Luxury Rail in India

Luxury Rail in India

The Indian Railways, along with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), provide a wide range of luxury rail travel in India. There are five luxury trains availed by the Indian railways. Indian Railways have recently decided to introduce luxurious Anubhuti Coaches in regular Trains, which would be similar to coaches in luxury trains like Maharaja Express or Palace on Wheels.

India Luxury Trains

The Palace on Wheels

The Palace on Wheels is a luxury train. It was launched by the Indian Railways to promote tourism in Rajasthan, and has been highly popular since its launch. The train service was refurbished and relaunched in August 2009 with a new decor, itinerary and cuisine.

The concept of the Palace on Wheels was derived from the royal background of the coaches, which were originally meant to be the personal railway coaches of the erstwhile rulers of the princely states of Rajputana, Gujarat, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Viceroy of British India.

Each coach has four cabins (named chambers or saloons by the company) with twin beds, wall-to-wall carpeting, air-conditioning, DTH satellite television, channel music, intercom, attached toilets, running hot and cold water, with personal attendants.

The Royal Orient

The Royal Orient is an Indian luxury tourism train that runs between Gujarat and Rajasthan, covering important tourist locations in the two states. Modelled on the popular Palace on Wheels, India's first luxury tourist train, the train offers tourists a taste of royal luxury while "showcasing the best of Indian culture and heritage".

The Deccan Odyssey

The Deccan Odyssey is a special luxury train based on the model of Palace on Wheels to boost tourism on the Maharashtra route of the Indian Railways. The route starts in Mumbai and travels to Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Goa, Kolhapur, Belgaon, Solapur, Aurangabad, Ajanta-Ellora Nasik, Pune and then back to Mumbai. The Deccan Odyssey Train has imminent facilities on board for its travelers include regal class cabins, multi-cuisine restaurants, sitting lounge and a rejuvenating health spa.

The Mahaparinirvan Express

The Mahaparinirvan Express is a luxury train serving all Buddhist sites.

Mahaparinirvan Express an a/c train service also known as Buddhist Circuit Train which is run by IRCTC to attract Buddhist pilgrims. The 7 nights/8 Days tour starts from New Delhi (Day 1) and covers Bodh Gaya (Day 2), Rajgir and Nalanda (Day 3), Varanasi and Sarnath (Day 4), Kushinagar and Lumbini (Day 5 and 6), Sravasti (Day 7), Taj Mahal (Agra) (Day 8) before returning to New Delhi on (Day 8).

The Golden Chariot

The Golden Chariot is a luxury train that connects the important tourist spots in the Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. It is named after the Stone Chariot in the Vitthala Temple at Hampi. The 19 coaches on the train are coloured purple and gold, and sport the logo of a mythological animal with the head of an elephant and a body of a lion. The Golden Chariot operates weekly and had its maiden commercial run on March 10, 2008. The train, along with the Deccan Odyssey, is designed on the lines of the more popular Palace on Wheels with accommodations, spa treatments and dining.

The train is operated by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation and marketed by The Luxury Trains, whereas The Mapple Group handles the hospitality services on the train. The Golden Chariot offers accommodation in 44 cabins in 11 coaches that are named after dynasties that ruled the region: Kadamba, Hoysala, Rashtrakuta, Ganga, Chalukya, Bahamani, Adil Shahi, Sangama, Satavahana, Yadukula and Vijayanagar. It also has two restaurants, a lounge bar, and conference, gym and spa facilities. It is the only train in India to have onboard Wi-Fi connectivity, and satellite antennae providing live television service in the cabins.

The Royal Rajasthan on Wheels

The Royal Rajasthan on Wheels is a luxury train run by Indian Railways. It is modelled on the Palace on Wheels, and follows a similar route through Rajasthan. Tourists are taken to several important tourist, wildlife and heritage sites across Rajasthan. The train was launched in January 2009 following the success of the Palace on Wheels, another luxury train that travels through Rajasthan. Some of the tourist attractions covered are the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), Moti Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Ranthambhor National Park, Chittaurgarh Fort, Jag Niwas (Lake Palace), Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Agra Fort and finally the Taj Mahal.

The Maharaja Express

The Maharaja Express is a luxury train owned by the IRCTC and operated from early 2010. The train used to be a joint venture between IRCTC but after the verdict of the High Court and Supreme Court of India the train now belong exclusively to the IRCTC.

The IRCTC are the owners of the Maharajas Express Train The reintroduced Maharaja Express train offers 5 itineraries, all of which either begin or end in Delhi and include a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra. Each morning, the train arrives at a different station for off-rail excursions, including visits to monuments, heritage sites, shopping, palaces, forts, and hotels.

New itineraries announced by the operators of Maharajas Express include 3 pan-Indian journeys and 2 golden triangle tour itineraries covering Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. The Maharaja Express is proudly the most expensive luxury train in India.

The Fairy Queen

The Fairy Queen is a steam locomotive, plying between the Indian capital of New Delhi and Alwar, in Rajasthan. Built in 1855, it was certified by the Guinness Book of Records in 1998 as being the world's oldest one in regular operation after being restored to haul a luxury train in order to boost tourism in Rajasthan. The Fairy Queen runs on the same basis as the Palace on Wheels, the tourist train launched in 1982, and in 1999 was awarded a National Tourism Award.

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