The cliché way to enjoy the royal India is in the most royal way possible. Indian Railways have re-brought the luxury cabins that the kings of India used in the past for tourism. There are many luxury trains in India and this article will talk in detail about the top five luxury trains in India that are open for tourism.
1. Palace on Wheels
This is the first luxury train in India and still the best of all. It was started in 1982 and it uses the original luxury cabins of kings of India. This train holds the fourth place among all the luxury trains in the world for the level of luxuriousness. The train has 14 salons that are named after different provinces of Rajasthan. There are two restaurants bar and spa inside the Palace on Wheels train. The train cabins have all up-to-date facilities including live TV, Wi-Fi, security lockers and others.
The train tour starts in Delhi and takes you through many important destinations in and around Rajasthan including Agra, Bharatpur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Jaisalmer, Chittorgarh and others. The cost per person would range from 50,000 INR to 5, 00,000 INR depending on the type of package and the accommodation.
2. Maharaja’s Express
This is the newest luxury train in India and the costliest one in the country. The luxuriousness goes along with the cost. The train has LCD TV, generator, dining bar, direct dial phone, temperature control system, suite bathroom and others. This train offers different types of itineraries to choose from.
The cost of the travel ranges from 2, 75,000 INR to 10,000 INR per person. The train starts in Delhi/Mumbai and ends in Delhi/Mumbai depending on the trip. The Maharaja Express train provides four different packages for the tourists to choose from.
3. Golden Chariot
This train is run by the Karnataka state government. The train is famous for its purple and gold color combination. The train has 19 coaches, two restaurants, bar, gym, spa and a conference room. The train is on the tracks since 2008. There are two main packages available for the tourists. The cost of travel ranges from 25,000 INR to 50,000 INR per person depending on the package, accommodation, season and others. The Pride of South package covers Karnataka, Goa and surrounding areas. The Southern Splendor covers Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Pondicherry.
4. Royal Rajasthan on Wheels
Royal Rajasthan on Wheels is a similar train to that of Palace on Wheels. It is run by RTDC and has many deluxe features like board room, spa, fitness center, restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi and others. The train is in operation since 2009. The tour focuses on Rajasthan and Agra. The train provides only one itinerary. The tour stretches for 8 days and seven nights. The cost of travel varies from 50,000 INR to 80,000 INR per person. The train starts and ends in New Delhi. Destinations covered include Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaipur, Khajuraho, Agra, and Varanasi, Chittorgarh, Sawai Madhopur and others.
5. Deccan Odyssey
The Deccan Odyssey train is a venture of Maharashtra government. The train focuses on providing five-star hotel service on the wheels. The train has 21 coaches, restaurants, business center, internet, sauna and others. The train runs from Mumbai to New Delhi and covers many attractions in the path. The train provides two different packages which stretches for seven nights and eight days each.
If you are planning to enjoy the royal heritage of the country, try travelling in the way that the rulers of the land enjoyed many decades ago.