Catering to the growing demand for pilgrimage tours and tourist spots in the year-end and New Year, Indian Railways has firmed up plans to launch seven Bharat Gaurav trains across the country during the beginning of the tourist season.

Two Bharat Gaurav trains for Shirdi, one each for Shakti Peeth, Mahashivaratri Jyotirlinga Yatra, Ramayan Yatra and Sri Jagannath Yatra, besides one special for visiting Coromandel Coast are being planned for visitors from 24 December.

In order to showcase India's rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical places to the people of the country and the world, the railways had launched the Bharat Gaurav Train initiative, the theme-based tourist circuit train in the country.

Recently, the railways reduced the haulage charge and also offered LHB coaches for running the tourist trains.

As a result, as many as 17 companies have registered themselves as applicants for running Bharat Gaurav trains.

Keeping the upcoming high demand season for the year-end and New Year, two service providers would launch Bharat Gaurav Trains for Shirdi in the last week of December.

While Travel Times India Private Limited is planning to run New Year eve Sai Darshan from 24 December from Maduari to Pandharpur and Sainagar Shirdi in five nights/six days package, M and C Property Development Private Limited would run Shirdi Sai Temple Yatra on 25 December from Coimbatore to Shirdi in four nights/five days package.

Travel Times would also launch Thai Amavasya Shakti Peeth Special from Madurai on 16 January 2023. The 12 nights/13 days package itinerary includes Secunderabad, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Gaya, Kamkhya, Kolkata and Puri in the 6,735 km journey.

The Mahashivaratri Nava Jyotirlinga Yatra beginning from Madurai would be launched from 2 February, 2023 to travel 5,979 km covering Chennai, Ujjain, Somnath, Nasik Road, Aurangabad, Nanded, Srisailam and back to Madurai.

Splendours of Coromandel Coast Bharat Gaurav Train would start from Madurai on 3 February 2023 and travel to Visakhapatnam, Araku Valley, Kolkata, Puri and Chilka covering 4,601 km in 11 nights and 12 days itinerary.

All these two Mahashivaratri and Coromandel Coast trains are being launched by Travel Times.

However, Ramayan Yatra and Sri Jagannath Yatra are being launched by IRCTC, the railways PSU.

Dakshin Ki Ramayan Yatra Bharat Gaurav Train is expected to start from Safdarjung on 12 January 2023 and reach Nasik Road, Rameswaram, Bhadrachalam Road and Nagpur travelling 6,118 km in 10 nights/11 days.

Sri Jagannath Yatra Bharat Gaurav Train is slated to begin its 3,689 km long journey from Safdarjung Station and travel to Varanasi, Jasidih, Puri and Gaya in a seven nights/eight days itinerary.