Varanasi is well-linked to some of the major cities in India like Delhi and Mumbai. International participants can board connecting flights from major International airports to Varanasi. The nearest airport is Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport at Babatpur, 22 km from Varanasi and 30 Km from Sarnath. Direct flights for Varanasi are also available from Agra, Delhi, Khajurao, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Bhubaneshwar. Besides, road and Railway connections to all major cities are available from Varanasi Railway Station. Travel time from Delhi to Varanasi by railway is around 13 hours, Delhi to Lucknow is around 9 hrs and Lucknow to Varanasi is about 6 hours
Assi Ghat is described in the Kashi Khand as Assi "Saimbeda Tirtha"meaning the one who gets a dip here once in his life will get punya of all the Tirthas ( religious places of the Hindu) . The Ghat is open at all times and to everyone