Nepal’s Janakpur-Ayodhya special rail service is in the final stage of preparation, Nepal Railway Company Managing Director Parivesh Parajuli said, with the service planned to be jointly inaugurated by the prime ministers of Nepal and India during Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s upcoming visit to India. The date for the inauguration has not yet been fixed, leaving the launch timetable unconfirmed as preparations continue.
Preparations nearing completion
Parajuli said the service was in its final phase of preparation. His update indicates that work is advancing towards the planned launch, but the available information does not give a specific start date for passenger operations or describe the remaining steps before the train can run. The distinction is important: the service is approaching readiness, while its formal inauguration and operating schedule have yet to be confirmed.
The planned train service will connect Janakpur in Nepal with Ayodhya in India. Nepal Railway Company is the institution whose managing director has provided the update. No further operational details, such as the frequency of services, ticket arrangements, fares, journey times or the number of passengers the train may carry, have been announced in the information available.
Joint inauguration planned during India visit
The two governments are planning a joint inauguration by Nepal’s prime minister and India’s prime minister. The ceremony is expected to take place during Balendra Shah’s upcoming visit to India, placing the launch within the programme of that visit. However, neither a date for the ceremony nor a confirmed schedule for the prime ministers’ participation has been announced.
The plan therefore depends on the timing of the visit and arrangements for the joint event. Parajuli’s statement confirms the intended format of the inauguration, but does not establish when it will occur. Until a date is set, travellers and other interested parties do not have a confirmed launch day to plan around.
Launch date remains unconfirmed
The current update offers a clear picture of the service’s status: preparations are at an advanced stage, and a joint inauguration is planned, but the date remains open. It does not say whether the service will begin immediately after the ceremony or provide any details about when tickets or a public timetable might be made available.
The Janakpur-Ayodhya service is being prepared as a rail link between the two cities, with the Nepal and Indian prime ministers expected to mark its launch together. Further announcements will be needed to establish the inauguration date and the practical details of passenger operations. For now, the Nepal Railway Company’s update signals that the project is nearing its planned launch without setting a confirmed day for the first service.
