In a couple of days from now, India will witness a massive event in the form of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha. The event will be held in Ayodhya, at the newly made grand Ram Mandir from the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While the small city has been a prominent place for Hindus for its spiritual and religious heritage, the city has made its presence felt on the world map with the establishment of the Ram Temple.
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With the consecration scheduled on January 22, 2024 the region is expected to witness a huge footfall of both leisure and spiritual travellers. There are a number of easy ways to go from Delhi to Ayodhya. Here’s various modes of transportation from Delhi to Ayodhya in this guide, including aircraft, trains, and road travel.
By Flight: Ayodhya International Airport
With the Ram Mandir inauguration just in sight, the government of India managed to establish the first ever airport in Ayodhya. The Ayodhya International Airport, now known as the ‘Maharishi Valmiki International Airport’ was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 30, 2023.
The first phase of the new Ayodhya Airport has been made at a cost of over Rs 1,450 crore. The airport’s terminal building is 6500 square metres in size and is prepared to handle roughly 10 lakh passengers a year. The airport terminal building’s front has a representation of the architecture of the Ram temple with murals, paintings, and artwork that portrays the life of Lord Ram.
Before Ayodhya International Airport was functional, the closest airport was the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (LKO) in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. Airlines like IndiGo and Air India Express have started flights connecting Ayodhya with Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru among other cities.
1. Make a Flight Reservation: You can book a flight and take a direct flight from from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) to Ayodhya’s Maharishi Valmiki International Airport.
2. Getting from Lucknow to Ayodhya: In case you are arriving at the Lucknow International Airport from Delhi, you can reach Ayodhya in three hours. One can rent a taxi or take a private cab. As an alternative, you can look into private or public buses that go between Lucknow and Ayodhya.
Train: Ayodhya Dham/ Ayodhya Cantt Railway Station
The Ayodhya Railway Station, now renamed Ayodhya Dham Railway Station was recently redeveloped to welcome train travellers from Delhi and across India. There are multiple trains that operate between Delhi and Ayodhya.
The first and most important running train on this route is the Vande Bharat Express. The train starts from Anand Vihar Terminal and goes till Ayodhya Cantt station. There’s also newly inaugurated Amrit Bharat train. Other express trains include Ayodhya Express, Kaifiyat Express among others.
Delhi-Ayodhya Road Network
Ayodhya city is well connected by road from across cities and is near Lucknow, which is the capital of Uttar Pradesh. From Delhi, there are a couple of ways to reach Ayodhya by road.
1. Travel by Car: Going by car is a terrific choice if you like the freedom of a road trip. It takes around 12 hours to reach Ayodhya from Delhi by road.
a) Yamuna Expressway + Agra-Lucknow Expressway: One can choose to travel on world-class expressway network from Delhi by opting the Yamuna Expressway from Delhi to Agra and then Agra-Lucknow Expressway. From Lucknow, take NH27 to reach Ayodhya situated 170 kms away.
b) Yamuna Expressway + NH19: The second option is to reach Agra from Delhi travelling on the Yamuna Expressway. From there, take NH19 and reach Lucknow and then, take NH27 to reach Ayodhya. This route is marginally longer from the first route, with less toll tax.
2. Travel by Bus: If you are not taking your personal car or a taxi to reach Ayodhya, another option is to take bus service. Numerous public and private bus lines run between Delhi and Ayodhya. For overnight travel, sleeper buses are available.
In conclusion, getting to Ayodhya from Delhi is a manageable and pleasurable experience, regardless of whether you opt for the flexibility of a road trip, the scenic charm of a train ride, or the convenience of a flight. Choose the option that best fits your travel choices, budget, and schedule.