Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train will operate the Shri Ram-Janaki Yatra between Ayodhya and Janakpur for the Indian Railways in an effort to strengthen bilateral ties between India and Nepal.
The two most important pilgrimage sites in India and Nepal, Ayodhya and Janakpur, will be covered by Indian Railways' Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train on a special tour called "Shri Ram-Janaki Yatra: Ayodhya to Janakpur," railways announced in a news release on Friday. The tourist train will depart from Delhi on February 17, 2023, strengthening bilateral relations and fostering cultural ties between the two countries. As additional attractions, the tourist train will visit Nandigram, Sitamarhi, Kashi, and Prayagraj. There will be two nights in hotels, one in Janakpur and one in Varanasi, with visits to Ayodhya, Sitamarhi, and Prayagraj included in the day halt at the destination.
The State of the Art Deluxe AC Tourist Train features two fine dining restaurants, a modern kitchen, shower cubicles in coaches, sensor-based washroom functions, and a foot massager. The fully air-conditioned train has two types of accommodations: first class and second class. The train has improved security features such as CCTV cameras and Security Guards for each coach, as well as an infotainment system for the entire train.
"The proposed 7-day Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train Tour begins in Ayodhya, Lord Rama's birthplace, where tourists will visit Shri Ram Janmbhumi temple and Hanuman temple, as well as Bharat Mandir at Nandigram. After Ayodhya, the train will travel to Sitamarhi Railway Station in Bihar, from where tourists will take a bus to Janakpur in Nepal, which is 70 kilometres away. Tourists can visit Ram Janki Temple, Sita Ram Vivah Mandap, and Dhanush Dham while in Janakpur "According to a press release from Indian Railways.
"After visiting Janakpur, tourists will return to Sitamarhi the following day to visit the Janki temple and Punaura Dham. The train will depart Sitamarhi and travel overnight to Varanasi. Tourists will visit Sarnath, Kashi Vishwanath temple and corridor, Tulsi temple, and Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple while in Kashi. Tourists will travel by bus from Varanasi to Prayagraj, where they will visit Sangam, Shankar Viman Mandapam, Hanuman temple, and Bharadwaj Ashram. On the seventh day of its journey, the train will return to Delhi from Prayagraj. This tour will cover approximately 2500 kilometres "It went on to say.
To make this package more appealing and affordable to a larger population, IRCTC has partnered with Paytm and Razorpay payment gateways to offer EMI payment options, which allow the total payment to be divided into small amounts EMIs. Users can use the EMI payment option to make payments in 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, or 24-month instalments. These EMI payment options are available via Debit/Credit Cards. COVID-19 final vaccination is required for all guests aged 18 and up.
The Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train is part of the Government of India's "Dekho Apna Desh" initiative to promote domestic tourism. The train will be a 7-day all-inclusive tour package starting at Rs 39,775 per person, and the price will cover the train journey in respective class, night stays at AC hotels, vegetarian meals, all transfer and sight-seeing in buses, travel insurance, and guide services, among other things.