Indian Railways Expands Bharat Gaurav Network With A New Sacred Route From Indore To Puri, Varanasi And Ayodhya

Written By: Utpol Mahato

Utpol Mahato

I am pursuing a career in travel journalism with Travel And Tour World, covering global tourism, aviation, hospitality, and destination developments. I focus on researching and reporting the latest trends in airlines, airports, travel experiences, tourism growth, and emerging destinations worldwide. Through accurate reporting and clear storytelling, I aim to provide valuable insights into the evolving travel industry and deliver informative stories to a global audience. My work highlights the trends, innovations, and opportunities shaping the future of international travel and tourism.

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September 5, 2026 12:52 AM

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Indian Railways adds a pilgrimage circuit to its Bharat Gaurav Tourist Trains network from Indore to Puri, Varanasi, and Ayodhya starting from September 15, 2026. This 11-day tour gives visitors an opportunity to experience the country’s spiritual centers on a single tour with convenience and ease by integrating rail, food and accommodation, and tour and airport transfers. This circuit covers Puri, Gangasagar, Kolkata, Gaya, Varanasi, and Ayodhya. The tour aims at convenience, ease, and cost effectiveness of multi-city pilgrimage tours for all the people of India.

The pilgrimage tour has been designed under the Dekho Apna Desh initiative to provide travellers with a complete travel experience that includes railway transportation, accommodation, meals, sightseeing and local transfers. With options available in Sleeper, 3AC and 2AC categories, the package allows passengers to choose a travel style based on their budget and comfort requirements.

An 11-Day Spiritual Circuit Connecting India’s Most Revered Religious Landmarks

The Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train journey begins from Indore, with additional boarding facilities available at several important stations across Madhya Pradesh. Passengers can board the train from Indore, Ujjain, Shujalpur, Sehore, Rani Kamlapati and Itarsi.

The train continues its journey overnight, allowing more passengers to join from Narsinghpur, Jabalpur and Katni South on the second day.

The carefully planned route connects major pilgrimage destinations across eastern and northern India, reducing the need for travellers to separately arrange multiple train bookings, hotels and road transport between cities.

Puri Opens the Sacred Journey With a Visit to the Iconic Jagannath Temple

The first major destination on the itinerary is Puri in Odisha, where passengers arrive on the third day of the journey.

After reaching Malatipatpur/Sakhi Gopal Railway Station, travellers will be transferred by road to their accommodation. The schedule includes a visit to the famous Jagannath Temple, one of India’s most revered pilgrimage sites and an important centre of Hindu religious tradition.

Passengers will spend the night in Puri before continuing towards Kolkata the following day.

The inclusion of Puri allows travellers to begin their spiritual journey along India’s eastern coastline before moving towards other significant religious centres.

Gangasagar and Kolkata Showcase Bengal’s Deep Spiritual and Cultural Legacy

The next stage of the journey takes passengers to West Bengal, with a visit to Gangasagar, a major pilgrimage destination located near the meeting point of the Ganges River and the Bay of Bengal.

After reaching Kolkata, travellers will continue towards Gangasagar as part of the planned sightseeing programme. An overnight stay follows before passengers return to Kolkata on the sixth day.

The itinerary also includes a visit to Kali Mandir in Kolkata. After completing the sightseeing schedule, passengers will board the tourist train for the next destination, Gaya in Bihar.

By combining Kolkata and Gangasagar in one route, the package allows travellers to experience both spiritual and cultural attractions without managing separate local travel arrangements.

Gaya and Varanasi Bring Ancient Religious Destinations Into the Circuit

On the seventh day, the Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train reaches Gaya, where passengers will visit the Vishnupad Temple, one of the city’s most important pilgrimage locations.

After the visit, the train continues towards Varanasi, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of India’s most significant spiritual destinations.

Passengers arrive in Varanasi on the eighth day and will visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, a major religious landmark dedicated to Lord Shiva.

An overnight stay in Varanasi gives travellers time to experience the spiritual atmosphere of the city before moving towards the final destination of the pilgrimage route.

Ayodhya Completes the Journey Before Return to Indore

The final major stop on the itinerary is Ayodhya, where passengers will travel from Varanasi on the ninth day.

The schedule includes a visit to the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, one of the most prominent pilgrimage attractions in the city.

After completing the Ayodhya visit, the train begins its return journey towards Madhya Pradesh.

Passengers can leave the train at several stations during the return journey, including Katni, Jabalpur, Narsinghpur, Itarsi, Rani Kamlapati, Sehore and Shujalpur on the tenth day.

The final deboarding points are Ujjain and Indore on the eleventh day.

Three Travel Categories Available for Different Budgets

The Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train package is available in three categories, offering different levels of comfort.

The Economy package costs INR 19,600 per person and includes Sleeper-class railway travel, non-air-conditioned accommodation and non-air-conditioned road transport.

The Standard package is priced at INR 31,850 per person and provides 3AC train travel along with air-conditioned accommodation. Road transfers under this category are non-air-conditioned.

The Comfort package costs INR 41,900 per person and includes 2AC train travel, air-conditioned accommodation and air-conditioned road transport.

All categories include confirmed train tickets, vegetarian meals, sightseeing, transfers, drinking water, tour assistance, security arrangements, travel insurance and applicable taxes.

A Convenient Option for Long-Distance Pilgrimage Travel

The Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train offers travellers a structured way to visit multiple religious destinations across India without handling separate transport and accommodation arrangements at every stop.

Covering six major pilgrimage locations across Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the journey combines railway travel with organised sightseeing and essential services.

For families, senior travellers and groups looking for a planned pilgrimage experience, the 11-day itinerary provides a convenient opportunity to explore some of India’s most respected spiritual destinations in one continuous journey.

Indian Railways has added a new pilgrimage route to its Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train Network. The route connects Indore to Puri, Varanasi, and Ayodhya, and has a departure date of September 15, 2026. The purpose of this new route is to simplify the spiritual travel of multiple cities with multi-leg railway travel along with accommodation, meals, sightseeing, and transfers to major pilgrimage sites in India.