Prabhu flags off Tiger Express train on World Environment Day

Prabhu inaugurated the service in the presence of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and Minister of State for railways Manoj Sinha, Minister, Sitting MPs 

Meenakshi Lekhi, Janardan Dwivedi, Karan Singh and Parvez Hashmi, MLA Surender Singh and NMDC Vice Chairman Karan Singh Tanwar. Soon after the inauguration, the train left for Katni at 3 pm and is expected to chug in at 5.40 am by on Monday. The express is scheduled to proceed to Kanha National Park and will have a safari there on the fourth day.

On the fifth day, the tiger trial circuit will head towards Jabalpur and will end its trip on the sixth day as the train will arrive back at Safdarjung railway station in New Delhi. The six-day trip will cover Bandhavgarh, Kanha national parks and Dhuandhar Falls in Madhya Pradesh, a railway spokesman said. Named after the highest hill in the park, picturesque Bandhavgarh park, is known as the 'land of the white tiger', while the Kanha National Park is one of India's biggest reserved forest now famous for the set of 'The Jungle Book'. 

The 'Smoke-flowing' Dhuandhar Falls located in Narmada river is another attraction of this package. “Sighting of tigers has always been a huge attraction for travellers and wildlife enthusiasts from India and abroad alike.

The Tiger Express has been chalked out to make it an affordable and glitch-free experience for those who want to have a brush with India’s famed wildlife,” said IRCTC CMD AK Manocha. 

The tariff has been fixed for single occupancy at Rs 49,500 I-AC, Rs 45,500 for double occupancy, Rs 44,900 for triple occupancy and Rs 39,500 for child with bed (5-11 years). The fares for those travelling in AC 2-tier is Rs 43,500 for single occupancy, Rs 39,000 for double occupancy, Rs 38,500 for triple occupancy and Rs 33,500 for child with bed (5-11 years). 

According to IRCTC, all the rates are valid for Indian citizens only. An additional surcharge of Rs 4,000 per person will be charged from foreigners for the safari booking at Bandhagarh and Kanha. Also, it is mandatory to carry the same ID proof during the entire trip, the number of which was given at the time of booking.