Indian Railways to launch Bharat Gaurav tourist train to North East; Know itinerary, price, other details

Indian Railways is set to launch the Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist train on the North East Circuit. The 14 nights and 15 days ‘North East Discovery: Beyond Guwahati’ tour will commence on March 21, 2023, from Delhi Safdarjung railway station. Check out the itinerary, price and other details.

The northern states are renowned for their lush scenery and abundance of fun tourism destinations. These states attract a lot of tourists each year because of their extraordinary natural beauty, cultural variety, and unique traditions. The Bharat Gaurav tourist train is permitted to run between the nation's capital and the northeastern states of India by the Indian government.

According to the formal statement made by the Ministry of Railway, the train would traverse the North East Circuit for 15 days, passing through the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura, and Meghalaya. The Indian Railways launched the Bharat Gaurav plan in 2021 to enhance the country's tourism sector and draw tourists from around the world.

The service will begin on March 21 at the Safdarjung Train Station in Delhi.  The boarding and de-boarding of the journey will be available at Delhi, Ghaziabad, Aligarh, Tundla, Itawah, Kanpur, Lucknow, and Varanasi.

Over 14 days and nights, the Bharat Gaurav train will travel through Assam, stopping at Guwahati, Sivasagar, Jorhat, and Kaziranga; Unakoti, Agartala, and Udaipur; Dimapur and Kohima; Nagaland; and Shillong and Cherapunji, Meghalaya.

Here's a list of places you can visit: 

Guwahati – Kamakhya Temple, Umananda Temple, sunset cruise on Brahmaputra river
Itanagar – Sightseeing
Sibsagar – Sightseeing of Sivasagar, Ahom Kingdom, Talatal Ghar, Rang Ghar, and Siva dol
Kaziranga – Kaziranga, and Tea Gardens
Unakoti – Stone and rock sculptures, dense forest of Jampui Hills
Agartala – Ujjayanta Palace, Udaipur, Tripura Sundari temple
Dimapur/Kohima – Khonoma village
Shillong – Umium Lake, local sightseeing
Cherrapunji – East Khasi Hills, Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls, Nawkhalikai falls, and Mawsmai Caves

Fare and other details

The IRCTC tourist train will be a 15-day all-inclusive tour package with prices starting at Rs. 1,06,990 per person for AC 2 Tier, Rs. 1,31,990 per person for AC 1 (Cabin), and Rs. 1,49,290 per person for AC 1 (Coupe). 

The price will include train travel in the appropriate class, overnight stays in AC hotels, all meals (VEG ONLY), all transfers and sightseeing in buses, travel insurance, and guide services, among other things. The IRCTC will work to give visitors a secure and enjoyable experience, and all required health precautions will be taken care of, the ministry said.