Railways has taken a big step to give a new height to the historical, religious and cultural relations between India and Nepal. Now a direct weekly train service is going to operate between Janakpur Dham (Nepal), the birthplace of Mata Janaki (Sita) and Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), the holy birthplace of Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram. With the introduction of this new international train, the distance of approximately 604 kilometers between the two holy cities will become very easy, economical and comfortable. Preparations are in the final stages to flag off this rail service in the presence of the top leadership of both the countries, which will give a tremendous boost to religious tourism under the Ramayana Circuit.
According to the route chart prepared in coordination with Indian Railways and Nepal Railway, this train will run from Janakpur Dham in Madhesh Pradesh of Nepal and will stop at major railway stations of Mithilachal and Champaran region of Bihar and Purvanchal of Uttar Pradesh. A total of 11 major stops have been scheduled on this 604 kilometer route:
| Serial Number (S.No.) | Railway Station Name (Stoppages) | State / Country | Route and regional importance |
| 1 | Janakpur Dham | Madhesh Pradesh (Nepal) | Starting Station – Birthplace of Mother Sita and Janaki Temple |
| 2 | Jayanagar | Bihar (India) | The first Indian Railway Junction located on the India-Nepal border |
| 3 | Madhubani | Bihar (India) | Cultural and world famous art city of Mithilanchal |
| 4 | Shisho / Darbhanga Area (Shisho) | Bihar (India) | Important rail connectivity center of North Bihar |
| 5 | Sitamarhi | Bihar (India) | Punaura Dham (major pilgrimage site associated with Mata Janaki) |
| 6 | Raxaul Junction | Bihar (India) | Major trading and transit center of India-Nepal border |
| 7 | Narkatiaganj Junction | Bihar (India) | Important Railway Junction of West Champaran |
| 8 | Gorakhpur Junction | Uttar Pradesh (India) | The city of Guru Gorakshanath and the headquarters of North Eastern Railway. |
| 9 | Basti | Uttar Pradesh (India) | Major district headquarters station of Purvanchal |
| 10 | Mankapur Junction | Uttar Pradesh (India) | Important junction of Gonda-Ayodhya railway section |
| 11 | Ayodhya Cantt. | Uttar Pradesh (India) | Destination Station – Holy Birthplace of Lord Shri Ram |
According to the operation plan of the Railways, this train will be operated from both directions once a week, so that devotees can easily visit both the pilgrimage sites during the weekend:
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Janakpur Dham towards Ayodhya: This weekly train will leave from Janakpur Dham station of Nepal every Saturday at around 01:30 pm and will reach Ayodhya Cantt on Sunday morning via Jaynagar, Sitamarhi, Raxaul and Gorakhpur.
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From Ayodhya Cantt to Janakpur Dham: In the return journey, this train will depart from Ayodhya Cantt every Monday and reach Janakpur Dham in Nepal stopping at all the scheduled stations.
Till now, pilgrims going to Ayodhya from Nepal’s Janakpur Dham or Mithilanchal region had to change trains at Jaynagar, Darbhanga or Gorakhpur or undertake the long and tiring road journey in private vehicles and buses. With the introduction of this direct weekly train, elderly devotees, families and tourists will get the facility to reach Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple (Ayodhya) directly from Janaki Temple (Janakpur) to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple (Ayodhya) in a single train without any hassle. Along with this, modern coaches, clean toilets, digital display boards and comfortable seating and sleeper arrangements are being provided in the train.
Since this train will cross the international border (Jaynagar-Janakpur rail section) between India and Nepal, passengers will have to follow the rules related to cross border travel. Under the Friendship Treaty between India and Nepal, Indian citizens do not require a visa to travel to or from Nepal, but during the journey, it will be mandatory for every traveler to have a valid Indian passport or a valid photo identity card recognized by the Government such as the original Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India. As soon as ticket reservation starts, passengers will be able to book their seats through IRCTC’s official website or mobile app and railway reservation counters.