India has over the years matured to offer world class niche experiences and one such experience is that of the luxury trains that has caught the attention of state tourism boards as a premium and niche product, designed specially to lure the international high-spending tourists
Indian Railways, over the last several years, has captured the world’s imagination. Amongst the primary reasons of achieving such impressive figures was the increase in travel volumes at subsidised rates in the buoyant domestic market. Luxury trains, however, have a different story to tell. It all started in January 1982 with Rajasthan’s Palace on Wheels whose success has since then prompted other state tourism boards to follow suit. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) conceptualised Deccan Odyssey in 2004, the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) rolled out The Golden Chariot in 2007 and Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) also launched Heritage on Wheels. These luxury trains have managed to attract a huge number of international travellers to India.
Launched in the year 2010, IRCTC’s (Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation) Maharaja Express offers itineraries which start or complete at Delhi. This train connects through the royal palaces, forts, rich natural bounty, untamed wildlife and much more to be cherished as memories for a lifetime. The Maharajas’ Express has 23 coaches, with four distinct configurations. There are five deluxe carriages, six junior suite carriages, two suite carriages, and one presidential suite exclusively in one carriage. The train also has two fine dining restaurants, one bar, and an observation lounge with its own bar, game tables and comfortable club. The destinations covered by The Maharajas’ Express are: Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Ranthambore Gwalior, Orchha, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Balasinor.
On track
Operating since 1982, The Palace on Wheels offers 14 fully air-conditioned saloons, each a combination of four twin bedded with channel music, attached washrooms with running hot and cold water and showers, wall to wall carpeting and other amenities. The train has two restaurants: The Maharaja and The Maharani which serve Continental, Chinese, Indian Rajasthani cuisines. The train is decorated in traditional style, including draped curtains, hand crafted lights, and Rajasthani art. The tour starts from Delhi and comes back to the city after going through Jaipur-Sawai Madhopur-Chittaurgarh-Udaipur-Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-Bharatpur-Agra-Delhi. Named after the Stone Chariot in the Vitthala Temple at Hampi, the Golden Chariot train connects to important tourist spots of Karnataka, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, as well as Puducherry, depending on the selected itinerary. 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. This luxury train commences operations between the months of October–March. 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. It 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. The destinations covered by The Golden Chariot are: Bengaluru, Kabini, Mysore, Belur, Hampi, Badami, Goa, Chennai, Mamalapuram, Puducherry, Tanjavur, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Thiruvanathapuram, Kovalam, Alleppey and Kochi. Another magnificient splendour is the Royal Rajashtan on Wheels that has been newly built and designed in a contemporary style. The luxurious Royal Rajasthan on Wheels offers a seven days exploration of Rajasthan. The journey begins at New Delhi and travels through various erstwhile princely states of Rajasthan like Jodhpur, Udaipur, Chittor, Sawai-Madhopur and Jaipur. After experiencing multifaced Rajasthan travellers can visit Khajuraho temples and Varanasi. The tour ends in Agra for the Taj Mahal. The 13 deluxe coaches have been named after the famous palaces of Rajasthan namely, Hawa Mahal, Chandra Mahal, Surya Mahal, Moti Mahal, Sukh Mahal, Jal Mahal, Padmini Mahal, Kishori Mahal, Phool Mahal, Jogi Mahal, Kumbha Palace, Umaid Palace. The tour starts from Jodhpur and comes back to the city after going through Jodhpur- Udaipur-Chittorgarh-Sawai Madhopur-Jaipur-Khajuraho-Varanasi-Agra-Delhi.
And finally there is the Deccan Odyssey which comprises of 21 luxuriously appointed coaches. Out of these 21 coaches, 11 are to accommodate guests and the rest are used for different purposes such as dining, lounge, conference car and health spa. Inspired by the imperial carriages used by the Maharajas of the yore for travelling, each of the coaches of this luxury train is inspired from a different royal era of Maharashtra ruled by diverse dynasties. A journey aboard Deccan Odyssey-The Blue Limousine on Rolling Wheels- is a superlative experience, with six designed itineraries- Maharashtra Splendour, Indian Odyssey, Jewels of the Deccan, Maharashtra Wild Trail, Hidden Treasures of Gujarat, Indian Sojourn.
Karan Anand, head, relationships, Cox & Kings says, “There is a demand for luxury train travel in India. There are many trains that are in operation and we along with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation operate the Deccan Odyssey. The increase in inbound arrivals will lead to a growth in demand for luxury trains as it enables the customer to visit historical tourist centres on a seven-night/ eight-day journey. The Deccan Odyssey gives you an unhurried and intimate introduction to the grandeur of India. The week-long itineraries are carefully arranged so that one can have a memorable and worthwhile experience.”