Railways approve weekly train service between Nepal and India for convenience of pilgrims & tourists

New Delhi, November 14
Indian Railways has approved the introduction of a new weekly train service between Janakpur Dham in Nepal and Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, India. This weekly service will connect Janakpur Dham with Ayodhya Cantt., passing through several important towns and cities in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It will cover a distance of nearly 604 kilometres.

Ministry of Railways said that the train service will operate once a week, with its originating days being Saturday from Janakpur Dham and Monday from Ayodhya Cantt. The train will have commercial stoppages at Jaynagar, Madhubani, Shisho, Sitamarhi, Raxaul, Narkatiaganj, Gorakhpur, Basti, Mankapur and Ayodhya Dham, besides its terminal stations.

The new train service is expected to make cross-border travel more convenient for pilgrims, tourists and other passengers. It will facilitate religious journeys between Janakpur and Ayodhya, encourage tourism circuits associated with the Ramayana and provide greater mobility to people travelling for education, business and family-related purposes. India and Nepal share centuries-old cultural, historical and social bonds, with religious traditions and cross-border community relationships forming an integral part of this partnership.

The new train service will add another dimension to bilateral cooperation by using railway connectivity to bring communities closer. The Ministry said that the initiative is a signigicant step towards strengthening cross-border connectivity, religious tourism and India-Nepal Friendship.