Ayodhya to Colombo via Rameshwaram: IRCTC to introduce Ramayana circuit tourist train, air package

Ramayana circuit train tour by Indian Railways! Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways plans to introduce a special tourist train which will cover all the places from Ayodhya to Colombo via Rameshwaram, related to the Hindu epic. The train service will start from November 14 from Delhi and will take 16 days to cover the Ramayana circuit, including the locations associated with the epic, according to an HT report. The special tourist train will have a capacity to accommodate 800 passengers. Meanwhile, those interested in the Sri Lanka leg can choose to travel to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka from Chennai by flight.

According to an IRCTC official quoted in the report, the train would be called Sri Ramayana Express and the train journey would cost Rs 15,120 per person (within India). The official also said that IRCTC, which is the e-ticketing and catering arm of Indian Railways, is expecting significant demand for the service. He informed that there will be on-board train meals. Also, at the places of visit, there will be night stay as well as wash and change facility in dharmashalas. IRCTC will also cover all transfers and sightseeing as well as tour managers who will travel along with the passengers for necessary assistance, the IRCTC official added.

The train service will start from Safdarjung railway station in Delhi. The Sri Ramayana Express train service will make its first stop in Ayodhya, which as per the epic is the birthplace of the Hindu god Ram, Hanuman Garhi, Ramkot and the Kanak Bhawan Temple. En route, Sri Ramayana Express will halt at Nandigram, Sitamarhi, Janakpur, Varanasi, Prayag, Shringaverpur, Chitrakoot, Hampi, Nasik and Rameshwaram or at the nearest railway stations, the report stated. Moreover, Indian Railways will facilitate trips by road from the railway station to the pilgrimage site.

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Passengers who wish to travel to Sri Lanka will be transferred to Chennai by train and flown to Colombo. Additionally, the passengers will also travel to Ramboda, Nuwara Elliya and Chilaw.

Rajni Hasija, Director (tourism) of IRCTC, was quoted in the report saying that they are likely to generate good revenue on this circuit. The date of the first train service has been announced, however, IRCTC will decide whether to run the train service once or twice in a year after seeing the response, the Director added.