Indian Railways has approved the introduction of a new weekly train service between Janakpur Dham in Nepal and Ayodhya Cantt in Uttar Pradesh, India, covering approximately 604 kilometers. The service will operate once weekly with Saturday departures from Janakpur Dham and Monday returns from Ayodhya Cantt, establishing a direct rail link between two significant religious sites associated with the Ramayana tradition - Janakpur Dham (birthplace of Mata Sita) and Ayodhya (birthplace of Prabhu Shri Ram).
The train will have commercial stoppages at 10 intermediate stations: Jaynagar, Madhubani, Shisho, Sitamarhi, Raxaul, Narkatiaganj, Gorakhpur, Basti, Mankapur, and Ayodhya Dham. This initiative is designed to strengthen cross-border connectivity between India and Nepal while facilitating religious tourism and pilgrim movements.
The service is expected to make cross-border travel more convenient for pilgrims, tourists, and other passengers while supporting regional economic development by creating opportunities for tourism operators, hospitality establishments, local traders, and traditional artisans along the route. For border communities in Bihar and Nepal, the service provides an additional passenger transport option and strengthens economic and social linkages between the two countries.