The Mahaparinirvan Express is a tourist train which was launched by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on 28 March 2007, to attract Buddhist pilgrims.^[1] The train takes passengers on an eight-day, seven-night spiritual tour which visits Buddhist sites across North India and Nepal.^[2]

History

The train gets its name from the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha. The journey covers sacred destinations which includes Buddha's visit to various important Buddhist pilgrimage sites, such as Lumbini (where he was born), Bodhgaya (where he gained enlightenment), Sarnath (where he first taught) and Kushinagar (where he attained the state of Nirvana).^[3]

Features and Services

The Mahaparinirvan Express is operated by Indian Railways and Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation using carriages from a Rajdhani Express train. The fully air conditioned train offers three different classes of travel (first class, two tier, and three tier).

The train offers an eight-day package.^[2]