Pravasi Bharatiya Express: Govt launches a 3-week, all-expenses-paid train tour for elderly Indian-origin travellers

The Indian government will be launching a special train for people of Indian origin (PIO) to help them connect with their roots. Named Pravasi Bharatiya Express, this state-of-the-art tourist train, exclusively designed for PIOs only in the age group of 45-65 years, will travel to multiple destinations of prominent touristic interest and religious importance, all over India, for a period of 3 weeks starting on January 09, 2025.

The train will start from the Safdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi. The date January 09, 2025 has been chosen to commemorate the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India in 1915.

As per the official statement, the special train will travel to Ayodhya, Patna, Gaya, Varanasi, Mahabalipuram, Rameshwaram, Madurai, Kochi, Goa, Ekta Nagar (Kevadia), Ajmer, Pushkar and Agra.

The train would have a maximum capacity for 156 passengers.

This specially conducted tour is being organised under the Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana (PTDY) scheme of the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) aiming to connect the Indian Diaspora to their roots.

“We seek nominations from all interested participants, with preference being accorded to PIOs belonging to the low income category who would otherwise not be able to afford to visit India on their own. Ministry will bear all expenses for the aforesaid conducted train tour besides also bearing 90% of the return airfares for the eligible PIOs from their countries of origin to India. PIOs will need to bear only 10% of their return airfares to avail of this scheme, that is to be launched by Ministry on January 09, 2025,” an official statement read.