Delhi–Varanasi bullet train to stop at Noida Airport

Noida: Delhi-Varanasi bullet train project will now include a direct underground station at the Noida International Airport (Jewar),significantly enhancing regional and national connectivity. A principle agreement for the integration has been reached between the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) and Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL).

According to officials, the proposal will now be included in the Detailed Project Report (DPR).The high-speed rail line will have two stations in Gautam Buddh Nagar — one at Noida Sector-148 and the other, an underground terminal at the airport’s Ground Transportation Centre (GTC).This will make Noida International Airport the first airport in the country to be directly connected by a bullet train.

The bullet train will begin its journey from Sarai Kale Khan (Delhi) and reach Noida Airport in just 21 minutes,covering a distance of nearly 70 km. The elevated track will be constructed along the central verge of the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and will further extend along the Yamuna Expressway to the airport.

The full 816-km Delhi–Varanasi corridor will include major stops at Mathura, Agra, Etawah, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Prayagraj,before terminating at Varanasi.The high-speed train will complete the journey in around 4 hours,a significant reduction from the current 10+ hours by road.Officials believe the project will boost connectivity to major religious and tourist destinations such as Ayodhya, Mathura-Vrindavan, Kashi Vishwanath, and the Taj Mahal.

To handle rising footfall, Noida Airport’s parking system will use Artificial Intelligence (AI),managed by Secure Parking Solutions.In the first phase, the airport will cater to 1.2 crore passengers annually,scaling up to 7 crore in its final phase. The GTC is being developed as a multi-modal hub with connectivity to Metro, Namo Bharat trains,and major expressways including Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Ganga Expressway, NH-34, NH-91,and others.

NIAL nodal officer Shailendra Bhatia said groundwork for the underground station will soon be completed. A 61-km Rundai–Chola railway line is also planned to improve passenger and cargo rail access.