Vistadome coaches between New Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar may be operated daily during Puja in October or November to meet the high demand. The service is at present available once a week since the forests of north Bengal are closed for monsoon.
A train with one Vistadome coach leaves New Jalpaiguri for Alipurduar every Saturday and returns to New Jalpaiguri on Sunday. “We are already booked more than 80% during the Puja weekends and the demand is likely to exceed the capacity. In that case, we might increase the frequency of the coach,” said Dipankar Manna, an official of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
The luxurious Vistadome coaches with revolving chairs and large windows provide a magnificent 360° view of the surroundings. The glass ceiling ensures ample light. The chair cars started operating in north Bengal around a year ago. The chair cars were initially scheduled on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays but the frequency was reduced as tourist rush declined during the monsoon. “In the initial days, it was very difficult to get a booking because of the high demand. Tourists would call us every day for a ticket,” said Manna.
A special selfie zone and WiFi facilities are added attractions. “The tickets are priced at around Rs 750 and hot beverages and snacks are served. The stretch between New Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar is very beautiful. Besides the forests, passengers can also see tea gardens, the hills of Bhutan, river and wildlife too,” said Zafar Azam, group general manager, IRCTC Kolkata.
Tourists can also book a special two-day tour package on a Vistadome coach covering Jhalong Bindu, Murti River and a tour of Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary. “The trip starts at 7am on Friday from New Jalpaiguri station and ends at 7pm at the same spot on Saturday. On reaching new Mal junction on Saturday morning, tourists are taken to a luxury hotel in Lataguri. The package costs Rs 10,140 for single occupancy and Rs 8,780 for double occupancy with breakfast, dinner and local sightseeing,” Manna said.
Vistadome tickets and packages can be booked by logging on to the IRCTC website.
