Travelling by luxury trains is an enriching way of exploring the incredibly amazing and colourful tourist destinations of our country, without having to compromise on comfort. All meals, tours, guide and entrance fees to the monuments and cultural sites are included in the price. All you have to do is just recline and relax amidst the luxurious interiors thus far reserved for royalty, as the magnificent Indian countryside unfolds before your eyes. There are five luxury trains in India which operate between September/October to March April. Let’s look closely at each of these while also dwelling on the tourist destinations and attractions that these trains touch.
Palace on Wheels
Itinerary (7 nights / 8 days): New Delhi, Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur, Agra, New Delhi
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 were not being used by the Indian Railways after independence in normal passenger trains, as they had very rich and traditional interiors, adorned with sparkling chandeliers, Persian carpets and intricately carved silverware. These royal coaches were then used in designing the first version of Palace on Wheels, which was introduced on 26 January 1982, India’s Republic Day. The train won the PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Gold Award in 1987.
The latest improved broad-gauge version of Palace on Wheels was unveiled in 1995. It has 14 interconnected saloons, with the interior matching the aesthetics of the royal states, a well appointed lounge, library, bar and dining cars. The saloons are named after the princely states of Rajasthan, namely, Alwar, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Bundi, Dholpur, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jhalawar, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, Kota, Sirohi and Udaipur. The décor of each saloon highlights the cultural ethos of the state and is represented through the use of furniture, handicrafts, paintings and furnishings. Each coupe (sleeping room) is different, but the overall ambience and décor of the saloons has been taken care of to provide uniformity and continuity.
Each saloon has cream yellow colour on its exterior walls and bears the ‘coat of arms’ (logo) of the erstwhile princely states, along with its name. Each saloon has four coupes with attached toilet and a mini pantry properly equipped to provide tea / coffee and snacks. In every saloon, there is one saloon captain, a valet and an attendant to look after the passengers’ personal needs. ‘Palace on Wheels’ was voted the 4th best luxurious train in the world in 2010 by global travel magazine Conde Nast.
The journey begins from Delhi’s Safdarjung Railway Station, where you are garlanded and welcomed like royalty, a tika applied on the forehead and a stately turban tied! A glass of wine is offered as you are introduced to your fellow travellers. Then the train starts on its memorable journey and halts at Jaipur, Ranthambore, Chittorgarh Fort, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Agra, before returning to Delhi. At each of these destinations, tourists can explore the locale and sights, the highlights of which are as follows:
Jaipur: Visit to City Palace Museum, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Albert Hall Museum, a ride to Amber Fort, folk dance at a 5-star hotel and shopping in colourful local markets. Ranthambhore: Adventurous jungle safari at the Ranthambhore National Park.
Chittorgarh Fort: Rana Kumbha Palace, Padmini Palace, Kirti Stambh, Vijay Stambh, Kalika Mata Temple etc., followed by a beautiful light and sound show in the evening.
Udaipur: Shikarbadi Hotel, City Palace Museum, Crystal Gallery (balcony of Fateh Prakash Banquet Hall), boat ride in Lake Pichola, a visit to Jag Mandir.
Jaisalmer: Old mansions, namely, Patwon ki Haveli, Nathmalji ki Haveli and Salim Singh Ji ki Haveli.
Jodhpur: Umaid Bhawan Palace (one of the largest and finest in the world with 347 rooms) and Mehrangarh Fort.
Bharatpur: A visit to Keoladeo Ghana National Park, a birding paradise and UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you will fall in love with the winged creatures. Over 300 species of birds migrate to this national park from as far as Siberia and China.
Agra: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Itimad’ud Daula’s tomb, light and sound show etc.
Royal Rajasthan on Wheels
Itinerary (7 nights / 8 days): Delhi, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Agra, Delhi.
A heritage train oozing with luxury, the ‘Royal Rajasthan on Wheels’ takes you on a seven-day voyage of vibrant Rajasthan and lets you explore its magic, splendour and vibrant colours, besides a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra. This train was launched in January 2009.
An upgraded version of ‘Palace on Wheels’, the ‘Royal Rajasthan on Wheels’ is more luxurious and its cabins are more spacious. This luxury train has 14 passenger coaches. Among them, 13 coaches have three deluxe saloons each and the 14th coach (namely Taj Mahal), has two super deluxe saloons. Each deluxe saloon is richly furnished in hues of pearl, ruby and sapphire.
The super deluxe suites offer a royal living experience with exquisite silk, velvet bedspreads and finely carved wooden furniture. These spacious suites are named after the jewels ‘Emerald’ and ‘Diamond’. The saloons offer bedding, upholstery, study table and chairs for a comfortable journey.
The train has two dining cars namely, ‘Swarn Mahal’ and ‘Sheesh Mahal’. ‘Swarn Mahal’ is patterned on brass and gold theme, and ‘Sheesh Mahal’ restaurant features spectacular floor lamps and crystal pelmets. The cabins come equipped with amenities such as Wi-Fi internet, satellite TV, channel music system and individual temperature control. A souvenir coach offers various handcrafted products and apparels.
The Golden Chariot
The Golden Chariot was unveiled on 23 January 2008 on the tracks, veneered in classic colours of purple and gold, symbolising elegance and the golden jubilee celebrations of Karnataka. It chugged on its maiden journey from Bangalore to Goa on 10 March 2008.
The luxury train derives its name from the stone chariot placed in the Vijaya Vithala Temple of Hampi. The 11 coaches of the luxury train are named after the erstwhile dynasties of southern India, namely Kadamba, Hoysala, Rashtrakuta, Ganga, Chalukya, Bahamani, Adil Shahi, Sangama, Satavahana, Yadukula and Vijayanagara. The coaches are steeped in history and craftsmanship that narrate tales of a bygone era. They derive inspiration from the Mysore and Belur-Halebidu schools of art and architecture and are fully equipped with modern amenities like Wi-Fi internet, Plasma TV and attached baths.
The train can accommodate 88 tourists in its 11 coaches, each with 4 cabins. Its 44 cabins are categorised as 26 twin bed cabins, 17 double bed cabins and a cabin for the physically challenged. Its two restaurants Nalapaka and Ruchi serve a spread of vegetarian and non vegetarian culinary delights. The lounge bar Madira, named after the mythical drink of the gods, is stocked with an assortment of international wines, while its interiors draw inspiration from the aesthetics of Mysore Palace.
The state of the art gym comes with a changing room, a steam bath, two shower rooms and a toilet. It also has an Ayurveda Centre Arogya with facilities for rejuvenating massages. The Golden Chariot runs in two tourist circuits, namely, Pride of the South and Southern Splendour. Both journeys begin from Bangalore’s Yashwantpur Railway Station on Monday and end on the 8th day at the same venue.
Pride of the South
(Itinerary- 7 nights / 8 days): Bangalore – Kabini/ Bandipur, Mysore, Hassan, Hospet, Badami, Goa, Bangalore This circuit traverses a land once ridden by formidable armies. The ‘Pride of the South’ beckons you to discover the worlds that are enriched with history and culture. The main attractions of the journey are halts at the following places:
Bandipur National Park: Home to a plethora of wildlife, including elephants, tigers, the striped hyenas, and over 230 avian species.
Kabini Forest: Here the elephants congregate during the dry season and offer an unparalleled experience to wildlife enthusiasts. Enjoy a birding safari and camp fire.
Mysore: Lalitha Mahal Palace, a European classical twostoreyed palace built by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar in 1931, now converted into a heritage hotel.
Srirangapatna: Daria Daulat, Tipu Sultan’s Mausoleum.
Shravanabelagola: The colossal 58 feet high monolithic Gomateshwar statue, accessed after climbing 700 steps.
Belur and Halebidu: Magnificent temple complexes of Hoysala art.
Badami: Capital of the Chalukyas – four ancient rock-cut caves all hewn out of red sandstone on the precipice of a hill. The 18-armed Nataraja striking 81 dance poses is a connoisseur’s delight.
Hampi: It is set amidst an awesome boulder strewn landscape on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. Here the tourists are taken on a visit to the Virupaksha Temple, Krishna Temple, Hazara Rama Temple, Vittala Temple etc. Go on a shopping spree in the Hampi Bazar Street.
Pattadakal: A cluster of 10 beautifully chiselled Chalukyan temples.
Goa: Churches of St. Francis Xavier, Our Lady of Rosary and St.Monica.
The Southern Splendour
Itinerary- 7 nights / 8 days: Bangalore, Chennai, Mamallapuram, Pondicherry, Tiruchirapalli, Thanjavur, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Thotepalli / Alleppey, Bangalore The chief attractions of this itinerary are:
Mahabalipuram: Shore Temple, complex of three temples namely Rajasimhesvara Temple, Kshatriya Simhesvara and Nripatisimha Pallava Vishnugriha.
Pondicherry: Aurobindo Ashram
Tiruchirapalli: Rock Fort Temple
Thanjavur: Brihadeeswara Temple etc.
Madurai: Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Thripuragundram Temple followed by a light and sound show at Thirumalai Nayak Palace.
Kanyakumari: The Murugan Kundram hill offers a panoramic view of the town, sunrise and sunset.
Thiruvananthapuram: Ananta Padmanabha Swamy Temple
Kovalam: Take a stroll along the picturesque Kovalam Beach
Thotepally / Alleppey: A cruise in the beautiful and serene Vembanad Lake.
Kumarakom: A cruise along the beautiful backwater stretches, enchanting waterways and canals adorned with white lilies and emerald green paddy fields.
Kochi: Mattancherry Palace, the Jewish Synagogue, St.Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica.
Maharaja’s Express
The journey of the Maharajas’ Express has often been compared to that of the legendary ‘Orient Express’ of the West in refinement and luxury. Its meticulously crafted itinerary offers you a visit to at least five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, palaces, forts, sand dunes and wildlife parks, as you experience the best of India’s royal traditions, art and vibrant culture, with optional breaks at select spa destinations, and shops in the myriad-hued bazaars of Rajasthan. And all this luxury comes to you while you live a Maharaja’s life inside India’s most luxurious train furnished in elegant décor, gourmet dining, and state of-the-art amenities, adding unparalleled finesse to this royal train journey.
Most Maharajas of India had a fascination with rich royal saloons, even before the introduction of train travel in India. They built their own narrow gauge railway lines and enjoyed an odyssey onboard their toy trains. In the era of the Raj, many Maharajas had their own personal carriages draped in luxury and used them for important occasions like state visits and hunting trips. The saloons of the Maharaja’s Express derive inspiration from such private carriages of the erstwhile Maharajas.
This train’s 23 coaches (with a total passenger capacity of 88) include two restaurants, spa saloon, bar, lounge, fitness and business centres. Its 14 guest carriages are named after various precious stones such as Moti (Pearl), Heera (Diamond), Neelam (Blue Sapphire), Firoza (Turquoise), Monga (Coral), Pukhraj (Yellow Sapphire) and so on. The luxury cabins fitted in these carriages come in four categories, namely, deluxe cabin, junior suite, suite and presidential suite (Navratna).
Eminent journalists and chefs such as Sir Mark Tully and Vivek Singh respectively, have graced this train with their presence. The Maharaja’s Express has won many awards and accolades. It was adjudged the Best Luxury Train at CNBC Aawaz Travel Award 2010. It bagged the 1st runner up prize in the Specialist Train Operator category at Conde Nast Traveller Reader’s Travel Award 2011. It won the World Travel Award in the category of ‘World’s Leading Luxury Trains’ for three successive years in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
The train offers five itineraries and each journey is a world class experience in itself.
- The Indian Splendour (7 nights/8 days): Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Balasinor, Mumbai.
- Heritage of India (8 days/7 nights): Mumbai, Ajanta, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Agra, Delhi
- *Treasures of India (4 days/3nights) (departure: Sunday): Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur and Delhi.
- *Gems of India (3 nights/4 days)(departure-Wednesday): Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Delhi.
- Indian Panorama (8 days/7 nights): Delhi, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Gwalior, Orchha, Khajuraho, Varanasi.
*Treasures of India and Gems of India offer the same package with different journey timings.
The main tourist destinations visited by these trains are:
Aurangabad: Bibi ka Maqbara, Medieval tombs, monuments and palaces reflecting the Mughal art and architecture.
Gwalior: Gwalior Fort and a few other attractions.
Bikaner: Exotic camel safaris and visit to many monuments and temples.
Orchha: Visit to Fort Complex, light and sound show etc.
Ajanta: 29 ancient caves famous for architectural elegance and world famous paintings.
Fatehpur Sikri: Mausoleum shrine of Sheikh Salim Chishti, Jami Masjid, Buland Darwaza and Palace Complex.
The Deccan Odyssey
The Deccan Odyssey is the luxury train service of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). This train was launched on 16 January 2004. The Taj Group of Hotels also joined hands with Deccan Odyssey to offer 5-star hotel facility onboard to the guests. This luxury train traverses across magnificent landscapes withsprawling forts, and palaces offering memorable experiences. The Cox & Kings travel company has bagged the outsourcing contract of Deccan Odyssey to operate the train from October 2014 onwards for five years.
The train has 40 deluxe cabins in 10 cars, 4 presidential suites in 2 cars, 2 restaurant cars (named Peshwa I and Peshwa II) apart from a bar car, a conference car with a business centre,a spa car and so on. The interiors of each coach reflects a particular era of the Deccan milieu, and comes with facilities like personal safe, telephone, attached bathroom, air conditioning and a personal attendant round the clock.
At the end of each coach is a lounge where passengers can relax and reflect on the passing countryside during daytime travel. The ‘Deccan Odyssey’ operates on the following 10 circuits, encompassing cultural insights and memorable visits to magical destinations, spectacular monuments and world heritage sites, wildlife sanctuaries, and many more.
- Indian Odyssey – Mumbai to Mumbai (8 days/ 7 nights): New Delhi, Sawai Madhopur, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur Udaipur, Vadodara, Mumbai.
- Indian Sojourn – Delhi to Mumbai (8 days/ 7 nights): New Delhi, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, Agra, Sanchi, Aurangabad, Mumbai.
- Golden Treasure – Delhi to Delhi (4 days / 3 nights): New Delhi, Agra, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, New Delhi
- Maharashtra Splendour – Mumbai to Mumbai (8 days / 7 nights): Mumbai, Aurangabad, Tadoba, Ajanta, Nashik, Kolhapur, Goa, Mumbai.
- Jewels of the Deccan – Mumbai to Mumbai (8 days / 7 nights): Mumbai, Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, Hampi, Bijapur, Hyderabad, Mumbai.
- Hidden Treasures of Gujarat – Mumbai to Delhi (8 days / 7 nights): Mumbai, Vadodara, Bhavnagar, Sasan Gir, Little Rann of Kutch, Modhera, Ahmedabad, Delhi.
- Spiritual Sahyadri – Mumbai to Mumbai (5 days / 4 nights):Mumbai, Nashik, Shirdi, Mumbai.
- Soul Quest – Mumbai to Mumbai (3 days / 2 nights): Mumbai, Shirdi, Mumbai.
- Indian Soiree – Mumbai to Delhi (8 days / 7 nights): Mumbai, Ajanta Caves, Sanchi, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, Agra, New Delhi.
- Maharashtra Wild Trail – Mumbai to Mumbai (8 days / 7 nights): Mumbai, Ajanta, Nagzira, Tadoba, Aurangabad, Mumbai
Some important destinations visited by the ‘Deccan Odyssey’ are:
- Vadodara: Jami Masjid, Pavagadh Arhchaeological Park, Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum, Laxmi Vilas Palace.
- Tadoba: Tadoba Tiger Reserve.
- Nashik: Triambakeshwar Temple etc.
- Aihole: Aihole Group of Temples (the complex has 125 temples segregated into 22 groups by the archaeological department).
- Bijapur (ex-capital of Adil Shahi Sultans): Gol Gumbaz, Ibrahim Rauza, Jami Masjid etc.
- Hyderabad (ex-capital of Qutb Shahi Sultans): Charminar, Golconda Fort etc.
- Palitana: Cluster of Jain temples built in marble.
- Sasan Gir: Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Great Rann of Kutch: the Little Rann of Kutch is famous as the world’s largest refuge of the Indian wild ass.
- Modhera: Sun Temple etc.
- Shirdi: Abode of Sri Sai Baba, Samadhi Temple, Dwarkamai Mosque.
- Kolhapur: Town Hall Museum and Mahalaxmi Temple.
- Sanchi: Ancient stupas built from 3rd century BC TO 12th century AD.
- Ellora:Fine specimens of Hindu Buddhist and Jain architectural heritage.
Travel on any of the luxury trains to explore incredible India and take home memories of a lifetime! Happy travelling!
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Md. Masarrath Ali Khan
The writer is a freelance travel writer.[/column]