The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation’s Southern Zone has announced a Bharat Gaurav tourist train that will take pilgrims from Tirunelveli to four major religious destinations in North India and back, in an 8-night, 9-day package running through mid-September.
Kashi Tirtha Yatra: Route and schedule
The train, Kashi Tirtha Yatra, will depart Tirunelveli on September 9, 2026, and conclude its journey at the same station on September 17. On its way north, it will call at Virudhunagar, Madurai, Dindigul, Trichy, Vriddhachalam, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Tambaram, Chennai Egmore, Gudur and Vijayawada before reaching Gaya on the third day of travel.
From Gaya, the train moves on to Varanasi, then Ayodhya, then Prayagraj, before beginning the return run on the night of September 15, retracing the same stops back to Tirunelveli on September 17. Boarding and deboarding have been arranged at each of the intermediate stations, so passengers along the route need not travel to Tirunelveli first.
Details of the train
The rake has been composed with three travel classes in mind: one AC two-tier coach, seven AC three-tier coaches, three sleeper-class coaches, a pantry car and two luggage-cum-brake vans. In all, the train can carry 600 pilgrims, which includes 150 berths in sleeper (Economy), 400 in AC three-tier (Comfort) and 50 in AC two-tier (Superior).
Kashi Tirtha Yatra: Cost of travel
Tentative per-person fares have been set at Rs 16,900 for Economy (sleeper), Rs 31,000 for Comfort (AC three-tier) and Rs 43,500 for Superior (AC two-tier). IRCTC has said these figures already include a concession of roughly 33% that Indian Railways is offering under the Bharat Gaurav scheme to promote rail tourism. Single travellers booking alone will be accommodated on a sharing basis, in either double or triple occupancy.
Kashi Tirtha Yatra: Itinerary details
As per IRCTC tourism, the train reaches Gaya on the morning of September 11, where pilgrims check in, have lunch, and visit the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya before an overnight stay. The next morning is kept for the Vishnupad Temple for pind daan and darshan, after which the train departs for Varanasi, arriving that night.
September 13 is a full day in Varanasi, covering the Kashi Vishwanath, Kashi Vishalakshi, Annapoorani and Kalabhairavar temples, followed by the evening Ganga aarti. The train leaves early the next morning for Ayodhya, with breakfast served on board, reaching by noon for a full day of darshan before departing that night for Prayagraj.
Pilgrims reach Prayagraj on the morning of September 15 for a wash-and-change halt, followed by a visit to the Sangam for a holy dip and darshan at the Hanuman temple. The return journey begins that same noon, with the train running back through Vijayawada, Gudur, Chennai Egmore, Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Trichy, Dindigul, Madurai and Virudhunagar before reaching Tirunelveli on the night of September 17.
Kashi Tirtha Yatra: What’s included in the package
The package covers train travel in the chosen class, night halts and wash-and-change facilities (ranging from budget non-AC hotels for Economy to 3-star-equivalent AC hotels for Superior class), local transport by non-AC or AC buses depending on the class booked, and all vegetarian meals, including morning tea, breakfast, lunch and dinner, through the trip. Travel insurance, tour escorts, an IRCTC tour manager accompanying the journey, on-board security and all applicable taxes are also part of the package.
However, temple and monument entry fees, sightseeing beyond the listed itinerary, local guides, boating or adventure activities, room service, personal expenses such as laundry or mineral water, and tips are not included. Meals follow a fixed menu, with no à la carte choice.