The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) strives to provide the best-in-class care and comfort to all our guests aboard our multifarious destination trains. We aspire to give new meaning to ‘tourism’, by affordably delighting our passengers on every journey though the breathtakingly diverse beauty of India.

With a view to continually heighten our offerings, the IRCTC Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train was envisioned for covering the most venerable sites of Buddhism, following the life path of the Enlightened One, the Buddha, himself.

His birth place, Lumbini, lies across the India-Nepal border, yet the IRCTC Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train itinerary enables all guests to pay their respects at the holy site in addition to the Mayadevi temple, dedicated to the Enlightened One’s mother. The Buddha’s moment of enlightenment, enshrined for eternity under the Maha Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya, occupies an important place in the itinerary, as much for its religious & scholarly significance as for the monumental beauty of its confluence of Buddhist traditions from all over the world.

Knowledge about the vicissitudes of the world was a prime concern for the Buddha, and his frequented spots in the hills of Rajgir and near the time-worn university of Nalanda shine a bright light on his attainment of such pivotal knowledge, as well as its dissemination.

In crafting the Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train itinerary, special care has been taken to include the site of the Buddha’s original sermon, which gave birth to Buddhism, from where sprang all its varied forms, sects and distinctions. This august site, Sarnath, is in proximity of Varanasi, one of the most ancient seats of Indian culture. The guests have the opportunity to be mesmerized by the Ganga Aarti, that is performed on the banks of the Holy Ganges in the evenings.

Tracing the life of the Buddha from his birth to his ascension from the bindings of the material world, the comprehensive itinerary of the Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train incorporates the Mahaparinirvan Temple at Kushinagar, with its Reclining Buddha depicting the divine soul’s last earthly position of rest. Aspirants who wish to achieve deeper insight into Buddhism can delve into its intricacies while reflecting on the sermons given by the Buddha at Sravasti; specifically, the Jetavana monastery.

As the icing on the cake, IRCTC treats guests to the Indian Wonder of the World, Taj Mahal, which has maintained its pride of place over the centuries. The equanimous peace that pervades this monument to love instills tranquility in even the most irascible travelers, and soothes everyone, body and soul.

IRCTC makes exemplary arrangements for travel, accommodation and meals for our guests aboard the Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train, and welcomes all to join us on an expedition of discovery about the best Buddhist ways to lead a wholesome, fulfilling life.