Launch of Pravasi Bharatiya Express - 9 January 2025, New Delhi

   The Pravasi Bharatiya Express is a special state-of-the-art Tourist Train exclusively designed for the Indian Diaspora (PIOs only) that 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 starting from the Safdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi. The date of January 09, 2025 has been chosen to commemorate the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India on this date in the year 1915. 

The Pravasi Bharatiya Express 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. The special conducted tour is being organised under the Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana (PTDY) scheme of the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with the M/s Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The purpose of the aforesaid tour is to connect the Indian Diaspora (PIOs only in the age group of 45-65 years) to their roots.

Government of India 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 to be launched by Ministry on January 09, 2025.