[wheelguy]

IRCTC’s third private train flagged off.

The Indian Railways has launched its third IRCTC operated train named Kashi Mahakal Express from Varanasi to Indore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 16 flagged off the Kashi Mahakal Express via video conferencing from Varanasi.

More Information:

• The Kashi Mahakal Express will connect three places — Jyotirlinga-Omkareshwar (near Indore), Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain) and Kashi Vishwanath (at Varanasi).

• Also connecting the industrial and educational hub of Indore, with Bhopal.

• The train will begin its commercial run from February 20.

• The Kashi Mahakal Express will operate three days a week.

• It will be a bi-weekly service through the Sultanpur-Lucknow route and a weekly service via the Prayagraj route.

• Once the new train starts its regular run from this week, it will depart from Varanasi at 2.45 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday to reach Indore at 9.40 a.m. on Wednesday and Friday.

• Similarly, the train will start from Indore at 10.55 a.m. every Wednesday and Friday and will reach Varanasi at 6.00 a.m. the next day.

• This train will have stoppages at Ujjain, Sant Hirdaram Nagar, Bina, Jhansi, Kanpur and Sultanpur stations in both directions.

• Meanwhile, in the weekly service via Prayagraj route, the Kashi Mahakal Express will depart from Varanasi at 3.15 p.m. every Sunday to reach Indore at 9.40 a.m. the next day.

• On the other way, it will depart from Indore at 10.55 a.m. every Monday and reach Varanasi at 5 a.m. the next day.

• The Indore-Varanasi Kashi Mahakal Express will be the first private train that will run overnight and for a comfortable long distance journey, will feature a host of facilities, as per the IRCTC officials.

• Passengers will get complimentary insurance of Rs 10 lakh, the IRCTC officials said.

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IRCTC takes over operation of luxury train ‘Golden Chariot’.

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has taken over luxury train Golden Chariot for operation, management and marketing, the Western Railway (WR) said. The Golden Chariot is now ready again to hit the tracks in a new, vibrant look and feel on an exciting week-long itinerary, the WR said in a release.

• Ravinder Bhakar, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), WR said IRCTC has undertaken the operations, management and marketing of this prestigious train from November 2019 and given it a makeover befitting the taste of international train travel enthusiasts.
  
  
• IRCTC has signed an agreement of this effect with Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC), that owns the Golden Chariot, which has been in operation since 2008, the release said.
  
  
• IRCTC is the travel, tourism and hospitality arm of the Ministry of Railways.
  
  
• Currently, IRCTC is operating three semi high-speed Tejas trains.
  
  
• The CPRO said, to add to the guests comforts, the train now boasts of several new features, including newly upholstered furniture, elegant drapery, renovated rooms and bathrooms, crockery and cutlery of reputed international brands and fresh linen.
  
  
• The release said IRCTC has planned three trips of Golden Chariot Pride of Karnataka with departures scheduled on March 22, March 29 and April 12, in the present tourist season.
  
  
• It said that the 6 nights and 7 days package tour will commence from Yeshwantpur station in the morning followed by visit to Bandipur National Park, Mysore, Halebidu, Chikmangalur, Hampi, Badami Pattadakal – Aihole, Goa before returning to Bengaluru.
  
  
• For providing wholesome in-room entertainment, Smart TVs with a variety of WiFi-enabled subscriptions, including Netflix, Amazon and Hotstar, have been installed.
  
  
• Experienced chefs have created menus of international as well as domestic cuisines and the package includes a variety of food items and homemade beverages, as per the Railways.

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