TEHRAN – The Islamic Republic of Iran Railways launched a passenger train route on Sunday, stretching some 1,650 kilometers from the northwestern city of Urmia to the holy city of Mashhad in the northeast.

With a capacity of 440 passengers, the direct train is launched to facilitate [rail] travels from Urmia and its neighboring areas to Mashhad, particularly for pilgrims visiting the Imam Reza (AS) [holy shrine], CHTN reported on Sunday.

The weekly service takes some 25 hours to cover the distance, the report said.

Mashhad, the capital of Khorasan Razavi province, attracts thousands of domestic pilgrims each day. The raison d’être is the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam. The metropolis embraces dozens of five-star hotels, hotel apartments and hostels. It has the highest concentration of water parks in the country, and it is also home to a variety of cultural and historical sites, which are generally crowded.

AFM/MG