Away With The Steiners

Catching the Vande Bharat Fast Train from Delhi to Amritsar and back again. 

Sarah Steiner

The vibrant state of Punjab in the north of India feels like a world apart from the rush of Delhi.  But in fact, it’s less than six hours by fast train from Delhi to Amritsar. And the good news?  It’s direct and easy!

Here is everything you need to know about catching the train from Delhi to Amritsar.  Plus, some (very) honest thoughts on our experience of traveling by train in India…

About Amritsar

Amritsar is an important city in India.  It is the largest city in Punjab and is a significant commercial, cultural, and transportation centre for the state.  But the main attraction of Amritsar is the Golden Temple, which is a site of pilgrimage for Sikhs and the most holy place of worship for Sikhism. 

With the Golden Temple, Amritsar is a tourist attraction for people of all religions worldwide.  And if you’ve already done the golden triangle from Delhi to Jaipur and Rajasthan and are looking for a next destination in India.  Then Amritsar in Punjab is another unique India experience.  And it’s easy to get to by train from Delhi! 

Is there a direct train from Delhi to Amritsar?  

Yes.  The good news (before we get to the impenetrable booking system of India Railways) is that there is a direct route by train from Delhi to Amritsar. 

Is there just one train? What options are there for travel by train between Delhi and Amritsar? 

There are in fact 22 trains that cover the route between Delhi and Amritsar!  

It is a convenient way to travel between the two cities.  But there is a huge range of services with some super-fast daytime trains and some that are overnight trains and very slow. 

However, to keep options simple (it is actually easy), there are two main fast trains that connect the cities. 

The other trains to Amritsar are standard and local trains which operate with varying classes of travel and take between 6 to 12 hours. 

Not all trains run every day. And some of the express trains run only certain days of the week. 

The Golden Temple in Amritsar how to get the train from Delhi.
Welcome to Amritsar and the incredible Golden Temple, Sri Harimandir Sahib.

So, which is the best train to book?  

The two fastest trains from Delhi to Amritsar make the journey straightforward, fast and simple. 

Both trains have a different schedule and timing from Delhi.  And note they also depart Delhi from DIFFERENT STATIONS. 

Note the Vande Bharat Express operates on all days of the week except for Friday, departing from Old Delhi Railway Station (DLI).  And the Shatabdi Express operates daily and departs from New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS). 

Catching the morning Vande Bharat train back from Amritsar to Delhi.

About the Vande Bharat train from Delhi to Amritsar

This Vande Bharat Express servie is newly launched and is the fastest train in India.  The Vande Bharat train from Delhi to Amritsar only had its maiden journey on January 6, 2024. 

Prior to the launch of the Delhi to Amritsar Vande Bharat the fastest, most direct service between the capital city and Amritsar was the Shatabdi Express.

What is it really like taking a train in India? Is it as bad as you hear? 

Both of these superfast, express train services are a fantastic way to travel in India.  

It is nothing like you imagine conjuring up images of riding on the roof with crowds of locals.  

Albeit India Railway does move 23 million passengers daily around the country.  (That’s not a typo by the way!).  But these fast trains make the journey from Delhi to Amritsar smooth and comfortable.  

Give or take a few chapati and the crowds and potentially cows congesting the station itself.  You could – almost – be anywhere in the world.

The Vande Bharat and Shatabdi Express are a seated, air conditioned and reserved ticket-only type of Indian train travel. 

See? Biryani aside you could almost be anywhere in the world, right?

Our (honest) review of taking the Vande Bharat train from Delhi to Amritsar and back again 

Over the last two years we’ve visited Amritsar four times.  And prior to the Vande Bharat launching we travelled on the Shatabdi Express each time.  

The Vande Bharat is definitely more comfortable and more streamlined with its service.  

The journey feels quick and despite both services having a late arrival in Amritsar from Delhi, it is a nice time of day to travel by train.  Perhaps it might be more due to traveling fulltime and backpacking all over India on non-air-conditioned and local train services, but we find the journey goes quickly in the seated Chair Class (CC).  

It is a comfortable way to travel, and you don’t have the added anxiety of wondering who you might be sharing a berth with in the local trains. 

Buying tickets for the train from Delhi to Amritsar (the first hurdle)

Once you have decided on which train from Delhi to Amritsar fits your India itinerary, the next step is tickets. 

Because trains in India get booked in advance I recommend buying tickets online before you travel.  (Preferably before you arrive in the country). Or alternatively if you have a travel agent or booking contact in India it might be easier to book through them ahead of time.  

Otherwise there are three options for you to book and buy tickets for the train to Jaisalmer: 

Because there are limited options for fast train services from Delhi to Amritsar I recommend booking online through ticketing agency 12go.asia. 

You can type in the different options for dates, days and classes of travel and pay by credit card. 

To use the IRCTC website you will need a VPN to book train tickets from outside of India.  And there is the added challenge of needing a local Indian contact phone number (which most often defeats the purpose of even using a VPN while out of the country).  

But the IRCTC website is useful to see exactly when and which days there are tickets available for the trains from Delhi to Amritsar. 

Both Delhi and Amritsar stations have a Premium AC Waiting Lounge for passengers.

How long does it take by train from Delhi to Amritsar? 

Travel by train from Delhi to Amritsar takes anywhere between 5 and 13 hours. 

Are there different classes of train travel from Delhi to Amritsar? 

There are eight different classes of train travel in India, and it can be more than a little overwhelming trying to decipher the class codes for a first time. 

These are the classes listed below in descending order according of price per fare. 

However, the decision of which class of train to take between Delhi to Amritsar is more straight forward as not all these classes are available on every train.  

This Sleeper Class (SL) train departing Old Delhi (DLI) definitely doesn’t have air conditioning like the Vande Bharat.

About the classes of travel on the train from Delhi to Amritsar 

The Vande Bharat Express and the Shatabdi Express trains only have seated classes of travel. 

We always opt for Chair Class (CC) pretty much just because it’s cheaper!  

The seats in Chair Class (CC) are set out like on an aeroplane with three seats on one side of the aisle and two on the other.

The comfortable seats of Chair Class (CC) on the Vande Bharat Express.

How much does it cost to travel by train from Delhi to Amritsar? 

Prices for a train ticket to Amritsar vary depending on the class of train travel.  

The Vande Bharat and Shatabdi Express only have Chair Class (CC) and Executive Chair Class (EC) available.  But there are other (slower) trains with cheaper classes available on this route too. 

About the journey. Are meals included in the price? 

Yes. Both fast trains from Delhi to Amritsar include a meal in the ticket price. 

The evening meal is similar on both trains and each time we have travelled it has been a vegetarian thali type dinner with dal, paneer and roti. 

And there also seems to be complimentary snacks, a juice or premix tea and cookies and a water bottle.  

A morning snack plate and chai plus a vegetarian lunch on board the Vande Bharat.

Boarding and de-boarding stations for the trains between Delhi and Amristar

There are three main stations in Delhi with trains to Amritsar.  It is REALLY IMPORTANT to check which station you have booked to depart from as the stations in Delhi are not close to each other and the trains do not call at the others. 

In Amritsar, there are two railway stations but the main one for the trains from Delhi is Amritsar Junction. 

Old Delhi and New Delhi Railway Stations

The two main railway stations in Delhi with trains departing for Amritsar are New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) and Old Delhi (DLI). 

From Old Delhi Railway Station to New Delhi Railway Station is only a distance of around 3.5 km but getting there takes about 20 minutes by car, metro or rickshaw. 

New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) is close to Paharganj and the Main Bazar backpacker area of Delhi.  

Old Delhi Railway Station (DLI) is in the heart of Delhi’s bustling Chandni Chowk area.  And it really is old! Old Delhi (DLI) was established in 1864. 

Old Delhi Railway Station is also called Delhi Junction Railway Station.

Amritsar Junction / Amritsar Railway Station 

Amritsar Junction (ASR) is the main railway station in Amritsar.  

Boarding the Vande Bharat Express at Amritsar Junction (ASR) heading back to Delhi.

Boarding the train (any train in India) and finding your platform, carriage and seat 

The first thing you need to check on your ticket (*after confirming the departure station) is which platform your train departs from. 

The platform number will be on your eTicket as well as on the departure boards at the station. 

Once you’ve found your platform, you then need to find where to stand on your platform. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. 

Indian trains can be ridiculously long.  And depending on the train, sometimes they only stop for two minutes in a station! This isn’t long enough to run the length of the train if you are standing in the wrong spot.  And trust me (eek; from experience) it isn’t easy to run in an overcrowded Indian railway station (obviously).  

Along the platform there are small, electronic boards above the boarding areas.   These will display your carriage number and the next arriving train number. 

For example: 

Each carriage also has the coach number displayed on the train near the middle of the carriage somewhere up the top.  It will state the carriage number (eg. A1, C1). And the carriage number printed on the train should correspond with the digital number on the changing sign in position above the platform. 

And, as a last resort take note of the carriage windows as the train arrives.  The classes with air conditioning have closed/fixed windows and the classes without AC have open windows with bars.  Hopefully you have booked one with air conditioning and you can confirm by window you are in the right place! 

This isn’t an express train. But this is what the carriage numbers look like displayed somewhere on each coach to match the digital board on the platform.
Boarding the Vande Bharat in Chair Class (CC).

Is it safe to travel by train in India? 

We have always felt safe taking the trains in India.  After all, millions of passengers travel every day around the country.  

On the Vande Bharat and Shatabdi Express trains from Delhi to Amritsar travel is straightforward.  And because the journey is less than 6 hours and there is only seated chair class there isn’t the added complication of sleep and berths and bunks to be concerned about. 

It is somewhat daunting arriving in Amritsar late at night.  Especially with the 11:00pm and later arrival on the Shatabdi Express. It is a good idea to prearrange a taxi pick-up from the train station with your accommodation in Amritsar. 

Otherwise, you can head on out if you are feeling confident to negotiate a rickshaw or taxi on arrival.  It isn’t unsafe as such.  Just the usual India-discomfort of haggling and navigating overly eager touts and drivers! 

Toilets on the train from Delhi to Amritsar

Hopefully this has answered all your questions about taking the train from Delhi to Amritsar.  With the only last question unanswered about the state of toilets.  And this is a fair question for any train travel in India… 

However, you can be assured the fast trains, and seated classes do have better toilets than the rest.  There is the option of a western toilet or squat toilet.  And even the squat has a bio-vacuum style flushing toilet.  Quite the luxury! 

Where to stay in Delhi and Amritsar 

Views of Punjab from the comfortable Hyatt Regency Amritsar.

More about travel planning for India and beyond…

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

Read more from travel in Punjab India and crossing the border to Punjab Pakistan

Exit mobile version