About Train

Welcome aboard the Buddhist Circuit Special train tour, to discover the path to enlightenment in abode of Lord Buddha!

The Mahaparinirvan Express is a special tourist train that takes passengers on a spiritual tour through Bihar/Uttar Pradesh in India , where Buddhism originated more than 2,500 years ago.

The train gets its name from the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, which contains the Buddha's final explanation of his teachings. Its sacred journey includes visits to the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites of Lumbini (where the Buddha was born), Bodhgaya (where he became enlightened), Varanasi (where he first preached), and Kushinagar (where he passed away and achieved nirvana).

This train tour is owned & operated by IRCTC Ltd. By modifying carriages of an Air conditioned Rajdhani Express sleeper train, offering three different classes of travel (first class, two tier, and three tier). There are limited toilets with showers on the train, but & daily are taken to hotels to freshen up & for brief rest, or at times overnight stay.

There is an onboard hygienic kitchen car facility & passengers are served sumptuous hot meals. Packaged drinking water & tea/coffee Service is available free of charge As this train is targeted for pilgrimage tourist, the onboard facilities are limited & far from opulent ;& cannot be compared to other luxury train tours e.g. Palace On Wheels etc.

But personal & good care is taken of the esteemed Passengers & they are provided luggage assistance at each destination. Security guards are present on the train, An English speaking guide is part of group sightseeing tours & excursions & their costs are already included in the train tour package.

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Accommodation Type

As per tour itinerary, at certain destinations hotel rooms are only provided for wash & change basis & available for limited time. Passengers should not expect the wash/change Room facility to be available for a longer duration. Check-in at certain hotels may be delayed due to early arrival, before standard check-in time of hotel The entire train is air-Condtioned & you have option to book 2nd AC Sleeper Class OR 1st AC Class Cabin category These may be further explained as

2nd AC Sleeper :There are curtains available for limited privacy of each cabin with capacity of 4 passengers on inner side. Two lower & two upper berths The outside side has one lower & one upper sleeping birth.

1st AC Sleeper Cabin(4 sharing):Each cabin has two lower & two upper berths with provision of sliding door which can be locked from inside

1st AC Sleeper Exclusive Cabin :There are limited cabins with one lower & one upper berth with a sliding door, which can be locked from inside

Option to book :

• Cabin with one lower & one upper sleeper berth(having sliding door,which can be locked from inside)
• Cabin with both lower sleeper berths(having sliding door,which can be locked from inside)

Detailed 7 Nights Buddhist Train Circuit Program :

Day 01 Saturday Afternoon: NEW DELHI Depart

Report by 1:30 p.m. at Safderjung railway station for check-in formalities of Mahaparinirvan Express Buddhist train tour. After traditional welcome, be escorted to respective Passenger Carriage & train departs by 230 p.m. Evening tea & dinner served on board. Overnight in train.

Day 02: BODHGAYA –Town of Enlightenment

Buddhist Circuit Train Tour, Train arrives early morning at Gaya Railway Station. After onboard wash and Change and breakfast, proceed with overnight clothes to visit Mahabodhi temple & Niranjana River. Later check into hotel at Bodhgaya for overnight stay. After lunch in hotel & brief rest, visit Thai Temple, Japanese temple & Buddha statue Return to Hotel in the evening for Dinner & Night stay in Bodhgaya hotel.

Day 03: RAJGIR & NALANDA - Ancient University

Buddhist Circuit Train Tour After Early morning breakfast, check out from Bodhgaya Hotel & board buses to drive 2 hours to Rajgir, to visit Bimbimsara Jail,Gridhakut Hill & Venuvan After lunch at Hotel, proceed to visit ruins of one of the oldest university in the world at Nalanda & nearby located museum Depart by 5 p.m. from Nalanda by bus to reach Gaya railway station by bus by 7.30 p.m. Dinner & overnight stay on-board.

Day 4: VARANASI & SARNATH - The First Sermon

Buddhist Circuit Train Tour Early morning train reaches Varanasi railway station, early morning tea and breakfast on-board. Disembark the train and excursion to Sarnath, to visit Dhamek stupa, Sarnath Museum, Ashokan Pillar & Mulgandha Kuti Vihar. Check in to a Hotel for Lunch, wash and change. Evening visit ancient Ghats of Holy river Ganges, to view evening lamp immersion ceremony Return to Varanasi railway station by 8 p.m. to board the train. Dinner & overnight stay on board.

Day 05: NAUTANWA & LUMBINI - Birthplace

Buddhist Circuit Train Tour After Early Morning tea & breakfast on board, Arrival at Nautanwa Railwy Station. Proceed by coach to Lumbini, Nepal. (Tourist keep their passport and Visa ready. In case Nepal visa not issued visa fees to be kept ready aso along with passport size photographs.) Check-in at hotel, Lunch at Hotel. Sight-seeing of Lumbini including Maya Devi Temple & Ashokan Pillar. Dinner and Overnight Stay at Hotel.

Day 06: LUMBINI & KUSHINAHAR

Breakfast at Hotel. Check-out the Hotel and proceed to Kushinagar by coach. Arrive Kushinagar. Proceed for Lunch at the Hotel. After lunch visit Mahaparinirvan Temple and other sites. Depart to Gorakhpur by coaches. Arrival at Gorakhpur Railway Station. Depart to Balrampur by Buddhist Train. Dinner on-board & proceed to Balrampur for visit to Sravasti.

Day 07: BALRAMPUR & SRAVASTI - A Legend Begins

Buddhist Circuit Train Tour arrival at Balrampur Railway Station. Early morning tea on-board. Departure by coach to Sravasti, arrival at the Hotel for wash/change & breakfast. Morning visit Jetvana Vihar, Pakki Kuti & Sehat Mahet Thai temple. After lunch in hotel enjoy at leisure. Drive back to Balrampur Railway station to board train by 6 p.m. & depart by 6.30 p.m. Evening tea & dinner on board Overnight on train.

Day 08: Morning: TAJ MAHAL

Morning train reaches Agra railway station After on-board breakfast & wash/change, visit one of Seven Wonders of Modern world, The Taj Mahal. Return to train by 1230 Noon & train departs by 2:15 p.m. for Delhi On-board lunch & evening tea.

Day 08: Evening: DELHI Return

Check-out at Safderjung Railway station on arrival by 6:00 p.m.

Tour Ends.

Important: :

• Onboard Train Manager reserves the right to amend day to day program - to suit local logistics.
• Total journey if of Seven Nights from New delhi/New Delhi =BUT Option to book for MINIMUM Three Nights part journey.

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Depart Schedule :Ex New Delhi Till March 2020:

Note :

• Train Tour will operate subject to minimum 50 paid passengers.
• Train Tour Operator(IRCTC) reserves the right to cancel scheduled depart due to low occupancy/technical reasons.

Tariff Valid till March 2020 departs

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Train Tour cost Includes :

Travel & stay in Rajdhani style AC train with sharing toilets, Facility of wash & change in hotel rooms; Daily 3 meals & packaged drinking water; Conducted sightseeing trips in AC Buses with English speaking guides; Monument entrance fees.

Extra Costs(not included) :

Professional/video camera fees at monuments; alcoholic & non alcoholic beverages; laundry, tour insurance, tips, room service Or telephone calls in hotels, Visa fees for India Or Nepal; hotels bookings not specified; air ticket OR any other expense of personal nature

Terms & Conditions

Booking Procedure:

• We require Names/Nationality/date of birth of all the passengers with preferred journey date to process your booking request
• The booking will be confirmed on receipt of minimum 25% of total ticket value
• Full payment must reach us at least 65 days before tour date with photocopy of passport & multiple entry visa for India
• Booking request made < 65 notice will be confirmed on receipt of one time full payment

Cancellation Rules :

• The Mahaparinirvan Express Buddhist train tour is owned & operated by IRTCT Ltd & rules accordingly framed.
• Train Tour bookings are Non-endorsable & non transferable.
• Only on receipt of written request, will we process your cancellation request.
• MINIMUM levy of 10% of total ticket value if cancellation request made > 50 days in advance
• MINIMUM levy of 25% of total ticket value if cancellation request made between 45 to 20 days in advance
• MINIMUM levy of 50% of total ticket value if cancellation request made between 20 to 10 days in advance
• Full 100% levy of total ticket value if cancellation request made < 10 days in advance
• Failure to meet payment deadline will be treated as per cancellation rules

Payment Options :

• Online credit card authorization (only VISA/ MASTERCARD accepted)
  OR
• Swift wire transfer
  OR
• Indians can pay by RTGS/Cheque payable at par in New Delhi (India)

Minimum Passender Gurantee Clause :

• The Mahaparinirvan Express Train tour will operate subject to booking of minimum paid passengers
• It is Sole Responsibility of Train Tour Operator(IRCTC) to give adequate prior notice if scheduled depart is to be cancelled due to limited booking/technical reason & maximum liability of Royal Indian trains is limited to refund the advance taken for train booking.
• Disputes, if any, are only subject to jurisdiction of courts of New Delhi (INDIA)

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About Destinations

Important Destinations Covered

BODHGAYA : It is Considered one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites, it's dominated by the ancient brick Mahabodhi Temple Complex, built to mark the site where the Buddha attained enlightenment beneath a sacred Bodhi Tree. A direct descendant of the tree sits within the complex today, along with six other sacred sites, including a lotus pond.

RAJGIR : Is an ancient city Surrounded by hills, it's known for its holy sites. Remains of the Cyclopean Wall, which encircled the city centuries ago, still stand in the center. Close by, Venu Vana park was once home to a monastery built for Buddha. The shield-shaped Japanese Temple contains a huge Buddha statue. Nearby there are hot springs believed to have medicinal properties.

NALANDA : was, a large Buddhist monastery in the ancient kingdom of Magadha and was a centre of learning from the Fifth century BC to 9th Century AD & considered cradle of philosophy of Mahayana, which attracted students from as far as China & Indonesia . All students at Nalanda studied Mahayana as well as the texts of the eighteen Hinayana sects of Buddhism. IN later centuries ,Tantric Buddhism was also taught here. The university campus was ransacked by Muslim Invaders in 12th AD & now in ruins-,which the Govt. Authorities are in the process of slowly restoring.

SARNATH : Located near ancient Hindu Pilgrim town of Varanasi with Holy Ganges River, Sarnath is the places where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna. Also referred to as Isipatana, this city is mentioned by the Buddha as one of the four places of pilgrimage to which his devout followers should visit, if they wanted to visit a place for that reason.[1] It was also the site of the Buddha's Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, which was his first teaching after attaining enlightenment, in which he taught the four noble truths and the teachings associated with it.

KUSHINAGAR : It is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site, where Buddhists believe Gautama Buddha attained Parinirvana after his death[1] It is an international Buddhist pilgrimage centre. The followers of Buddhism, especially from Asian countries, wish to visit this place at least once in their lifetime.

LUMBINI : Located in Nepal, near Indian border, Lumbini is the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Maya Devi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in Mid-6th Century BC & who is said to have achieved Enlightenment at age of 35 years -became the Buddha and founded Buddhism.

Lumbini has a number of temples, including the Maya Devi Temple and several others which are still under repair. Many monuments, monasteries and a museum, the Lumbini International Research Institute, are also within the holy site. Also there is the Puskarini, or Holy Pond, where the Buddha's mother took the ritual dip prior to his birth and where he had his first bath. At other sites near Lumbini, earlier Buddha’s were, according to tradition, born, then achieved ultimate Enlightenment and finally relinquished their earthly forms.

SHRAVASTI : Considered amongst the six largest cities in India in 5th Century BC ,it closely associated with the life of Gautama Buddha, who is believed to have visited it 24 times during his lifetime. The Age-old stupas, majestic viharas and several temples " establish Buddha's association with Shravasti.

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