In a bid to promote rail tourism and provide reasonable packages to tourists, Indian Railways had decided to run six pilgrim trains on different routes from October 25. Two trains will cover Bihar- Shikharji Circuit Yatra from Jaipur and Takht Parikarma from Jammu Tawi to Delhi. The other four packages include Sukhmangalam Yatra from Bangaluru to Hampi, Dham special with Dakshin Darshan from Chandigarh via Lucknow to Ujjain, Dham special with Dakshin Darshan from Chandigarh via Jaipur to Ujjain and Jyotirling Yatra from Jaipur to Bhimshankar Jyotirling. Several other pilgrim trains are also on the verge of being introduced by this year end. The train packages include travel tickets, all meals, road transfers, sightseeing, guides etc. Sripad Rao, Union Minister of state for culture and tourism also announced the launch of an air conditioned train from next year on Buddhist circuit catering to the needs of foreign tourists.

Union Ministry has also issued guidelines for organizing spiritual festivals by Bihar Government and international monasteries at Bodh Gaya during summer season. The ministry has not only offered incentives for holding the festival but also promised to help tourists to in availing visas and other facilities for visiting Bodh Gaya during festival seasons. Tourists will also be allowed to cook their very own staple food and organize cultural fests. Dozens of monasteries of various countries like Japan, Sri Lanka, Mayanmar, Cambodia and Tibet located at Bodh Gaya will be open for a wide scale of national and international tourists.