As the major festivals like Diwali and Chhath approach, we often see crowds throng trains from across the country to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. People face difficulty in getting confirmed tickets on long-distance trains, and they often travel in general class or go for other means of transport like buses, which take more time compared to trains. However, this issue is going to be resolved soon, as the Indian Railways has unveiled a major plan for high-speed rail connectivity. The rail travel from Delhi to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar could change dramatically in the coming years.
Delhi to Kanpur in just 1.45 hrs
According to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the proposed high-speed rail corridor will significantly reduce travel time between Delhi and several major cities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Trains on the proposed corridor are expected to operate at very high speeds, with the journey from Delhi to Agra estimated to take around 58 minutes. The journey from Delhi to Kanpur is expected to take about 1 hour 45 minutes, while trains could reach Lucknow in around 2 hours 12 minutes. This would make travel between Delhi and major cities in Uttar Pradesh considerably faster and more convenient.
According to the Railway Minister, the journey from Delhi to Prayagraj is expected to take around three hours, while the trip to Varanasi could take approximately 3 hours 30 minutes. The distance of around 1,170 km between Delhi and Patna is expected to be covered in approximately 4 hours 30 minutes, compared with the 12 hours or more that the journey can currently take by train.
Route map of the bullet train
| From | To | Distance | Time |
| Delhi | Agra | 200 km | 58 minutes |
| Delhi | Kanpur | 455 km | 1.45 hours |
| Delhi | Lucknow | 525 km | 2.12 hours |
| Delhi | Prayagraj | 750 km | 3 hours |
| Delhi | Varanasi | 950 km | 3.30 hours |
| Delhi | Patna | 1107 km | 4.30 hours |
Operational speed of bullet train 320 km/h
The project is being seen as a major step towards expanding the high-speed rail network in the country. Work is currently underway on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, which has a design speed of 350 kmph and an operating speed of 320 kmph.
It should be noted that the bullet train will be much faster than semi-high-speed trains like Vande Bharat. The new corridor will not only reduce travel time but is also expected to give a new impetus to tourism, business and economic activities in cities like Agra, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Patna.
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