Varanasi to Ahmedabad (Travel in late Jan)

morondrill

Accidentally discovered this wonderful forum. Thank you !! Thank you !! (kneels)

I'll be visiting India in January and have 2 weddings to attend which are very closely spaced. I need advice on touching point B (Ahmedabad) from Point A (Varanasi) in the shortest possible time. The first wedding is in Varanasi on Jan 24 (which would go on until late night (11 PM)) and the next one is at Ahmedabad on Jan 25 (very next day) in the evening.

Assuming, I am free to leave at 11PM+ on Jan 24 from Varanasi, Is there a way I can reach Ahmedabad on Jan 25 by 6 PM with a fair degree of certainty?

There are flights available from Varanasi in the afternoon on 25 which reach AHD via Delhi. But friends from Delhi advice that winter is particularly harsh on air travellers in transit via Delhi (due to the fog, most flights are delayed) and a 1.5 hr switch time at the airport won't cut it.

I was thinking of taking a train from Varanasi to Delhi and then make it to AHD via the first flight available.

Thoughts/Advice ?

Thanks,
Moron

machadinha

Tough one... (and welcome to IndiaMike )

If you follow the "links" link in my signature, you'll find a number of sites to check on train and air travel. Train all the way would be something like 1.5 days it seems. I hear those wintry fog concerns are correct, yes; can also affect train travel btw. Maybe that last option of yours is not a bad idea.

Anyway, hang on, others will be in with advice.

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morondrill

Thanks Machadinha Yeah, Train + Flight seems to be the best option as of now. I'll wait for others to chime in.

Thanks again
Moron

jyotirmoy

Take the 9168 Varanasi Ahmedabad Sabarmati Exp.
Dep: Varanasi 13:45 Arr: Ahmedabad 6:20
Please recheck the timings from Indian Railway web site.

morondrill

Thanks This won't be possible since I can leave only after 11 PM (2300+)

And I have to reach by 6-7 PM (1900) next day

machadinha

I actually think there's a day inbetween that Jyoti, but I'll gladly stand corrected. I.e., arrival would be early the second morning, not the next day.

This would be according to http://www.trainenquiry.com/ ; a complication is that Varanasi has several stations, I think I opted for Junction for this query. Mughalsarai would probably be the better bet, but I find it hard to find there. (It wants you to spell AhmAdabad btw.) There's another site I prefer on this but it's currently down. [Edit, it's up again, namely here: http://www.indiagroove.com/ ]

In any case, I don't think training it all the way will cut it for OP. I have my doubts if it's doable at all, but it's worth a try.

jyotirmoy

Yes you are correct machadinha there one full day in between, I should have mentioned that.
There is no direct flight, possible routing would be either Varanasi-Mumbai-Ahmedabad or via Delhi.

morondrill

Thanks for all the help ...

I've booked a train from Varanasi to Delhi (Swatantra Express) - Leaves Varanasi at 0030 and reaches Delhi at 1230 and I have a 1745 flight for AHD.

I think this should work unless the weather gods decide otherwise.

machadinha

Cool, have a good trip. Should give you plenty of connecting time I reckon. A final thought that struck me: Those two weddings I guess would suggest you're familiar with India, but if not, leave in plenty of time for getting to and from stations and airports (or even arranging transport to and fro), not only unsuspected delays but ditto early departures, etc. It tends to be an, um, unpredictable place.

morondrill

Thanks I've tried to factor those in and I intend on making it to the train station/airport well in time.

I was born and brought up in India and am pretty familiar with the happenings/way(s) of life. Didn't travel much though, something, I plan to change next year. But, that's for another thread