How walkable is Varanasi?
Varanasi has a walkability score of 81 out of 100 around its centre, which makes it very walkable: most errands can be done on foot. It is the 29th most walkable of 44 cities ranked in India.
What's within walking distance
775 shops, restaurants, parks and other everyday places are mapped within a 30 minute walk of central Varanasi. The nearest grocery is Mayur Mart, about 15 minutes away on foot. It earns full or nearly full points for restaurants & bars, shopping, banks, parks and culture & entertainment.
- Mayur Mart1.2 km · 15 min
- Sagar Provision Store1.4 km · 18 min
- Patanjali Arogya Kendra1.5 km · 18 min
- Lovkush Hotel330 m · 4 min
- Shri Lav Kush Restaurant340 m · 4 min
- Ganga kashi restaurant350 m · 4 min
- Krishna Hosiery160 m · 2 min
- SILK KOTHI | Banarasi Saree Shop | Pure Banarasi Silk Sarees310 m · 4 min
- UP PLYWOOD CENTRE - CenturyPly360 m · 4 min
- 1916 Cafe and Restaurant600 m · 7 min
- The Mud House Cafe By Aditi1.1 km · 14 min
- Bowl of Compassion1.2 km · 15 min
- Punjab National Bank - ATM290 m · 4 min
- Bank of Baroda340 m · 4 min
- HDFC Bank ATM450 m · 6 min
- Benia Bagh Park360 m · 4 min
- Sri Nagar Park870 m · 11 min
- Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das Park1.2 km · 15 min
- London kids Preschool600 m · 7 min
- Bachpan play school phulwariya, Varanasi 700 m · 9 min
- BibiNogs Meerbagh Preschool790 m · 10 min
- City Book Shop810 m · 10 min
- Vidyarthi Kendra Publisher and Distributor Pvt Ltd1.2 km · 15 min
- Ganga Saran and Grand Sons1.6 km · 20 min
- Carnival Cinema PDR Mall Varanasi370 m · 5 min
- PDR Mall410 m · 5 min
- International Music Center1.1 km · 14 min
Measured from the representative point at 25.3122, 83.0018. Walking times assume 80 m per minute along an estimated street route.
Street layout
Within 800 m of the representative point there are about 334 street intersections per km², and blocks average 50 m long. That is a well-connected street grid, so the score is not reduced.
Walkability around the centre
Scores at seven points within 1 km of the centre range from 44 to 86, and Varanasi's score of 81 is their median. Walkability changes a lot across the centre, so check a specific address on the map.
| Point | Score | Map |
|---|---|---|
| City centre | 85 | Map |
| 1 km north | 72 | Map |
| 1 km east-northeast | 65 | Map |
| 1 km east-southeast | 44 | Map |
| 1 km south | 86 | Map |
| 1 km west-southwest | 81 | Map |
| 1 km west-northwest | 81 | Map |
Nearby cities
| City | Distance | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Prayagraj, India | 118 km | 84 |
| Patna, India | 216 km | 84 |
| Lucknow, India | 269 km | 86 |
| Kanpur, India | 296 km | 85 |
| Ranchi, India | 320 km | 79 |
Questions about walking in Varanasi
Is Varanasi a walkable city?
Yes. Central Varanasi has a walkability score of 81 out of 100, which makes it very walkable: most errands can be done on foot. It ranks 29th of 44 cities in India and 201st of 252 worldwide on How Walkable.
What is the most walkable city in India?
Thāne is the most walkable of the 44 cities ranked in India, with a score of 96. Varanasi ranks 29th with 81.
How does Varanasi compare with nearby cities?
Varanasi is less walkable than its nearest ranked neighbours: Varanasi scores 81, against Prayagraj (84, 118 km away), Patna (84, 216 km away) and Lucknow (86, 269 km away).
How is Varanasi's walkability score calculated?
The score counts groceries, restaurants, shops, cafés, banks, parks, schools, libraries and cultural venues within a 30 minute walk, gives nearer places more weight, and deducts up to 20% where streets are sparse or blocks are long. For Varanasi it is the median of seven points within 1 km of the city centre, using open map data from Overture Maps and OpenStreetMap.
Scores follow a published walkability method, explained in the methodology. City position and population from GeoNames.