The fastest direct train from Lucknow Jn (LJN) is the 22545 Lucknow-Dehradun Vande Bharat, leaving at 05:15 and reaching Dehradun (DDN) at 13:40 (8h 25m, 6 days a week, not Monday). The 15119 Banaras-Dehradun Express is also listed from Utraitia Jn (UTR), leaving at 15:24 and reaching DDN at 06:35 the next morning (15h 11m, daily).
NDA coaching for Lucknow students
Live and train in Dehradun, the home of the Indian Military Academy. Students from Lucknow join residential NDA, CDS and SSB batches with hostel and mess on campus.
FromLucknow
~564 km by road (estimate)
ToDehradun campus
For Lucknow families
Everything that changes when you join from Lucknow.
Local facts for families travelling to Dehradun: travel, exam centre and schools.
UTC lists a Dehradun ISBT-Lucknow route via Bareilly, and Dehradun ISBT-Ayodhya and Prayagraj routes that run via Lucknow. Service class (ordinary, AC or Volvo) and timings are not verified, so check utconline.uk.gov.in.
Lucknow was a UPSC NDA (II) 2026 centre, and a CDS (II) 2026 centre as well.
Nearest: Sainik School Amethi (Uttar Pradesh), about 115 km in a straight line.
RIMC's admission page says one vacancy per State is generally allotted, with up to two for larger States, and its visible text gives no Uttar Pradesh figure. From the December 2026 cycle applications are online through NTA (exams.nta.nic.in/RIMCEE/), the written test is held at NTA centres and the age window is 12½ to 14 years.
HQ Central Command, the 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre and the Army Medical Corps Regimental Centre are all in Lucknow.
Sources & verification
Facts verified on October 6, 2026. Train times must be re-checked on IRCTC/NTES before travel; road distance and drive time are routing estimates.
- https://www.upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/Notif-NDA-II-2026-Engl-200526.pdf
- https://www.upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/Notif-CDS-II-2026-Engl-200526.pdf
- https://rimc.edu.in/admission.aspx
- https://rimc.edu.in/notice.aspx
- https://www.sainikschoolsociety.in/our-schools
- https://www.sainikschoolsociety.in/our-schools/new-schools
- https://router.project-osrm.org/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucknow
- https://erail.in/rail/getTrains.aspx?Station_From=LJN&Station_To=DDN&DataSource=0&Language=0&Cache=true
- https://utconline.uk.gov.in/route.aspx
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Command_(India)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_Gorkha_Rifles
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Medical_Corps_(India)
Admission
Four steps from enquiry to joining.
Counselling call
Tell us the class and the entry. We suggest the right batch and share the fee sheet on WhatsApp.
Campus visit or video tour
Visit the classrooms, hostel and mess, or ask for a live video tour if travelling is not possible yet.
Admission & documents
Fill the admission form, share the documents and pay the registration fee.
Joining day
Arrive in Dehradun; your room, kit list and timetable are ready on the first day.
Courses
What students from here join for.
NDA
National Defence Academy and Naval Academy (NDA and NA) Examination
For students after Class 12. Unmarried women can sit the same UPSC examination.
NDA-F
NDA Foundation Course with Class 11-12 schooling, hostel and mess
For students who have passed Class 10 and want schooling and NDA preparation in one programme.
NDA-CRASH
NDA one-month crash course
A short revision batch for candidates who have already covered the syllabus.
CDS
Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination: IMA, INA, AFA and OTA
For graduates and final-year degree students. Women can apply for OTA.
CDS-F
CDS Foundation Course
A longer, foundation-style CDS programme for degree students who start early.
AFCAT
Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT)
For graduates aiming at commissioned entries in the Indian Air Force.
SSB
Services Selection Board (SSB) interview preparation
For candidates who have an SSB call-up or are close to one.
TES
Army 10+2 Technical Entry Scheme (TES) and Navy 10+2 B.Tech Cadet Entry: SSB preparation
These entries are shortlisted on JEE (Main) marks, so the coaching here is the SSB.
MNS
Military Nursing Service (MNS) B.Sc Nursing entrance preparation
For women who want to join the B.Sc Nursing course of the Military Nursing Service.
IMU
Indian Maritime University Common Entrance Test (IMU-CET)
For Class 12 students aiming at IMU programmes and a career at sea.
MERCHANT
Merchant Navy entrance preparation
For Class 12 students exploring Merchant Navy entries through IMU and shipping-sector routes.
RIMC
Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) entrance preparation
For students in Class VII who want admission to Class VIII at RIMC, Dehradun.
SAINIK
All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination (AISSEE) preparation
For students seeking Class VI or Class IX entry to a Sainik School.
RMS
Rashtriya Military Schools Common Entrance Test (RMS CET) preparation
For students aiming at Class VI or Class IX entry to a Rashtriya Military School.
AGNI
Agniveer (Army, Navy, Air Force) and Coast Guard entry preparation
For Class 10 and Class 12 candidates aiming at Agniveer and Coast Guard entries.
Questions from Lucknow parents
Ask on WhatsAppWhat is the best way to reach the academy from Lucknow?
The 22545 Vande Bharat is the fastest direct train: 05:15 from Lucknow Jn to 13:40 at Dehradun, 8h 25m. By road it is about 564 km.
Is there a train every day?
The Vande Bharat does not run on Mondays. The 15119 Banaras-Dehradun Express, listed from Utraitia Jn, runs daily and takes 15h 11m.
Will my child write the NDA exam in Lucknow?
UPSC listed Lucknow as a centre for NDA (II) 2026 and CDS (II) 2026, so Lucknow candidates can write at home. Check the centre list in each new notification.
Which Sainik School is nearest to Lucknow?
Sainik School Amethi, about 115 km away in a straight line. A partnership school, Surya Sainik School, has also been approved in Lucknow.
Can we visit the hostel before admission?
Call or WhatsApp +91 70170 31757 to arrange a visit to the academy and the hostel on Subharti Road, Nanda Ki Chowki, Dehradun.
Admissions