New Delhi, July 24: In a bid to a give a major boost to tourism in India, the Indian Railways has recently got a new Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) rake for its Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train. The LHB coaches are passenger coaches of Indian Railways that have been developed by Germany's Linke-Hofmann-Busch company. The decision of replacing the old rake with a new and furnished one is aimed at improving the overall comfort level for passengers. The train is all set to serve the tourists from September 29, 2018, onwards.

The Mahaparinirvan Express is a special tourist train that takes tourists on a spiritual tour through Bihar/Uttar Pradesh in India, where Buddhism originated more than 2,500 years ago. Specific emphasis has been given on the ride quality and with IRCTC's plan to upgrade the onboard facilities, the Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train is going to provide passengers with world class amenities.

Reports inform that the train has got its name from the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, which contains the Buddha's final explanation of his teachings. The train’s 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).

The Railways has introduced offers for passengers as a part of a special promotional drive. For Indian Nationals (including NRI, PIO, OCI), a 10 percent discount has been announced for all scheduled departures. Another offer of pay for one and companion pays 50 percent only for 6 select departures can also be availed by tourists. Also, a referral offer of 10 percent discount for a new booking with the reference of travelled guests on 6 selected departures is also available.

The train with all new set of coaches will include of four first AC Coaches, two second AC Coaches, two Dining Cars, one Kitchen Car along with one coach for staff. With the enhanced services introduced by the railways, tourists are likely to have a memorable experience visiting the various spots connected with the life of Lord Buddha.

To make it more attractive, the IRCTC is planning to furnish the kitchen with modern equipment which would be a treat for all the food lovers. The new facilities will help foodies enjoy best of the delicacies across the globe as the onboard menu would likely to offer dishes from various international cuisines. This train tour is owned & operated by IRCTC Ltd. The Indian Railways has also rolled out a dedicated official website irctcbuddhisttrain.com to create awareness among tourists. The dedicated website gives all essential details about the train, itineraries, departure dates along with the desire package price.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 24, 2018 03:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).