How to Reach Varanasi from Pune: Routes and Travel Options
Our sources do not cover Pune, so no Pune distance, drive time or train is confirmed here. What they do confirm: Lucknow to Varanasi takes about 5 hours 23 minutes by road, and Varanasi to Ayodhya about 4 hours 33 minutes. Check current Pune routes before you book.
If you are searching for how to reach Varanasi from Pune, the honest starting point is this: the sources behind this guide do not give a Pune to Varanasi distance, a drive time, a direct train or a flight. Rather than guess, this guide separates what is confirmed from what you must check yourself before you book a first trip from Pune.
How to Reach Varanasi from Pune: What Our Sources Can and Cannot Confirm
Nothing in our source material gives a Pune to Varanasi distance, a road or rail time, or a direct train. That means the Pune leg is the one part of your journey you must verify with current timetables and a reliable operator before you commit to dates.
What the sources do cover is the network around Varanasi: the links with Lucknow, Ayodhya, Sarnath, Gaya and Naimisharanya. These figures are useful once you are in the Varanasi region, and they help you plan the final leg of a trip that begins elsewhere. Treat them as the confirmed core of your plan, and treat the Pune leg as an open item to check.
My practical advice is to confirm your Pune leg first, then fit the Varanasi region times around your arrival. Build in a buffer day, because a first long journey across India rarely runs exactly to plan.
Confirmed Road Times Around Varanasi
The best-documented road link is Lucknow to Varanasi. The distance is about 314 km, and the fastest route in the source, the Purvanchal Expressway, takes around 5 hours 23 minutes by road. Actual time will depend on traffic, weather and how often you stop, so allow a margin.
Varanasi to Ayodhya is about 219 km, around 4 hours 33 minutes by road via NH731 and NH 330. This makes Ayodhya a practical stop if you want to split a long journey. For route detail, our Varanasi to Ayodhya Distance: Route, Time & How to Reach guide covers the same road in more depth.
Sarnath is much closer. It is about 11 km from Varanasi, around 29 minutes by road via NH 31, which makes it an easy half day from the ghats.
Travel Options the Sources Confirm for Reaching Varanasi
The sources confirm several ways to reach Varanasi or move around its region, but they do not give cost ranges for any of them. The table below shows what is confirmed and what is not, so you can see where you need to check.
| Option | Time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car from Lucknow (Purvanchal Expressway) | About 5 hours 23 minutes for about 314 km | Not stated in sources | Comfort and flexibility |
| Train from Lucknow | Not stated in the source extract used here, so check timetables | Not stated in sources | Budget travellers who can check schedules in advance |
| Flight into Varanasi or Lucknow | Not stated in sources | Not stated in sources | Travellers with a short connection |
The Gaya train, roughly 2.5 to 4 hours on the same main line, is a separate route and is not a Pune option. It is worth knowing if your plans later take you south, but it does not help with the Pune leg.
If your trip also includes Chitrakoot, our Varanasi to Chitrakoot Distance: Route, Time & How to Reach page is a related trip to plan separately, not a stop on this route.
Stops Worth Making Near Varanasi
Sarnath is the most accessible stop. It is about 29 minutes by road, so a morning there followed by a return to the ghats in the afternoon works well for most visitors.
Adi Keshava Temple is one of the oldest shrines in Kashi, at the Varuna and Ganga confluence. It is open 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, with morning aarti at 7:00 AM. Entry is free. The temple closes in the early afternoon for the deity's rest, so plan your visit around those windows. Our Adi Keshava Temple Varanasi: Timings, Vishnu Darshan and How to Reach page has more on the legends and approach.
Trilochan Mahadev Dham opens at 4:00 AM daily and closes at 8:00 PM, extended to 8:30 PM on Tuesdays. Entry is free. Dress modestly, take off footwear where asked, and expect to queue. An early visit is the calmest time. The Trilochan Mahadev Dham (near Varanasi): Timings, Darshan and How to Reach page sets out the route in detail.
Best Option for a First-Time International Visitor
For most first-time visitors, a pre-arranged private car gives the most flexibility. You can keep to temple hours, stop when you need to, and avoid the uncertainty of connections in a new city. The Lucknow road route is the clearest example of a confirmed link where this works well.
The trade-off is cost, which the sources do not quantify, so ask for a fixed fare in writing before you travel. A train or flight may suit a traveller on a tighter budget, but only after you have checked the timetable for your specific Pune departure.
If you are continuing to Ayodhya, note that Ayodhya Dham Junction is about 1 km from the temple, and cars cannot reach the inner temple zone. Plan the last part on foot. The How to Reach Ayodhya guide covers the final approach in more detail.
Etiquette and Planning Notes
Respect temple hours and aarti times. Arrive a little early, keep your voice low inside shrines, and follow the instructions of temple staff, even when they seem strict. Many shrines ask for modest dress, and some ask you to remove footwear, so carry something easy to slip on and off.
Allow extra time for queues at the ghats, especially in the morning and around evening aarti. Crowds can be dense, and a short walk can take much longer than the map suggests.
The Bindu Madhav Temple is worth a visit, and you can read about it on Varanasiayodhyatours. Our sources do not give its timings, so check opening hours on arrival rather than relying on any published figure.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct flight from Pune to Varanasi?
None of our sources confirm a direct flight from Pune to Varanasi, so we cannot say one exists. Check airline schedules directly before booking. The sources do cover flight options into Varanasi and Lucknow in general terms, but they give no times or costs, so verify those too.
How long does the road journey from Lucknow to Varanasi take?
The distance is about 314 km, and the fastest road route in our source, the Purvanchal Expressway, takes around 5 hours 23 minutes. Traffic, weather and stops will change the actual time, so allow extra time, especially if you are arriving at a temple with set opening hours.
Is there a fee to enter Adi Keshava Temple?
Entry is free. The temple is open 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, with morning aarti at 7:00 AM. It closes in the early afternoon, so plan your visit around those hours.
