Six special trains from Karnataka to Ayodhya; bookings start soon

Passengers need to book the tickets through the Indian Rail Catering and Tourism Corporation's app or website.

Bengaluru: The South Western Railway (SWR) will run seven pairs of special trains called Aastha Special Express to connect Karnataka and Goa with Ayodhya Dham.

Two trains will originate from Mysuru (via SMVT Bengaluru), and one each from SMVT Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Chitradurga, Belagavi (via Dharwad and Hubballi) and Vasco Da Gama (via Ratnagiri and Panvel).

Passengers need to book the tickets through the Indian Rail Catering and Tourism Corporation (app or website). No tickets will be issued over the counter, Kusuma Hariprasad, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Bengaluru, told DH.

While these trains will make limited trips, the Railway Board may decide to extend them based on demand, an official said. Details about bookings and fares will be notified shortly, according to the official.

Train number 06201

It will leave SMVT Bengaluru on Wednesdays and reach Ayodhya Dham on Fridays. In the return direction, it will depart from Ayodhya Dham on Saturdays and reach SMVT Bengaluru on Tuesdays.

It will run on January 31, February 14 and 28 from SMVT Bengaluru. In the return direction, it will depart from Ayodhya on February 3, 17 and March 2.

The train will have 22 coaches and cover 2,802 km one-way.

Its stoppages in Karnataka will be Tumakuru, Arsikere, Kadur, Birur, Chitradurga, Toranagal, Hosapete, Koppal, Gadag, Badami, Bagalkot and Vijayapura.

Train number 06202

It will leave Mysuru on Sundays and reach Ayodhya Dham on Tuesdays. In the return direction, it will depart from Ayodhya Dham on Wednesdays and reach Mysuru on Saturdays.

It will run on February 2 and 18 from Mysuru, and on February 7 and 21 from Ayodhya Dham.

The train will have 22 coaches and cover 2,952 km one-way.

Its stoppages in Karnataka will be SMVT Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Arsikere, Kadur, Birur, Chitradurga, Toranagal, Hosapete, Koppal, Gadag, Badami, Bagalkot and Vijayapura.

Train number 06203

It will connect Tumakuru with Ayodhya Dham.

It will depart from Tumakuru on Wednesdays (February 7 and 21) and from Ayodhya Dham on February 10 and 24.

It will have 22 coaches and cover 2,726 km one-way.

Train number 06204

It will depart from Chitradurga on Sundays (February 11 and 25) and from Ayodhya Dham on Wednesdays (February 14 and 28).

It will have 22 coaches and cover 2,483 km one-way.

Train number 06205

It will connect Vasco Da Gama with Darshan Nagar (a railway station near Ayodhya).

The train will depart from Vasco Da Gama on Mondays (February 12 and 26) and from Darshan Nagar on Fridays (February 16 and March 1).

It will pass through Majorda, Madgaon, Karmali, Ratnagiri, Panvel, Vapi, Kota, Tundla, Prayagraj and Mirzapur.

It will have 22 coaches and cover 2,791 km one-way.

Train number 06206

It will connect Mysuru with Ayodhya and will make one trip each.

It will depart from Mysuru on Saturday (February 17) and from Ayodhya Dham on Tuesday (February 20).

It will pass through KSR Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Arsikere, Kadur, Birur, Chitradurga, Toranagal, Hosapete, Koppal, Gadag, Badami, Bagalkot and Bijapur, Kalaburagi, Wadi, Balharshah, Nagpur, Jabalpur and Prayagraj.

It will have 22 coaches and cover 3,004 km one-way.

Train number 06207

It will depart from Belagavi on Saturday (February 17) and from Ayodhya Dham on Tuesday (February 20).

It will run via Dharwad, Hubballi, Gadag, Ballari, Raichur, Yadgir, Secunderabad, Balharshah and Prayagraj.

It will have 22 coaches and cover 2462 km one-way.