The Indian Railways tourism arm last week announced all-inclusive packages to several spiritual destinations in North, East, and South India, with boarding options across Maharashtra.
Pune residents planning a pilgrimage this summer have two new options from IRCTC’s Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train series – one heading to eastern and northern sacred sites, and another covering the spiritual circuit of South India.
Puri-Kamakhya-Baidyanath Dham Yatra
The first tour, called the Puri-Kamakhya-Baidyanath Dham Yatra, starts from Pune on June 25 and spans 11 nights and 12 days. The itinerary takes travellers to the Jagannath Temple in Puri, the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand’s Jasidih, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, and the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
Boarding is available at several stations along the Pune-Nagpur corridor, including Lonavala, Karjat, Panvel, Kalyan, Nashik, Manmad, Chalisgaon, Bhusawal, Akola, Badnera, Wardha, and Nagpur, making it accessible to a wide range of travellers from across Maharashtra.
Divya Dakshin Yatra
The second tour, the Divya Dakshin Yatra, originates from Nagpur and covers prominent destinations in South India, including Hampi, Mysore, Coimbatore, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Tirupati, and the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga. It is also an 11-night, 12-day package.
Boarding and deboarding are available at multiple stations across Maharashtra, including Nagpur, Wardha, Badnera, Akola, Bhusawal, Jalgaon, Chalisgaon, Manmad, Nasik, Igatpuri, Kalyan, and Pune, making it equally accessible to travellers from across the state.
Both trains offer three travel classes – Economy Sleeper, Standard 3AC, and Comfort 2AC – and can accommodate approximately 750 passengers each. Packages are all-inclusive, covering accommodation in hotels on a double, triple, or quad-sharing basis, all vegetarian meals, AC/Non-AC transfers, sightseeing, travel insurance, and the services of IRCTC tour managers.
Fares
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For the Puri-Kamakhya-Baidyanath Dham Yatra, fares are priced at Rs 22,770 per person for the Economy (Sleeper) class, Rs 39,620 for Standard (3AC), and Rs 52,860 for Comfort (2AC). The Divya Dakshin Yatra is slightly more affordable, with fares at Rs 21,690, Rs 36,740, and Rs 48,730 for the respective classes.
Bookings for both tours are open on the IRCTC Tourism Portal. Those seeking further information can call 8287931886 or write to bgtmumbai@irctc.com.
Dr A K Singh, Spokesperson, IRCTC West Zone, said that passenger safety and health remain the top priority, and all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure a safe and comfortable journey.
