Travelling to Ram Janmabhoomi Temple: On January 22, 2024, India witnessed a historic moment when Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the Pran Pratishtha at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, marking the official inauguration of one of the most sought-after temples by the Sanatan followers. Ayodhya holds a special place in the hearts of Indians, as it is the birthplace of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
The construction of the temple began on August 5, 2020, under the supervision of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Terth Kshetra Trust. After almost three years, the mandir, which was officially named Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, was inaugurated for the common masses after PM Narendra Modi performed the Pran Pratishtha of the temple. Ayodhya quickly became a must-visit place for the Indians, and the number of devotees visiting the place has been growing since then. The government of India took several initiatives to connect the different parts of India to the city of Ayodhya by introducing special trains and flights for the godly destination.
There are multiple options like trains, flights, and buses available for devotees to take in order to reach Ayodhya, depending on which part of the country they are travelling from.
How to travel to Ayodhya from Delhi?
For someone travelling from Delhi to Ayodhya, all three modes of transportation, rail, road, and buses, are available. Travelling by road from the capital of the city will take around nine to ten hours, while similarly by travelling by train like the newly launched New Delhi to Ayodhya Vande Bharat or GKP Hamsafar Express, the distance can be covered in eight to nine hours. However, the fastest means of travel will be the flights, which are now functional to Ayodhya after its official inauguration earlier this year. The Maharishi Valmiki International Airport of Ayodhya is ten kilometres from the Ayodhya Dham.
How to travel to Ayodhya from Mumbai?
Travelling to Ayodhya from Mumbai can be a little demanding as there is just one direct train between the two stations, i.e., LTT Chhapra Express (15102), which takes around 34 hours to complete the journey, while other trains to the nearby stations also take around the same amount of time, while still adding hours of by road travelling. However, with airline companies like SpiceJet and IndiGo offering non-stop flights between the two cities, travelling by flight is the most convenient way of travelling.
How to travel to Ayodhya from Bengaluru?
People travelling from Bengaluru to Ayodhya have only one train, i.e., the YPR Gorakhpur Express (15024), running between them, which takes around 40 to 42 hours to travel, making the best possible method to travelling is to take a flight to Ayodhya, with a travelling time of two to three hours, as both SpiceJet and Air India offers non-stop flights from Bengaluru to Ayodhya.
How to travel to Ayodhya from Kolkata?
Doon Express (13009) and Koaa Jat Express (13151) are the two trains operating directly from Kolkata and Ayodhya, with the average travelling time ranging from 17 to 20 hours. However, the fastest way to travel from the City of Joy to Ayodhya is by taking a flight to Maharshi Valmiki International Airport, with the travelling time ranging from 2 hours to 13 hours, depending on whether it’s a non-stop flight or layover flight.
How to travel to Ayodhya from Chennai?
As there is no direct train running between Chennai and Ayodhya, travelling by train becomes an impossible task. However, SpiceJet decided to come to the rescue of the Ram devotees from Chennai by operating a non-stop flight between the two cities. In addition, airline companies like IndiGo and Akasa also offer layover flights from Chennai to Ayodhya.
How to travel to Ayodhya from Ahmedabad?
Travelling from Ahmedabad to Ayodhya has very few but straightforward options, as there is only one train, i.e., Sabarmati Express (19165), running between the two cities with a running time of 30 hours. Notably, there are no non-stop flights between Ahmedabad and Ayodhya, but airlines like IndiGo and SpiceJet do offer layover flights with a travelling time ranging from 5 to 13 hours.
How to travel to Ayodhya from Hyderabad?
Hyderabad is another major city which does not have direct trains to Ayodhya, as the only possible train option between the two cities is the YPR Gorakhpur Express (22534), which starts from Secunderabad Junction and goes to Gonda Junction, from where the person needs to travel by road to Ayodhya Dham. There are multiple flights offered by airlines like SpiceJet, Air India, Vistara and IndiGo from Hyderabad to Ayodhya. Still, none of these flights are non-stop, as they have layovers at New Delhi or Ahmedabad.
How to travel to Ayodhya from Patna?
The capital of Bihar offers two direct trains for Ayodhya, i.e., Farakka Express (13483) and Sabarmati Express (19166), with both trains taking around ten hours to complete the journey. There are also multiple flight options available, but none of the flights are non-stop, as most of them have a layover in New Delhi. While travelling by flight takes less time, travelling by train is much cheaper, giving the devotees a number of options to choose from.
