Varanasi to Mathura Distance: Routes, Driving Time, Trains, Flights and the Best Way to Travel

Varanasi and Mathura are the two great Krishna-and-Shiva ends of the northern plain: the eternal city on the Ganga, where the ghats never sleep and the birthplace of Krishna on the Yamuna, the heart of Braj. The road between them is long, but with the new Ganga Expressway and the Agra-Lucknow Expressway it is now smoother and faster than it has ever been. Here is how to make the journey, whichever way suits you. Plan your visit with our Mathura Vrindavan tour packages.

Key takeaways

• Varanasi to Mathura is about 675 to 713 km by road, roughly 9 to 10 hours by car.

• The fastest routes use the Ganga Expressway and the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, cutting the drive to about 9 hours.

• By train, travel from Varanasi to Mathura Junction, then about 30 minutes by road to Vrindavan.

• By air, fly Varanasi to Delhi, then drive about 3 to 3.5 hours; Delhi is the nearest major airport to Braj.

• Lucknow and Agra make excellent stops to break the long drive, with the Taj Mahal only about an hour from Mathura.

• The last leg, Mathura to Vrindavan, is only about 12 to 15 km, around 30 minutes.

I am Gurudutt, born in Gokul in the Mathura district, guiding pilgrims through Braj since 2018, more than 50,000 of them. Many devotees pair the two holy cities on one journey, Kashi and Braj, Shiva and Krishna and I receive travellers off the Varanasi road every week. It is a fair distance, so it helps to plan it well. Here is everything you need, told by someone who meets these travellers at the station and on the highway: the exact distances and routes both ways, the train and flight options, the best way to travel, where to break the journey and the easy last leg into Vrindavan.

Varanasi to Mathura distance and driving routes

By road, the distance is around 675 to 713 km and the drive takes about 9 to 10 hours depending on the route and the traffic. The opening of the expressways has changed this journey for the better; where it once meant long hours on crowded national highways, much of it now runs on fast, modern expressways. There are three main ways.

Varanasi to Mathura road routes. Approximate; distances and times vary with traffic, roadworks and expressway sections in use.

The Ganga Expressway route is the quickest overall, at about 9 hours and it is the one I recommend for most travellers. Because the road runs close to Agra near the end, many pilgrims take in the Taj Mahal on the way; a car that knows the region makes this easy and our Mathura Vrindavan taxi service can carry you the whole way or meet you for the last leg.

Mathura to Varanasi distance (the return journey)

The road back is much the same, around 675 to 691 km, about 9 to 10 hours and again the expressways carry most of the load. If you are planning the reverse leg, from Braj back to Kashi, these are the main routes.

Mathura to Varanasi road routes. Approximate; the Agra-Lucknow Expressway route is quickest in time, the pure Ganga Expressway route shortest in distance.

Varanasi to Mathura by train

The train is a comfortable way to cover the distance, especially overnight and it spares you the long day at the wheel. There is no railway station in Vrindavan large enough for most trains, so you travel from Varanasi to Mathura Junction, the main railhead for Braj and take a short drive on. From Mathura Junction, Vrindavan is only about 14 km, around 30 minutes by road and we can meet your train.

A few things worth knowing about the train:

• Where to board in Varanasi: trains leave from Varanasi Junction (station code BSB), Banaras station (BSBS) or Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (DDU, the old Mughalsarai), depending on the service.

• How long it takes: roughly 10 to 13 hours, so an overnight train is the sensible choice, letting you arrive rested for morning darshan.

• Book ahead: this is a busy corridor and confirmed berths go quickly, so reserve your Varanasi to Mathura Junction ticket well in advance, especially in festival season.

• The last leg: from Mathura Junction we carry you to Vrindavan and around the temples in the right order.

Varanasi to Mathura by air

The fastest way, if time matters, is to fly. Vrindavan and Mathura have no airport of their own and the nearest major one is Delhi, about 150 km away, with Agra a smaller option. Most air travellers fly from Varanasi (Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport) to Delhi, a little over an hour and then drive about three to three and a half hours down the Yamuna Expressway to Braj, half a day door to door.

• Varanasi to Delhi: roughly 1 hour 20 minutes by air, with frequent daily flights.

• Delhi to Mathura/Vrindavan: about 3 to 3.5 hours by road on the Yamuna Expressway.

• Agra option: Agra has an airport with limited flights and sits only about an hour from Mathura, but connections are fewer, so most travellers still route through Delhi.

Varanasi to Mathura by bus

Buses are the budget option. State and private buses run from Varanasi toward Lucknow, Kanpur and Agra and on to Mathura, from where a short local ride brings you to Vrindavan; the whole journey takes around 13 to 15 hours. It is cheaper than a car or flight but longer and less comfortable for such a distance and best suited to those travelling light and on a tight budget.

Which is the best way to travel?

The right choice depends on your time, budget and comfort. In short: a private car is the most flexible, taking you door to door and letting you break the journey at Lucknow or Agra; an overnight train to Mathura is a comfortable, good-value middle path; flying via Delhi is the fastest on the body but the priciest and needs a road leg; and the bus is the cheapest but the most tiring. The table sets them side by side.

A quick comparison. For families and elders a car is usually the happiest choice; for solo or budget travellers, the overnight train is hard to beat.

Breaking the journey: Lucknow and Agra

The long drive is far sweeter if you break it. Lucknow, the city of nawabs, sits roughly along the way and makes a fine lunch or overnight halt, with its Imambaras and its famous kebabs and biryani. And Agra, close to Braj at the end of the road, offers the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, an unmissable stop just before you reach Mathura, only about an hour away. Many pilgrims turn the journey into a little tour, Varanasi to Lucknow to Agra to Mathura, rather than a single long dash and it is a lovely way to travel.

What to see when you arrive

Once in Braj, the darshans begin. The most beloved is the Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan, best seen early in the cool morning and the grand Prem Mandir with its evening light show. Add ISKCON Vrindavan for its continuous kirtan and in Mathura the Krishna Janmabhoomi, the very birthplace of the Lord. Plan an early start after your journey to make the most of the cool morning hours, before the temples close for their midday rest.

Best time to make the trip

The cool months of October to March are much the best for the long journey and for Braj itself, pleasant on the road and at the temples, while the summer of April to June is very hot for such a drive. If you travel in the festival season, around Janmashtami, Radhashtami, Diwali or Holi, expect the towns to be joyful but crowded and book ahead. See our best time to visit Mathura Vrindavan guide for the seasons in full.

Tips for the journey

• Start very early for a same-day drive; 9 to 10 hours is a long day on the road, even on the expressway.

• Better still, break the journey overnight at Lucknow or Agra and see the Taj at dawn.

• For the train, book a Varanasi to Mathura Junction ticket well ahead and prefer an overnight service.

• To fly, take the Varanasi to Delhi flight and arrange a car onward down the Yamuna Expressway.

• Carry water, snacks and your ID, keep some cash for tolls and plan rest stops along the highway.

The honest bit

Honest words on the Varanasi to Mathura journey, from one born in Braj. It is a genuinely long way, close to 700 km, but the expressways have made it far easier than it used to be and a single day on the road is now realistic if you leave early; even so, if you can, split it with a night in Lucknow or Agra or take the overnight train and arrive fresh. The distances and times here are approximate and shift with traffic, roadworks and which expressway sections are open, so treat them as a guide, not a promise. For the last leg and once you are here, a car that knows the town saves you time and touts; for a stay, see our Mathura Vrindavan hotels. Plan the journey well and the darshan at the end is worth every mile.

Why Experience My India is the right choice

I was born in Gokul in the Mathura district and I welcome travellers from Varanasi and the east every week. Guiding since 2018, more than 50,000 pilgrims, 4.5 stars on Google, WhatsApp first, 8 AM to 9 PM daily. Whether you drive, train or fly in, we meet you at Mathura Junction, Delhi or Agra, carry you the last leg and around the temples in the right order and, if you wish, build Lucknow and Agra into the trip, with the stories told on the ground and no touts. One clear fare and never a charge for free darshan.

Tip from Gurudutt: do not treat this as a race to cover 700 km in one sitting. Kashi and Braj are two of the holiest cities in the land and the road between them deserves a little patience. If you have the time, make it a small pilgrimage of its own, an evening in Lucknow, a sunrise at the Taj in Agra and then the sweet arrival into Vrindavan for the evening aarti. If time is short, take the overnight train to Mathura and let us meet you there, rested and ready for darshan.

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Plan your trip to Vrindavan

Tell me where you are starting from and your dates and I will help you plan the journey and your days in Braj, meeting you at the station or airport and taking you around with a car and a guide born on this soil, for one clear price. Our 3 Days Agra Mathura Vrindavan tour package is a wonderful way to fold the Taj into your Braj darshan once you arrive. WhatsApp +91 7302265809, any day 8 AM to 9 PM. Packages from ₹1,999 per person, 4.5 stars on Google. Born in Gokul, Mathura.

WhatsApp +91 7302265809, any day 8 AM to 9 PM. Packages from Rs 1,999 per person, 4.5 stars from 204 Google reviews. Born in Gokul, Mathura.