Best Trains Between Delhi and Mumbai (Compared)

Delhi and Mumbai are connected by a handful of well-established trains, and the choice mostly comes down to how much time you want to spend and how much comfort you're willing to pay for. There's no direct Vande Bharat on this exact corridor at the time of writing, so the fastest realistic options remain the two Rajdhani services.

The fastest option: Rajdhani Express

The Rajdhani Express (12951/12952) runs directly between New Delhi (NDLS) and Mumbai Central (MMCT), covering the route in around 15 hours 30 minutes. It's fully air-conditioned and reserved, with meals included in the fare unless you opt out of catering at booking, and it's the benchmark most other options on this corridor get compared against.

Is there a Vande Bharat option on this route yet

Not directly between Delhi and Mumbai, at the time of writing. Vande Bharat services have been progressively added across the network on various routes, and it's worth checking current listings closer to your travel date since new routes are added periodically, but as things stand, the Rajdhani twins remain the fastest scheduled option for this specific corridor.

The Rajdhani vs the August Kranti Rajdhani

Both are fully AC, reserved-only premium trains, and the practical difference comes down to which Delhi-area station suits you better. The original Rajdhani (12951/12952) uses New Delhi station, while the August Kranti Rajdhani (12953/12954) uses Hazrat Nizamuddin, a different station on the other side of the city. If you're staying or starting near Nizamuddin, that version saves you a cross-city transfer; otherwise, New Delhi station is generally the more central and better-connected of the two for most visitors.

Which train has the most comfortable overnight option

Both Rajdhani services run overnight and are built for exactly that, with proper bedding provided in AC classes and meals served at set times through the journey. Between the two, they're broadly comparable in comfort, so the choice mostly comes down to departure station and which schedule better fits your plans on each end, rather than one being meaningfully more comfortable than the other.

How fares compare across the top options

Rajdhani fares are premium, reflecting the fully AC, reserved, meal-inclusive service, and they rise further under flexi fare pricing in 2AC and 3AC as seats fill. The Punjab Mail and similar mail/express trains are considerably cheaper, especially in sleeper or general class, but that lower fare comes with a journey time around ten hours longer than the Rajdhani's, plus the added complexity of a longer, multi-stop route rather than a direct city-pair service. For an exact current fare on your specific date and class, check the fare shown at booking rather than relying on a general comparison, since Rajdhani fares in particular move with demand.

Choosing between them for your own trip

If your priority is minimum total travel time and you're comfortable with the AC fare, the Rajdhani Express is the straightforward choice, and the August Kranti Rajdhani is a close second if Nizamuddin suits your plans better than New Delhi station. If budget matters more than speed and you don't mind a much longer journey, the Punjab Mail and similar mail/express services offer sleeper and general class options at a fraction of the cost. Check the trip planner for the full current list of trains on this route and their live seat availability, and confirm your chosen train's live running status before heading to the station, since both Rajdhani services generally run reliably but can still be affected by weather or track work like any other train.

Booking tips for this route

Both Rajdhani services on this corridor are heavily booked well in advance, especially through the festive season and summer holiday months, so booking as early as the reservation window allows is worth prioritising over waiting to compare fares closer to your date. If both Rajdhani options show no availability for your preferred date, checking the trip planner for the full list of alternatives, including the slower mail and express options, is more useful than repeatedly refreshing the same two trains hoping for a cancellation.

A note on route and station choice

Mumbai has multiple major stations, and this comparison focuses on trains reaching Mumbai Central, used by both Rajdhani services. Mumbai CSMT, the other major terminus, is served by different trains including the Punjab Mail, so if your onward plans in Mumbai depend on a specific part of the city, check which station your chosen train actually arrives at before booking, since the two stations are a meaningful distance apart and not a quick walk between them.