According to IRCTC tour manager Anand Jha, the Buddhist Circuit special train originates from Safdarjung station in New Delhi and covers Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, Rajgir, Sarnath, Varanasi, Kushinagar, Lumbini, Sravasti and Agra before returning to Safdarjung.
The seven-night-six-day package tour includes hotel accommodation, road transportation, sight seeing, tour guide service, travel insurance, on-board security and other facilities, he said.
Jha said the revised fares under the discount scheme are Rs 19,999 per person in AC-2 and Rs 14,999 per person in AC-3 against the normal fares of Rs 41,650 per person in AC-2 and Rs 34,650 in AC-3 per passenger. "We hope the package tour would attract more tourists now," he said.
According to him, the Buddhist Circuit special train has the proud distinction of having won the National Tourism Award for giving quality service to tourists. Its itinerary was declared the most innovative by the ministry of tourism in 2008, he said.
According to sources, the railways introduced this special train a few years ago on the demand of foreign tourists. The IRCTC also provides online ticket booking facility for this train, the sources said.
