How to Get from Nashik to Varanasi

Nashik, the wine town on the Godavari with its sacred Panchavati ghats, and Varanasi, the city of the Ganges ghats, are two of India's great pilgrimage cities. Between them lies more than a night of travel across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, and the plains slowly widen as you go east.

Nashik to Varanasi by Train

The train is the practical way to make this trip. In Nashik you board at Nashik Road station, about 11 km from the city centre on the main line towards Kalyan and Mumbai, Manmad and Bhusaval, Delhi and Kolkata.^[1] Indian Railways lists Varanasi Junction as the destination of several trains that leave from Nasik Road, among them the Kamayani Express (11071) and the Mahanagari Express (11093).^[2]

The Kamayani Express runs from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai to Varanasi Junction and carries 2A, 3A and Sleeper classes, so you choose between air-conditioned berths and the cheaper open Sleeper carriages.^[2]

Tips for Traveling from Nashik to Varanasi

• Book in advance: Long-distance berths to Varanasi sell out quickly, so reserve as soon as your dates are fixed. You can compare and book on GoAsia.cc.
• Food and water: Bring bottled water and dry snacks for the long ride, and buy hot tea and snacks from vendors at the bigger stops.
• Luggage: In Sleeper and 3A, a small chain and padlock let you secure your bag to the loops under the lower berths.
• Arriving in Varanasi: The old city around the ghats is a tangle of lanes, so have your guesthouse's name and phone number ready for the rickshaw driver. October to March is the pleasant season for the ghats and the evening Ganga Aarti.