Summer vacations looming and nowhere to go? Let IRCTC holiday packages serve as a guide

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), e-ticketing arm of Indian Railways, is changing the tourism sector in the country through its affordable and even its luxury holiday packages to beautiful places across the length and breadth of India. The IRCTC offers something for everyone, and through its religious packages provide opportunity for people to visit spiritual places. If you are eager to visit such places in India, you must check out IRCTC's packages given on its official website, irctctourism.com, through the 'Bharat Darshan Special Tourist Train'. 
 
Tickets can be booked from the IRCTC website, and also from the tourist facilitation centre, zonal offices or regional offices. The tour package has been available at Rs 9,450, inclusive of all the taxes including Goods and Services Tax (GST). The details of various tour packages and tour trains, which IRCTC is currently offering, are given below: 
 
Bharat Darshan tourist trains
 
Trains for Bharat Darshan were launched to facilitate tourists to visit religious and historical places in the country at affordable price. In the beginning, these trains were termed as "Village on Wheels". The first Village on Wheels train started operating on November 29, 2004 from Patna after it was announced in the Rail Budget Speech. IRCTC has been running several Bharat Darshan trains since then on pan India basis at a price Rs 900/- plus taxes per passenger per day. 
 
The facilities provided under the package are:
 
1. Confirmed train travel in Sleeper class coaches
2. Stay in Dormitories/hall accommodation for night, halt/fresh up
3. Unlimited vegetarian catering during the tour
4. Non-AC tourist buses for sightseeing
5. Services of Tour escorts for entire tour
6. Security staff for each train coach to ensure safety/security
 
One AC coach may be included in the tourist train, if such demand is needed. 
 
Under this travel package, the facility of boarding and de-boarding at small cities/ towns for the convenience of travellers as per the itinerary is provided. The average duration of the trip is 7-12 days as per itinerary. The popular Bharat Darshan tour packages include Do Dham Yatra, Nav Jyotirlinga Special, South India Special, Shirdi Special, Tirupati Darshan, Dwarka-Somnath, Gangasagar-Puri, Bharat Darshan with Vaishno Devi.
 
Gangtok Darjeeling Holiday Special
 
Under this package, AC Special Tourist Train is facilitated covering important tourist places in the country, and has been specially designed for LTC clients also. The booking can be done through IRCTC's tourist facilitation center, Zonal as well as Regional Offices. The destinations covered under Gangtok Darjeeling Holiday special include Arakku Valley, Borra Caves, Gangtok, Changu, Darjeeling, Tiger Hill and Kolkata.
 
The boarding points are Kochuveli, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Erode, Perambur, Vijayawada. Customers can deboard at Vijayawada, Perambur, Erode, Palakkad, Ernakulam, Kochuveli. 
 
The fare of standard 3AC seat would cost Rs 51,400, AC1 would cost Rs 65,100, and it will also include three meals in the stated packages. The entrance fees and guide charges at the monuments are not included in IRCTC's package. One has to make arrangement for this. 

Watch this Zee Business video

There are other city specific packages like Agra special and Heritage special dedicated to the national capital, details of which can be checked out on the IRCTC's website. Interestingly, IRCTC also offers booking of international destinations at low-cost fares.