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A new golden chapter is going to be added in the historical, cultural and spiritual relations between India and Nepal. The decades-old dream of direct rail connectivity between Ayodhya, the holy birthplace of Lord Shri Ram, and Janakpur Dham (Nepal), the birthplace of Mata Janaki (Sita), is now going to be realized. Indian Railways has approved the operation of the new rail service from Ayodhya to Janakpur Dham in Nepal, which is set to be formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Nepal on 23 November 2026. The commencement of this historic rail journey of about 604 kilometers will not only open the way for easy travel for crores of devotees of India and Nepal, but the ambitious Ramayana Circuit tourism will also gain unprecedented momentum.
As per the route approved by the Railway Board and Northern Railway, this train will start from Ayodhya Cantt and go to Janakpur Dham in Nepal, passing through major religious and business towns of Purvanchal in Uttar Pradesh and Mithilachal region of Bihar. The total distance on this route will be approximately 604 kilometers, which includes major stations in both India and Nepal.
| Serial Number (S.No.) | Major Railway Stations (Scheduled Stoppages) | State / Country | Religious and regional importance |
| 1 | Ayodhya Cantt and Ayodhya Dham | Uttar Pradesh (India) | Birth place of Lord Shri Ram and starting/final station |
| 2 | Mankapur and Basti | Uttar Pradesh (India) | Major railway junctions and connectivity centers of Purvanchal |
| 3 | Gorakhpur Junction | Uttar Pradesh (India) | Major center of Nath sect and headquarters of North Eastern Railway. |
| 4 | Narkatiaganj and Raxaul | Bihar (India) | Major trade and transit centers of India-Nepal border |
| 5 | Sitamarhi | Bihar (India) | Punaura Dham (major pilgrimage site associated with Mata Sita) |
| 6 | Shisho and Madhubani | Bihar (India) | Cultural and art city of Mithilanchal |
| 7 | Jayanagar | Bihar (India-Nepal Border) | The last Indian railway station on the Nepal border |
| 8 | Janakpur Dham | Madhesh Pradesh (Nepal) | Mother Sita’s birthplace and Janaki temple (destination station) |
According to the initial operation plan of Indian Railways, this new international train service will initially be operated on a weekly basis and in view of the increasing number of passengers, its frequency can be increased in future. As per the proposed timetable:
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Janakpur Dham towards Ayodhya: This train will depart from Janakpur Dham every Saturday (scheduled time is 01:30 PM) and reach Ayodhya on Sunday morning.
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From Ayodhya Cantt to Janakpur: In the return direction, this train will depart from Ayodhya Cantt every Monday and reach Janakpur Dham in Nepal via various stops in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
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Modern facilities and ticketing: Online ticket booking (IRCTC), QR code based digital payments, large digital display boards for the convenience of passengers and special arrangements for security and customs checks as per cross border travel are being made on this route.
Since the construction of the grand Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya, the number of devotees coming from Janakpur and surrounding areas of Nepal has increased manifold. Till now, devotees had to travel from Ayodhya to Janakpur by road or by changing trains, which took a lot of time and expense. With the start of this direct train, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Jaynagar and Janakpur Dham will be tied into a single modern rail link. This will not only give a new boost to religious tourism but will also provide tremendous economic benefits to the hotel industry, local handicrafts, Mithila paintings, traditional artisans and cross-border trade activities in the entire region.
Since this train service will cross the international border between India and Nepal (Jaynagar-Janakpur rail section), railway and security officials of both the countries are finalizing the customs and passenger verification protocols. Under the open border treaty between India and Nepal, Indian citizens do not require a visa to travel to Nepal, but during train travel, passengers will be required to have a valid Indian passport or a valid government recognized identity card such as the original Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India. Passengers can keep an eye on the Indian Railways website irctc.co.in and National Train Inquiry System (NTES) for official confirmation of ticket booking and final timetable.