IRCTC Station Code & Terminal Search
Find 2-4 letter railway codes, multi-terminal city stations, and transit hubs
New Delhi
Published Name: NEW DELHI • Delhi
To search or reserve tickets for New Delhi, enter station code NDLS on the IRCTC booking portal, Rail Connect mobile app, or PRS reservation form.
Central, connected to Airport Express Metro
Delhi (All Stations) Multi-Terminal Directory
Metropolitan cities operate multiple specialized terminals. Click to inspect, or copy the booking code directly:
Central, connected to Airport Express Metro
Historic terminal, connected to Yellow Line Metro
South Delhi, connected to Pink Line Metro
East Delhi, major hub for East-bound trains
West Delhi, hubs Rajasthan & Gujarat trains
South-West Delhi, major Vande Bharat stop
Direct Destinations from NDLS
Key terminus destinations with direct daily train connectivity from New Delhi:
Enter code "NDLS" as Origin or Destination on the IRCTC booking portal or Rail Connect mobile app to search and book trains for New Delhi.
Decoding Indian Railways Station Codes & Terminal Design
With over 8,000 active stations and halting points across 18 Railway Zones, Indian Railways relies on a standardized, mnemonic alpha code system. Understanding how station codes, suffixes, and metropolitan multi-terminal networks function helps travelers avoid missed trains, transit bottlenecks, and costly taxi detours.
Alpha Code Allocation
Every station has a 2 to 4-letter unique abbreviation. Many are intuitive phonetic shorthands (NDLS for New Delhi, HWH for Howrah, CNB for Cawnpore/Kanpur), while others reflect historical renames (DDU for Mughalsarai, BSBS for Manduadih/Banaras).
Jn vs Central vs Cantt vs Terminus
• Junction (Jn): Minimum 3 convergent railway lines.
• Central: The primary historical transit hub.
• Cantonment (Cantt): Military zone railhead.
• Terminus: Tracks end; trains must reverse direction.
Corridor Specialization
In metropolitan cities, terminals serve specific geographical directions. For instance, Delhi routes East-bound trains to Anand Vihar (ANVT), while North-West bound trains to Rajasthan/Gujarat hub at Sarai Rohilla (DEE) and Delhi Cantt (DEC).
Major City Terminal Survival Guide
DELHI NCR|NDLS • NZM • ANVT • DLI • DEC • DEE
New Delhi (NDLS) connects directly to the Airport Express Metro and Yellow Line. Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM) serves South & Central India (Rajdhanis via Kota & Bhopal) with direct Pink Line Metro. Anand Vihar (ANVT) is the dedicated eastern gateway for Bihar, Jharkhand, and UP, linked directly to the Blue Line Metro.
BENGALURU|SBC • YPR • SMVB • BNC
KSR Bengaluru (SBC / Majestic) provides underground Metro interchange for Purple and Green lines. Yesvantpur (YPR) serves northern routes with Green Line Metro. SMVT Bengaluru (Baiyappanahalli) is the newest fully air-conditioned terminal for East/Northeast trains, best accessed via prepaid autos or cabs from Baiyappanahalli Metro.
MUMBAI|CSMT • MMCT • BDTS • LTT • DR
CSMT is the flagship Central Railway heritage hub for Southern/Eastern routes. Mumbai Central (MMCT) and Bandra Terminus (BDTS) hub Western Railway trains toward Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi. Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT / Kurla) serves heavy long-distance trains toward Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and South India.
Frequently Asked Questions About Railway Stations & Codes
Q1.How do Indian Railways station codes work?
Indian Railways assigns unique 2 to 4-letter alpha codes to every railway station (e.g., NDLS for New Delhi, CSMT for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, SBC for KSR Bengaluru). These codes are used on tickets, PNR records, and reservation charts to uniquely identify origin, destination, and intermediate boarding points.
Q2.Why do some metropolitan cities have multiple railway terminals?
Major metropolitan areas like Delhi (NDLS, NZM, ANVT, DLI, DEC, DEE) and Mumbai (CSMT, MMCT, BDTS, LTT) distribute heavy passenger traffic across specialized terminals oriented toward specific geographical regions. For example, in Delhi, Anand Vihar (ANVT) hubs East-bound trains toward Bihar and West Bengal, while Sarai Rohilla (DEE) hubs North-Western trains toward Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Q3.What is the difference between BSB and BSBS in Varanasi?
BSB is Varanasi Junction (Cantonment), the historic central junction in the heart of the city. BSBS (formerly Manduadih, code also BNRS) is a modern, world-class redeveloped terminal situated near BHU that serves flagship trains like the Shiv Ganga Express and Banaras–New Delhi Vande Bharat.
Q4.What is SMVB Bengaluru and how is it different from KSR Bengaluru (SBC)?
SMVB (Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal) at Baiyappanahalli is Bengaluru's newest, airport-style fully air-conditioned railway terminal. It was constructed to decongest KSR Bengaluru (SBC - Majestic) and Yesvantpur (YPR), primarily serving long-distance East and North-East bound trains.
Q5.What do station suffixes like Jn, Central, Cantt, and Terminal mean?
'Jn' (Junction) indicates at least three track lines converge there. 'Central' denotes the oldest or primary station in a major city. 'Cantt' (Cantonment) historically served military cantonment zones. 'Terminal' or 'Terminus' signifies a station where railway tracks end, requiring locomotives to reverse direction.
Explore More Indian Railways Passenger Tools
Free, honest, and clutter-free utilities designed around genuine passenger ergonomics.
Train Ticket Booking Date Calculator
Find out the exact morning 08:00:00 AM IST drop when IRCTC opens ticket booking for your travel date. Sync 07:45 AM alarms, pair return trips, and view 2026 festival rush dates.
IRCTC Chart Preparation Time Calculator
Find out the exact timing IRCTC generates the 1st chart and final chart for morning, day, evening, and night trains with 1-click reminders.
Tatkal Booking Timer & Opening Date Calculator
Find out the exact morning drop when Tatkal quota opens for your train based on originating-station departure. Includes live second-by-second countdown and 1-click 15m prep alarms.
Train Fare & Ticket Price Calculator
Exact fares for 1A, 2A, 3A, 3E, SL, CC, and EC across all Indian trains with base fare, superfast, reservation & GST breakdowns.
Train Stoppage & Station Timetable
Check if your train stops at a specific station, along with platform numbers, scheduled halt duration, and next stop distances.
Best Train Finder & Schedule Matcher
Skip the timetable headache. Compare trains by sleep-friendly timings, punctuality, speed, and genuine passenger comfort trade-offs.
Train Route & Halts Explorer
Explore comprehensive station halts, arrival/departure timings, stop durations, and intermediate day schedules for any Indian train.
Bike Parcel & Two-Wheeler Shifting Rates Calculator
Railway freight (Scale-P/L), deemed CC weight slabs (150kg/200kg/250kg), packing contractor rates, 1% transit insurance, fuel drain guidelines, and free Father NOC generator.
IRCTC Ticket Cancellation Charges & Refund Calculator
Calculate exact Indian Railways cancellation deductions and net refund for Confirmed, RAC, Waitlist, and Tatkal tickets across all AC and Non-AC classes.
Train Running Days & Weekly Schedule Checker
Check which days any train operates with live 7-day visual matrix, next departure countdown, Vande Bharat rest days, and intermediate boarding station day-offset calculations.
Trains Between Stations & Direct Route Finder
Find all direct trains between any two stations with fastest travel times, civilized morning arrival hours, coach classes, and estimated fares.
Where is My Train? Live Train Running Status Tracker
Check where your train is right now based on scheduled timetable progress, next milestone arrival countdowns, and direct links to official NTES live GPS delays.
Deepen your understanding of Indian Railways formulas, timings, and passenger rights.
Complete IRCTC Chart Preparation Rules (1st & 2nd Chart, RAC/WL, Current Booking)
Understand the exact official Indian Railways timeline for 1st and final reservation charts, RAC sitting vs sleeping rights, unconfirmed e-ticket auto-refunds, and booking 10% discounted Current Booking berths.
The Midnight Train Date Trap: Which Date to Select When Your Train Departs 00:05
Avoid the most common passenger mistake in Indian Railways. Master the calendar date rules for trains departing between 00:01 and 03:00 AM, and learn how day-count changes when boarding at intermediate stations.