Indian Railways (IR), Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and different state governments provide a variety of luxury rail travel in India.[1][2] These are:
| Name | Image | Launch Year | Operators | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bharat Gaurav Trains | 2021 | IR & IRCTC | IR rolled out Bharat Gaurav Trains (theme-based Tourist Circuit train) to offer ICF rakes under "Right to Use" model for operations on different routes to registered service providers. Following two Bharat Gaurav Tourist Trains are currently being operated by IRCTC:
| ||
| Deccan Odyssey |  | 2004[9] | MTDC & IR | The train is based on the Palace on Wheels concept to boost tourism on IR's Maharashtra route.[10] The route begins in Mumbai and travels to cities like Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Goa, Kolhapur, Belgaon, Solapur, Aurangabad, Ajanta-Ellora Nasik and Pune. The route ends in Mumbai. It travels on six routes for a period of seven nights and eight days, and operates during the period October to April.[11] | [12] |
| Fairy Queen Express |  | 1997 | IR | Fairy Queen Express is a steam engine locomotive which runs between the Indian capital, New Delhi, and Alwar in the state of Rajasthan. It was built around 1855 and was one of the first train in India to offer luxurious train travel.[13] It was certified by the Guinness Book of Records in 1998 as the world's oldest locomotive in regular operation after its restoration to haul a luxury train to increase tourism in Rajasthan. In 1999, the Fairy Queen received a National Tourism Award.[13] The train only operates on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month during the period October to March.[13] | |
| Golden Chariot |  | 2008[14] | KSTDC & IRCTC | It connects major tourist areas in states of Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry weekly. It is named after the stone chariot at Hampi's Vitthala temple.[15] The train's 19 purple-and-gold coaches bear the logo of a mythological animal with the head of an elephant and the body of a lion. Like the Deccan Odyssey, its amenities are based on the Palace on Wheels. The Golden Chariot is operated by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation and marketed by Luxury Trains, with hospitality by the Mapple Group.[16][17] The train has 44 cabins in 11 coaches named after dynasties which ruled the region: Kadamba, Hoysala, Rashtrakuta, Ganga, Chalukya, Bahamani, Adil Shahi, Sangama, Satavahana, Yadukula and Vijayanagar. It has two restaurants, a lounge, conference, gym and spa facilities[17] and satellite television, and is India's only train with onboard Wi-Fi connectivity.[16] | |
| Mahaparinirvan Express |  | 2007 | IRCTC | It is a Buddhist Pilgrim Train that offers an eight-day tour. It takes pilgrims to the places where Buddha was born (Lumbini), gained enlightenment (Bodhgaya), first started teaching (Sarnath), and finally attained the state of Nirvana (Kushinagar).[18] The tour covers the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India, where Buddhism originated over 2500 years ago.[19] | |
| Maharajas' Express |  | 2010[20] | IRCTC | The train was a joint venture between the Cox and Kings travel company and the IRCTC.[21][22][23][24] It offers five itineraries, which are available from October to April.[25] All of the trips either begin or end in Delhi and include a visit to Agra's Taj Mahal. It arrives at a different station each morning for off-rail excursions, including shopping and visits to monuments, heritage sites, palaces, forts and hotels.[26] New itineraries include three pan-Indian journeys and two golden-triangle tours of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. The Maharajas' Express is India's most expensive train.[27] | |
| Palace on Wheels |  | 1982; 2009 (refurbished)[28] | RTDC & IR | The luxury train was introduced by Indian Railways to promote tourism in the state of Rajasthan. The palace-on-wheels concept derives from the royal background of the coaches, which were intended to be the personal railway coaches of the former rulers of the princely states of Rajputana, Gujarat, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Viceroy of British India. It is a weeklong journey which begins and ends in New Delhi. It operates between September and April every year.[11] The journey tracks a figure eight route through nine cities, which include cities like Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Agra.[29] Each coach has four cabins (known as chambers or saloons) with twin beds,[30] wall-to-wall carpeting, air-conditioning, satellite television,[31] an intercom, toilets, hot and cold running water and personal attendants.[32] The train was refurbished and reintroduced in August 2009 with new decor, itinerary and cuisine to promote tourism.[33] | |
| Royal Orient | 1994–95 | The train operates between Gujarat and Rajasthan, covering important tourist locations in the two states. It is modelled on the Palace on Wheels train. The train was introduced in 1994-95 as a joint venture between the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat and Indian Railways. The journey covers cities such as Delhi, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Junagarh, Veraval, Somnath, Sasan Gir National Park, Ahmedpur, Mandvi, Palitana, Sarkhej, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur.[34] | |||
| Royal Rajasthan on Wheels | 2009[35][36] | IR & IRCTC[37] | It is operated by Indian Railways and is modelled on the Palace on Wheels. It follows a similar route through Rajasthan. The train visits several major tourist, wildlife and heritage sites across the state of Rajasthan,[38] Attractions visited are the Hawa Mahal, Moti Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Ranthambhore National Park, Chittorgarh Fort, Lake Palace, Keoladeo National Park, Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal. |
References edit
External links edit
- List of luxury tourist trains at Indian Railways website
- A Traveler’s Experience with the Maharajas' Express