Top 5 Heritage and Luxury Tourist Trains of India

Whenever I think of travel, I think of railways. Although I travel by buses at times, I think of railways as my first mode of transport when I am commuting for work or just taking off for the day. Trains are an integral part of Indian travel and majority of the population prefer to travel by trains. This month I along with my blog friends are focusing on trains because on May 14 the United States celebrates National Train Day. While the idea was to write something about the trains on this particular day, I have decided to celebrate it throughout the month, every Saturday.

Last week, I focused on how to travel conveniently by train in India. This time, I am focusing on the heritage trains of India. These trains are usually luxury tourist trains and the sole purpose of these trains is to display the heritage of the country and allow foreign tourist to feel, see and experience India through an unforgettable train journey. To make this possible, Indian Railways have joined hands with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation to introduce 5 superfast luxurious trains that run through a specific route and evokes a strong sense of heritage, history and comfort. The train halts at specific places and tourists get a guided tour of the local attractions, historic forts and palaces, museums, national parks and meals at various 5-star properties.

So, let’s not waste time and get on with a train journey that also highlights the heritage and history of India.

Palace on Wheels

Duration:  7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: Delhi – Jaipur – Ranthambore – Chittorgarh – Udaipur – Jaisalmer – Jodhpur – Bharatpur – Agra – Delhi

Tariff: Starts at $3000 and above plus taxes

Recognition – 4^th Best Luxury Train in the World – Conde Nast 2010

Launched by the Indian Railways in association with the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation, Palace on Wheels is one of the best luxurious trains that promote the state of Rajasthan in every possible way and was started on January 26, 1982. The concept of this luxury train was born when Indian Railways decided to take a peek into the history and they found that rulers of princely states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Nizam of Hyderabad and the Viceroy of British India used royal and luxurious coaches to travel. These coaches were parked carefully as a piece of historic evidence, but Indian Railways then came up with a brilliant concept of turning these coaches into an attraction for foreign tourists. They clubbed up with the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) and made infrastructural changes to the coaches without changing the aesthetics of the interior.

Palace on Wheels has 14 saloons (coaches), 2 restaurants cum kitchen cars, 1 bar cum lounge car, and 4 service cars. The train is full air conditioned and provides personal attendants for the passengers.

The restaurants serve traditional Indian food, Continental, and Chinese cuisine along with Chef’s special for all days. It also has a well-stocked bar that serves an Indian and international variety of scotch, wine, and cocktails. The train also has a spa saloon, Ayurvedic massage, laundry service and Doctor On Request option. Each of the 14 coaches is named after a princely state and bears the Coat of Arms on the exterior side of the coach.

This train trip also includes exploring some of the heritage and historic locations in Rajasthan along with lunch/dinner at 5-star properties.

List of Heritage Places Included:

• Albert Hall Museum – Jaipur
• City Palace – Jaipur
• Site of Jantar Mantar – Jaipur
• Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) – Jaipur
• Amber Fort – Jaipur (Elephant ride up the steep ramparts of the fort)
• Ranthambore Tiger Reserve – Ranthambore
• Chittorgarh Fort – Chittorgarh (largest fort in India)
• City Palace Complex – Udaipur
• Patwon ki Haveli (elaborate mansion houses of the royals)
• Mehrangarh Fort – Jodhpur
• Jaswant Thada – Jodhpur (Royal White Marble Cenotaphs)
• Umaid Bhavan Palace – Jodhpur
• Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary – Bharatpur
• Agra Fort – Agra
• Taj Mahal – Agra

Ticket cost includes guided tours, jungle safari, sound and light program, dance and music program, camel rides, elephant rides, and cycle rickshaw rides.

Royal Rajasthan on Wheels

Duration: 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: Delhi – Jodhpur – Udaipur – Sawai Madhopur – Jaipur – Khajuraho – Varanasi – Agra – Delhi

Tariff: Starts at $875 and above plus taxes

Recognition – Nominated as Asia’s Leading Luxury Train – The World Travel Awards

After the success of Palace on Wheels, Indian Railways, and the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation started another train Royal Rajasthan on Wheels which is an upgrade of the Palace on Wheels and is operational for last 7 years. Although the train follows a similar itinerary format and track route, there are minor differences that set Royal Rajasthan on Wheels from the Palace on Wheels. One of the major differences is that Palace on Wheels explores destinations only in the state of Rajasthan, but Royal Rajasthan on Wheels covers 2 additional states; Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, so the train snakes through 3 Indian states before finally reaching its terminal.

Similar to the Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels also has 14 luxury cabins each named after the palaces of Rajasthan, each categorized as Deluxe and Super Deluxe. Each cabin is equipped with Wi-Fi internet, satellite TV, music system, individual temperature control. There are 2 dining cars named after the Swarna Mahal (Gold Palace) and Sheesh Mahal (Glass Palace). The restaurants serve traditional Indian food, Continental, and Chinese cuisine, along with a dedicated well-stocked bar that serves the finest wines. It has a dedicated cabin for the royal spa which is an added luxury for the passengers.

List of Heritage Places Included:

• Mehrangarh Fort – Jodhpur
• Jaswant Thada – Jodhpur (Royal White Marble Cenotaphs)
• City Palace Complex – Udaipur
• Chittorgarh Fort – Chittorgarh (India’s largest fort)
• Vijay Stambh – Chittorgarh (The Victory Pillar)
• Ranthambore National Park – Ranthambore
• Hawa Mahal – Jaipur (Palace of Winds)
• Amber Fort – Jaipur (Elephant ride)
• Jantar Mantar – Jaipur
• 9^th Century Temples of Khajuraho – Khajuraho (State of Madhya Pradesh)
• Varanasi – One of the Oldest Cities of the World (State of Uttar Pradesh)
• Taj Mahal – Agra

Maharaja Express

Duration: 7 Nights / 8 Days OR 3 Nights / 4 Days

Destinations: Golden Triangle Route OR Pan-India Route

Tariff: $6000 and above plus taxes

Recognition:

The World’s Leading Luxury Train – The World Travel Awards (2012, 2013 & 2014)

The Most Expensive Luxury Train in Asia

1st Runner Up – Specialist Train Operators – Conde Nast Travelers Choice 2011

Best Luxury Train at CNBC Travel Awards 2010

Taking inspiration from the Palace on Wheels and the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Indian Railways have pushed the benchmark higher with Maharaja Express. Unlike, the earlier two luxury trains, Maharaja Express runs on five different circuits and offer two different travel packages. This luxury train was started in 2010 when Indian Railways, The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) and the Cox and Kings India Ltd teamed up to form a brand new company called the Royale Indian Rail Tours Ltd (RIRTL).  Currently, RIRTL looks after the functioning and management of the Maharaja Express.

Below is the break-up of the journeys and destinations:

The Heritage of India Package – 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: Mumbai – Ajanta – Udaipur – Jodhpur – Bikaner – Jaipur – Ranthambore – Agra – Delhi

The Indian Splendor Package – 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: Delhi – Agra – Ranthambore – Jaipur – Bikaner – Jodhpur – Udaipur – Balasinor – Mumbai

Indian Panorama Package – 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations – Delhi – Jaipur – Ranthambore – Fatehpur Sikri – Agra – Gwalior – Orchha – Khajuraho – Varanasi – Lucknow – Delhi

The Treasures of India Package – 3 Nights / 4 Days

Destinations – Delhi – Agra – Ranthambore – Jaipur – Delhi

The Gems of India – 3 Nights / 4 Days

Destinations – Delhi – Agra – Ranthambore – Jaipur – Delhi

The train comprises of 14 carriages that include 43 individual cabins (20 Deluxe Cabins, 18 Junior Suites, 4 Suites and a Presidential Suite). The cabins are equipped with LCD TVs, eco-friendly toilets, direct dial phones, DVD player, high-speed internet, individual temperature control, and electronic safes. The train has two dining cars and state-of-the-art kitchen. The two multi-cuisine restaurants are named Rang Mahal (Palace of Colors) and Mayur Mahal (The Peacock Palace). The train also includes The Rajah Club (King’s Club) which is a bar that serves wines, liquors, spirits and beers of national and international brands. The tariff also includes all the sightseeing and elephant rides and camel rides and guided tours. Below I have mentioned the entire list of heritage places passengers get to visit, but it depends on the package visitors choose.

List of Heritage Places Included:

• Ajanta Cave Monuments – Ajanta
• City Palace – Udaipur
• Old Bazaar – Udaipur
• Mehrangarh Fort – Jodhpur
• Lalgarh Palace Museum – Bikaner
• Junagarh Fort – Bikaner
• Amber Fort – Jaipur
• Ranthambore National Park – Ranthambore
• Fatehpur Sikri City – Fatehpur Sikri
• Taj Mahal – Agra
• Agra Fort – Agra
• Usha Kiran Palace – Gwalior
• Gwalior Fort – Gwalior
• Temples of Khajuraho – Khajuraho
• Sarnath – Varanasi
• Rumi Darwaza / Bada Imambara – Lucknow
• Dinosaur Fossil Park – Balasinor

Golden Chariot

Duration: 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: Pride of the South / Splendor of the South

Tariff: $5500 and above plus taxes

Recognition: Asia’s Leading Luxury Train – The World Travel Awards 2013

With the phenomenal success of luxury trains up in the north, Indian Railways decide to try something similar down south. Golden Chariot derives its name from the Stone Chariot in the Vitthala Temple at Hampi. This 19-coach train is colored purple-gold and sports a logo of a mythological animal that has an elephant’s head and a lion’s body. The train operates between the months of October and March and had its first operational run in 2008. This train is managed by the Indian Railways in collaboration with the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation and The Maple Group that handles the hospitality services on the train.

The train has 11 coaches that accommodate 44 cabins named after the dynasties that ruled different regions in southern India. There are two multi-cuisine restaurants – Nala and Ruchi, a bar named Madira that also converts into a lounge and a conference cabin that can be converted into a discotheque. The train also has Nirvana Spa that offers an array of Ayurvedic and spa therapies.

Two Itineraries:

Pride of the South – 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations – Bengaluru – Mysore – Nagarhole National Park – Hassan/Belur – Hospet/Hampi – Aihole/Pattadakal/Badami – Goa – Bengaluru

Splendor of the South – 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: Bengaluru – Chennai – Pondicherry – Thanjavur – Madurai – Thiruvananthapuram – Alleppey/Kochi – Bengaluru

List of Heritage Places Included:

• Amba Vilas Mysore Palace – Mysore
• Kabini Jungle Safari – Nagarhole National Park
• Srirangapatna Fort – Mysore
• Gommateshvara Bahubali – Hassan
• Hindu Temples – Belur
• Hampi Palace Ruins – Hampi
• Badami Caves – Badami
• Old Goa Churches – Goa

Deccan Odyssey

Duration: 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: As per itinerary

Tariff: $5800 and above plus taxes

Recognition:

Asia’s Leading Luxury Train – The World Travel Awards (2010, 2011, 2012 & 2014)

Inspired by the rich and opulent lifestyle of the Indian rulers – Deccan Odyssey a.k.a. The Blue Limousine on Rolling Wheels is a superfast luxury train to boost the tourism of Maharashtra. The concept of the train was developed in 2001 by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and to make their vision come true they decided to join hands with the Indian Railways. The train was officially launched on January 16, 2004, and to offer warm hospitality services, Indian Railways and MTDC joined hands with the world famous Taj Group of Hotels that offer 5-star hospitality service onboard to the guests.

Deccan Odyssey comprises of 21 luxurious coaches of which 11 are for accommodation and are named after different regions in the state. All cabins are refurbished with the best facilities to pamper the guests. The train also has two multi-cuisine restaurants Peshwa I and Peshwa II. The staff is dressed in traditional Maharashtrian attire. The train has a high-speed Wi-Fi facility, medical aid, special wheelchair assistance, LCD TVs, DVD players, a special attendant for each cabin, latest newspapers and magazines. The train also has an onsite bar called Mumbai Hi. The train also has a lounge and conference area and health spa.

In order to keep up with the demand, Deccan Odyssey offers 6 different tour packages for travelers who want to explore the historic and cultural places of Maharashtra. Deccan Odyssey actually covers more attractions, places, and states than any of the other luxury trains.

Here’s the list of itinerary and destinations:

Maharashtra Splendor – 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: Mumbai – Nashik – Ellora Caves – Ajanta Caves – Kolhapur – Goa- Ratnagiri – Mumbai

Indian Odyssey – 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: New Delhi – Sawai Madhopur – Agra – Jaipur – Udaipur – Vadodara – Ellora Caves – Mumbai

Jewels of the Deccan – 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: Mumbai – Bijapur – Aihole – Pattadakal – Hampi – Hyderabad – Ellora Caves – Ajanta Caves – Mumbai

Maharashtra Wild Trail – 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: Mumbai – Ellora Caves – Aurangabad – Pench – Tadoba – Ajanta – Nashik – Mumbai

Hidden Treasures of Gujarat – 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: Mumbai – Vadodara – Palitana – Sasan Gir & Somnath – Little Rann of Kutch – Modhera & Patan – Nashik – Mumbai

Indian Sojourn – 7 Nights / 8 Days

Destinations: Mumbai – Vadodara – Udaipur – Jodhpur – Agra – Sawai Madhopur – Jaipur – Delhi

List of Heritage Places Included (as per itinerary):

Godavari Ghats – Nashik
Ellora Caves – Aurangabad
Ajanta Caves – Aurangabad
Town Hall Museum – Kolhapur
Fontainhas – Goa
Ganpatipule Temple – Ratnagiri
Ranthambore National Park – Ranthambore
Agra Fort – Agra
Itmad–ul-Daulah – Agra (a.k.a. Baby Taj) (a.k.a. Draft of Taj Mahal)
Amer Fort – Jaipur
Hawa Mahal – Jaipur
City Palace – Jaipur
Jantar Mantar – Jaipur
City Palace – Udaipur
Champaner-Pavagadh Archeological Park – Vadodara
Gol Gumbaz – Bijapur
Hindu Temples – Aihole/Pattadakal
Ruins of Hampi – Hampi
Golconda – Hyderabad
Pench National Park – Pench
Tadoba National Park – Nagpur
Gir National Park – Sasan Gir
Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary – Little Rann of Kutch
Sun Temple – Modhera
Mehrangarh Fort – Jodhpur
Old Clock Tower Market – Jodhpur
Taj Mahal – Agra

Heritage train journeys are much more than train journeys. Indian Railways in association with respective state tourism departments and hospitality groups have come up with an innovative concept of bringing forward the Indian culture and heritage to the global audience through rail journeys. These journeys cover the palatial complexes, forts, historic buildings and monuments, national parks, UNESCO World Heritage sites and much more. Each itinerary has been carefully designed to offer visitors with a unique perspective of Indian geography, food, culture, art and history.

If you liked the post, do comment which luxury train and itinerary you think is the best, or which itinerary or train you would pick, if given an opportunity to travel and why.