Special tourist train to connect Gurudwaras

The Indian Railways is all set to start ‘Panj Takht Express’ from January 14, 2019, which will link the five takhts (temporal seats/Gurudwaras) of Sikhs. The five Gurudwaras are Akal Takht in Amritsar, Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo near Bathinda, Takht Hazur Sahib at Nanded and Takht Patna Sahib in Patna.

With 800 seats in three-tier air-conditioned coaches, the train will complete the journey in 9 nights and 10 days. Costing Rs 15,750 per head, the pilgrims taking the tour will be lodged in hotels or Gurudwaras.

The special tourist train, announced on the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhs’ first master, Guru Nanak Dev, will start its journey from Delhi’s Safdarjung railway station and cover all the five takhts 10 days. The train will first go to Huzoor Sahib in Nanded, where the passenger-devotees will stay for one day and one night. The next day train will leave Patna Sahib, where the stay is for one day and one night. After this, the train will leave for Punjab to cover Anandpur Sahib, Akal Takht Sahib in Amritsar and then Damdama Sahib.

The tour package include three vegetarian meals — breakfast, lunch and dinner, night stay, wash and change in hotels or Gurudwara, transfers and sightseeing, tour escorts, security on trains, travel insurance, among other things.