Why this matters
Large Indian cities are served by more than one station, and trains do not all use the same one. A train that arrives at Old Delhi will not show up if you only look at New Delhi. The result is that two searches for the same city can give very different lists of trains.
As an example from our own data, Howrah to Varanasi Junction (BSB) has ten direct trains, while Howrah to the nearby Banaras station (BNRS) has only one. Both are in Varanasi.
Main stations in big cities
| City | Main stations and codes |
|---|---|
| Delhi | New Delhi (NDLS), Old Delhi (DLI), Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM), Anand Vihar Terminal (ANVT) |
| Mumbai | CSMT, Mumbai Central (MMCT), Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), Bandra Terminus (BDTS), Dadar (DR) |
| Kolkata | Howrah (HWH), Sealdah (SDAH), Kolkata Terminal (KOAA) |
| Chennai | Chennai Central (MAS), Egmore (MS) |
| Bengaluru | KSR Bengaluru City (SBC), Yesvantpur (YPR), Bengaluru East (BNCE) |
| Hyderabad | Secunderabad (SC), Hyderabad Deccan or Nampally (HYB), Kacheguda (KCG) |
| Varanasi | Varanasi Junction (BSB), Varanasi City (BCY), Banaras (BNRS) |
| Pune | Pune Junction (PUNE), Shivajinagar (SVJR) |
Mumbai Central is MMCT in railway timetable data. Some websites and apps show an older code, BCT, for the same station.
How to search properly
- 1List the stations in your origin city and in your destination city.
- 2Search each useful pair, for example NDLS to HWH, then NZM to HWH if it makes sense for you.
- 3Compare the trains, travel times and fares across all of them.
- 4Check which station is easier to reach from where you live or stay, including travel time at that hour.
Search tools match the exact station you choose, and TrainSight does too. If a search for a big city returns fewer trains than you expect, try the other stations in that city before you decide there is nothing available.
Practical tips
- Check the station code on your ticket before you leave home. Travellers do turn up at the wrong station in cities with several.
- Allow extra time for the city journey. Moving between stations in a large city can take an hour or more in traffic.
- For arrivals, check which station the train ends at and how you will get onward from there.
- If a train is full from your first-choice station, look at another station in the same city. Availability can differ.
Search trains between stations
Pick your From and To stations to see all direct trains with times and running days.
Open toolFrequently asked questions
Why does one station show fewer trains than another in the same city?
Trains are assigned to particular stations. A smaller or newer station may be used by only a handful of services.
Are the station codes the same on every website?
Mostly, but a few differ. Mumbai Central is MMCT in timetable data, and some sites use BCT. If a code does not work, search by name.
Can I get on a train at a different station in the same city?
Only if the train stops there. Many long-distance trains stop at only one or two stations in a big city, so check the train's schedule.
Official sources
Rules change, so confirm the current details with the official sources.
Related guides
TrainSight is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to IRCTC, CRIS, or Indian Railways. All information is provided for general informational purposes only — please verify with official sources before travelling.