Dhamma Suvatthi
Sravasti Vipassana Centre

Travelling to Dhamma Suvatthi
(Updated April 2008)

Arrival & Departure Information

All students are asked to arrive by 5 PM on the day the course begins. After registration is completed, a light meal is served ( approx 6 PM) and an orientation talk will precede the start of the course. The course will end at approximately 7:30 a.m. on the last day, day 11 of the course. All new students, as well as old (returning) students taking a full course, are required to remain until the very end of the course. (Old students leaving earlier must clearly indicate this on their forms.)

By Air and Taxi

The nearest airport is in Lucknow (125+20 kms), which has daily connections by air to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Patna. An air-conditioned taxi journey from Lucknow to Sravasti should cost approx. Rs.2000/-; non air conditioned, approx. 1500/- . You may try Mr. Jai Prakash Singh at +91 94155 60660 for a taxi. (His English language skills are minimal. For any help with this, fax or call the centre or mobile.)

By Road

Shravasti can be reached

• from Balrampur (19 km) by bus or shared/private scooter rickshaw
• from Gonda, by shared/private scooter rickshaw
• from Bahraich (47 km) by bus
• from Gorakhpur there are regular buses
• from Lucknow, there is a direct daily bus ( approx 4.5 hrs) which leaves the ‘Kesar Bagh Bus Stand’ at 7 AM, and other buses during the day to Balrampur and Baharaich.

By Train

The nearest major railway station is Gonda, approx 60 Km from Sravasti, and a still bigger one is Lucknow. For train timetables log on to http://www.indianrail.gov.in/. , and then go to ‘Trains at a glance’ To book ticket, click on ‘internet reservation’, or go directly to: www.irctc.co.in. Some helpful hints:

• In the ‘class’ column, ‘A’ represents air-conditioned…these coaches are locked at night and are generally safer for travel. Class 1A, where available, is the most expensive (usually comparable to air-fare), after which comes 2A (2 tier sleeper, air conditioned) and 3A (3 tier sleeper, air-conditioned); SL ( plain sleeper class) is the least expensive.
• Reservations are available for only up to 60 days in advance; book as early as you can.
• The 'I-ticket' is a ‘hard’ paper ticket delivered to your mailing address. The ’e-ticket’ is a web page that must be printed out.

From Delhi to Gonda: book yourself into train no. 5708 leaving Delhi at 15.30 daily and arriving at Gonda at 3 AM next morning. This train provides 2A or 3A, or SL modes of travel. Or train no. 5610 leaving Delhi at 8.20 and arriving Gonda at 20.20 PM. On Sundays there is train no. 5280, leaving Delhi at 17.05 and arriving Gonda next morning at 5 AM

If coming from Kushinagar (via Gorakhpur) or Kapilavatthu (via Naugarh), hop on to the Kapilavastu Express, train no. 5322/5321 which stops in Balrampur (Gorakhpur departure, 1400- Gonda arrival 1945. On Return: Gonda departure 10 AM-- Gorakhpur arrival 15.40).

From Bodh Gaya ( Gaya stn.) take the Kolkata Jamu Tawi express ( train no. 3151) daily at 21.08 arriving Lucknow at 10.30, leaving you with the day for onward travel to Sravasti.

Trains from all over India stop in Lucknow:

• Shatabdi Express, train no. 2003/2004 (New Delhi-Lucknow)
• Rajdhani Express, train no. 2309/2310 (Patna-New Delhi)
• Vaishali Express, train no. 2553/2554 (New Delhi-Barauni via Muzaffarpur and Gorakhpur)
• Lucknow Mail, train no. 4229/4230 (New Delhi-Lucknow).
• Pushpak express, train no.2534 ( Mumbai CST departure 8.20 AM, Lucknow arrival 8.40 AM)
• Jodhpur Varanasi Marudhar Express ( Leaves Jaipur 15.40 daily, arrives Lucknow at 2.45, On return leaves Lucknow23.55, arrives Jaipur 11.30 AM )

Before and after the course

It is possible to stay locally at the Korean, Burmese, and Sri Lankan monasteries, which accept guests on a donation basis. The new Sri Lanka Ramayath Guest House is a good option for budget travellers and the pricey Lotus Nikko Hotel may satisfy needs for high modern standards.

Lucknow

If, while enroute, you find yourself spending more time than you planned in Lucknow, you can go meditate at Dhamma Lakkhana (Characteristic of Dhamma). The Lucknow Vipassana Centre is on Asti Road in Bakshi Ka Talab.