Here is the good news for Shiva devotees. Kashi Mahakal Express, the third private train of the country, is all set to be launched by IRCTC, which will run between Varanasi and Indore and connect three Jyotirlinga shrines –
Omkareshwar (near Indore), Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain) and Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi) in its journey.
According to the news reports,Prime Minister Modi will flag off the Kashi Mahakal Express through video link. This superfast air-conditioned train will start its commercial run from 20th February after the expected inaugural run on 16 February.
This is the third private passenger train being operated by IRCTC taking forward the initiative of Ministry of Railways to operate more such corporate trains in future.
Being the first long-distance overnight journey train, IRCTC is set to provide a host of facilities and services to the passengers on-board.
Timings of Kashi Mahakal Express (via Sultanpur-Lucknow)
The bi-weekly Kashi Mahakal Express train no. 82401 from Varanasi – Indore will depart from Varanasi at 2:45 PM every Tuesday and Thursday and reach Indore at 09:40 AM the following day from February 20 onward.
For the return trip, train no. 82402, a bi-weekly service, will leave Indore at 10:55 AM every Wednesday and Friday and reach Varanasi at 6:00 AM the next morning from February 21, 2020.
This train will stop at Bina, Jhansi, Kanpur, Ujjain, Sant Hirdaram Nagar, Lucknow and Sultanpur stations, both to and fro.
Timings of Kashi Mahakal Express (via Prayagraj)
This weekly train no. 82403 from Varanasi – Indore will depart from Varanasi at 3:15 PM every Sunday to reach Indore at 9:40 AM the following day from February 23, 2020.
Likewise, train no. 82404 from Indore – Varanasi will leave from Indore at 10:55 AM every Monday and reach Varanasi at 5:00 AM the next day from February 24, 2020.
The stoppage stations of this train will be Ujjain, Jhansi, Kanpur Sant Hirdaram Nagar, Bina and Allahabad stations, both to and fro. The train coaches will have LED lights.
Train fare
The fare of train No. 82401 is INR 1951 from Varanasi to Indore from. The train fare till Prayagraj is INR 737, Lucknow is INR 679, Kanpur is INR 980, Bina is INR 1463, Sant Hirdaram Nagar is INR 1599 and Ujjain is INR 1803.
The train fare includes vegetarian food, housekeeping services, on-board bedrolls and security services. Addition to this, the fare offers a complimentary travel insurance of INR 10 lakhs for the trip. The train will have AC 3-tier and pantry car coaches.
The Express train will play light devotional music in its coaches, and will also have two private guards on duty in every coach as well as only vegetarian meals among other features.
According to an official statement, the IRCTC is making tour packages of important religious and tourist sites like Kashi, Bhopal, Omkareshwar, Mahakaleshwar, Sanchi, Ujjain, Bhimbetka, Prayag and Ayodhya.
