The tourists will visit Guwahati, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Kaziranga in Assam, Unakoti, Agartala and Udaipur in Tripura, Dimapur and Kohima in Nagaland and Shillong and Cherrapunji in Meghalaya.
Minister of State for Culture Meenakshi Lekhi has flagged off Bharat Gaurav North East Discovery: Beyond Guwahati Express — the special train for the Northeastern states, from Safdarjung station on Tuesday (21 March).
This special tourist train offers passengers to explore tourist spots in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya.
The much sought-after AC tourist train will accommodate 156 tourists on the 15-day itinerary.
The tourists will visit Guwahati, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Kaziranga in Assam, Unakoti, Agartala and Udaipur in Tripura, Dimapur and Kohima in Nagaland and Shillong and Cherrapunji in Meghalaya.
On this occasion, Lekhi said, “This train holds special significance as it is getting started on the eve of Chaitra Navratri/Gudi Padwa. I extend my greetings to all. It is indeed a gift for all of us.”
She also thanked the Prime Minister for his vision and initiatives to improve the Railways.
Spanning over 14 nights and 15 days, the first stop of this train is Guwahati where tourists will visit Kamakhya Temple followed by Umananda Temple and a sunset cruise on the Brahmaputra.
The train will further depart on an overnight journey for Naharlagun Railway Station which is 30 km from the next destination Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh.
The next city to follow is Sivasagar — the old capital of the Ahom Kingdom in the Eastern part of Assam. The famous Shiva temple at Sivasagar, Sivadol is a part of the itinerary besides other heritage sites.
Further the tea gardens at Jorhat and an overnight stay at Kaziranga followed by an early morning jungle safari at Kaziranga National Park will be experienced by the tourists.
The AC tourist train next departs from the Furkating Railway Station in the state of Tripura, where the sightseeing of the famous heritage site of Unakoti and of Agartala, including, the famous Ujjayanta Palace has been planned.
On the next day, the Neermahal palace and Tripura Sundari Mandir at Udaipur will be covered in the itinerary.
Post Tripura, the train departs to Dimapur for visiting the state of Nagaland. The scenic train journey between Badarpur station to Lumding Junction can be witnessed by the guests in the early hours of the morning from their seats.
From Dimapur station tourists shall be taken to Kohima by buses for visiting the local sites, including a tour of the Khonoma village to experience the Naga way of life.
The next halt for the tourist train will be Guwahati and tourists will be taken to Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya by road with a pit stop at the majestic Umium Lake enroute.
The next day starts with an excursion to Cherrapunji nestled in the East Khasi Hills. Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls, Nawkhalikai falls and Mawsmai caves are a part of the day’s sightseeing.
From Cherrapunji the tourists travel back to Guwahati Station to board the train for the return train journey to Delhi. Guests will be travelling roughly 5,800 km in this entire tour by train.
The modern AC tourist train has a host of amazing features including two fine dining restaurants, a contemporary kitchen, shower cubicles in coaches, sensor based washroom functions, foot massager and a mini library.
The fully air-conditioned train provides two types of accommodation — AC I and AC II. The train has enhanced security features like CCTV cameras, electronic safes and dedicated security guards appointed for each coach.
Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train launch is in line with the Government’s initiative of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” and “Dekho Apna Desh” to promote domestic tourism.
The price range starts from Rs 106,990 per person in AC-II Tier, Rs 131,990 per person for AC-I (Cabin) and Rs 149,290 per person for AC-I (Coupe).
The tourist train journey will be a 15-days all-inclusive tour package and the price will cover train journey in respective class, night stay at AC hotels, all meals (veg only), all transfer and sight-seeing in buses, travel insurance and services of guide etc.
All necessary health precautionary measures will be taken care of and IRCTC will make efforts to provide a safe and memorable experience to the guests.