With an aim to promote religious tourism, the Indian Railways has introduced a special tourist train linking key sites of Hindu mythological epic Ramayana. The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will soon launch a special train called Sri Ramayana Express. The entire tour will be guided by IRCTC tour managers who will accompany the passengers on the journey.
Route
The 16-day tour called Ramayana Tour will flag off from New Delhi’s Safdarjung Station and make its first stop in Ayodhya, Hanuman Garhi, Ramkot and the Kanak Bhawan Temple. The train will then move along the circuit, making stops at Nandigram, Sitamarhi, Janakpur, Varanasi, Prayag, Shringverpur, Chitrakoot, Nasik, Hampi and Rameshwaram or at the nearest railway stations.
The complete journey will take tourists to Sri Lanka, too, via a flight from Chennai. The additional package includes a 5-night/6-days tour to Sri Lanka covering destinations like Colombo, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Negombo.
When
The tour will kick off from 14 November this year. The Sri Ramayana Express will flag off from New Delhi’s Safdarjung Station.
Cost
With a seating capacity of 800 passengers, the journey would cost ₹15,120 per person within India.
The additional package to Sri Lanka starts from ₹47,600 per person.
This cost will include meals on board as well as accommodation at the overnight stops. Cost of transfers from the station to the tourist spot and the stay will also be covered by the railways.
Retracing the Epic Journey of Lord Rama, the special tour is already inviting a lot of interest from people.
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