande Bharat train number? 26505 from Khajuraho to Banaras, and 26506 from Banaras to Khajuraho. Pre-launch reports used 26421/26422.

How far is Khajuraho from Varanasi by Vande Bharat? 469 km by the train’s route, covered in 7 h 50 min to 7 h 55 min.

Can I visit Khajuraho in a day from Varanasi by Vande Bharat? Only briefly. 26506 arrives at 13:10 and 26505 leaves at 15:20, giving 2 h 10 min. An overnight stay is the safer plan.

When does booking open for the Khajuraho Varanasi Vande Bharat Express? 60 days before the journey at 08:00 IST on IRCTC. For Tuesday 12 January 2027, it opens on Friday 13 November 2026.

When is the chart prepared for 26505 and 26506? For 26506, which leaves at 05:15, by 20:00 the evening before. For 26505, which leaves at 15:20, by 05:20 on the day of travel.

When was the Khajuraho Banaras Vande Bharat launched? It was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 November 2025.

Related routes

• Vande Bharat trains in Madhya Pradesh
• Vande Bharat trains in Uttar Pradesh
• Delhi – Varanasi Vande Bharat
• Full Vande Bharat route list

Sources

Timetable, stops and running days: erail 26505, erail 26506, cross-checked with ConfirmTkt 26505 and ConfirmTkt 26506, 11 November 2026. Fares: erail.in’s IRCTC fare data, cross-checked against its fare calculation, 13 November 2026. Launch: Free Press Journal, All India Radio News. Pre-launch numbers, timings and coaches: India TV. Banaras station name: Deccan Herald. Khajuraho monuments: UNESCO. Fare rules: PIB, PIB, February 2026. Always confirm on IRCTC or NTES before travel. Report a correction.