Varanasi: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Varanasi is a city of 1.2 million people in India (Uttar Pradesh), 86 m (282 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS), 21 km (13 mi) from the centre. It has 1 railway station on record, including Varanasi Junction railway station. Our booking partner lists 1,983+ places to stay.
Key facts
Daylight in Varanasi runs from about 10 h 36 min a day in late December to 13 h 45 min in late June (computed for 25.32° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Varanasi is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS), 21 km (13 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 9,006 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
Flights to Varanasi: every airport, routes and times
By rail: stations on record include Varanasi Junction railway station. Trains to Varanasi
Buses to Varanasi · Driving and car hire
Where to stay
Our booking partner lists 1,983+ places to stay in Varanasi (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 661 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (342), and 11 are five-star. Across 219 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 7.9 out of 10. Guests have left 48,429 reviews in total.
Hotels in Varanasi: the full picture, and book
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Kanpur, 295 km — flights · tours
- Lucknow, 269 km — flights · tours
- Patna, 216 km — trains · tours
- Kathmandu, 351 km (Nepal)
- Dhanbad, 385 km
- Ranchi, 320 km
- Jabalpur, 392 km
- Prayagraj, 118 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Gorakhpur, 165 km — trains · tours
- Pokhara, 342 km (Nepal)
Common questions
Which airport serves Varanasi?
Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS), 21 km (13 mi) from the centre.
How big is Varanasi?
About 1.2 million people live in Varanasi, across 82 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Varanasi in?
Asia/Kolkata, currently UTC+5:30.
What currency is used in Varanasi?
The Rupee (INR). Traffic drives on the left.
How many hotels are there in Varanasi?
Our booking partner lists 1,983 or more places to stay in Varanasi, bookable on this site.
Which cities are near Varanasi?
Kanpur (295 km), Lucknow (269 km), Patna (216 km), Kathmandu (351 km), Dhanbad (385 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.