The Indian Railways flagged off its ‘Garvi Gujarat’ yatra train from Delhi on February 28. This Bharat Gaurav circuit train will take passengers on an eight-day Gujarat tour to showcase the state’s heritage and culture.
The train, operated by the IRCTC, departed from New Delhi‘s Safdarjung Railway Station for Gujarat, as per media reports. After making brief stoppages at Gurugram, Rewari, Ringas, Phullera and Ajmer railway stations for boarding and deboarding, the Bharat Gaurav finally proceeded to Gujarat. Reports have it that 10 more of these trains are expected to launch soon.
What the Garvi Gujarat tour will offer
The deluxe AC tourist train can accommodate 156 tourists on-board. It will complete the 3,500-km-long tour by March 7, 2023, according to The Financial Express. The train and its circuit have been designed along the lines of the Indian government’s ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ scheme, which in turn has been conceptualised on the life of freedom fighter Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.
The first stop of the tour will be in Kevadiya, where the Statue of Unity is located. Travellers will also visit attractions such as Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Adalaj Stepwell in Adalaj town, Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar, Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Modhera Sun Temple in Mehsana district and Rani Ki Vav (another UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Patan town. Some religious destinations that will be covered along the route include Somnath Jyotirlinga, Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, Dwarkadhish Temple and Beyt Dwarka.
While tourists will be travelling in an AC sleeper train, there will be two nights that they will get to spend in AC hotels — one in Kevadiya and another in Ahmedabad. The visits to Somnath and Dwarka will be day trips.
About the Bharat Gaurav train
The deluxe train comes with a host of features, including two fine-dining restaurants, a modern kitchen, shower cubicles in coaches, a foot massager as well as a sensor-based washroom functions. The train also offers two types of accommodation — 1st AC and 2nd AC. The coaches come equipped with security features such as CCTV cameras and security guards to ensure the safety of its passengers. And for entertainment, the train has ample infotainment systems.
The price of this Garvi Gujarat tour is INR 52,250 per person in AC 2 Tier, INR 67,140 per person for AC 1 (cabin) and INR 77,400 per person for AC 1 (for a coupe). The cost will cover the eight-day train fare for the respective class, night stay at air-conditioned hotels, meals (vegetarian only), transfers, sightseeing in buses, travel insurance, tour guides and other such expenses. If you aren’t able to pay the entire amount in one go, IRCTC has also tied up with payment gateways to enable travellers to avail EMI options to make their payment.
Know more about the trains here.
Hero and Featured Image credit: Hardik Joshi/Unsplash
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answer: The Bharat Gaurav train by IRCTC is a mix of sleeper (non-AC) and AC coaches, designed for tours.
Answer: These trains are operated by the IRCTC. These are special tourist trains and have curated packages for travellers to explore the country.
Answer: The charges depend upon the packages and the tour that is being offered. For the Garvi Gujarat tour, prices start at INR 52,250.
Anushka Goel
Digital Features Writer
Anushka has previously worked with publications such as the Times of India and Being Indian. A graduate from Xavier Institute of Communications, she specialises in entertainment, food and travel. She also likes to write about sustainability and beauty. When not working, you can catch her reading a book, tending to her plants, cooking or playing an instrument.
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