Maharaja Express-A New Travelling Experience

The Maharajas' Express is a luxury train operated on the Indian Railways from early 2010. It is a joint venture between Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation and the travel agency Cox and Kings India Ltd.The all-inclusive costs begin at $800 (£535 or INR 40000)per person per day, and can climb to $2,500 (£1,670 or INR 125000)per person per day.

In a world of cramped and unpleasant planes, luxury cruise trains actually may be the last respite of luxury. Sensing this demand, luxury travel companies have invested in restoring the world's most famous train routes and the art of elegant traveling. Maharajas Express is one such attempt to recreate the pageantry and elegance of the personal state carriages of colonial era maharajas of India. And travelers are responding by packing new trains.

The latest in the lines of luxury cruise trains in India Maharajas Express is a 23 guest carriage train in India designed to recreate the opulence and panache of the personal state carriages used by the erstwhile Maharajas of India. The facilities on board the train include two ornate restaurants with decorative arched ceilings, an observation lounge cum souvenir shop and 43 cabins and suites that start at roughly 110 square feet.

Catering to the seekers of luxury and indulgence Maharajas Express arrives at a new station every morning for off-rail excursions which may include visit to monuments, heritage sites, shopping, royal dining at palaces and courtyard of mighty forts and spa session at palace hotels. The eight-day Mumbai to Delhi trip crisscrosses through the western part of the country (Mumbai) with sightseeing halts at Vadodara, Udaipur palaces, an elephant polo match near Jaipur and a tiger safari through Ranthambore National Park. Passengers aboard the seven-day Delhi-to-Delhi trip visit dozens of sites in eastern and central India including the temples of Khajuraho, the tigers at Bandhavgarh National Park and the sacred ghats of the Ganges River in Varanasi. All three itineraries - two from Delhi - begin or end with a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra.

(Source and for other details :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharaja_Express)


Destinations covered by Maharaja Express:



1. Mumbai to Delhi: Mumbai to Vadodara, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Agra and Delhi.


The Mumbai to Delhi Journey will be called "Princely India Journey" while the return trip will be known as "Royal India Tour". Tourists will get chance to see wildlife and tigers while passing through Ranthambore.

2. Delhi to Kolkata: Delhi to Agra, Gwalior, Khajuraho, Bandhavgarh, Varanasi, Gaya and Kolkata.
The Delhi-Kolkata route of the Maharaja Express will cover Agra, Gwalior, Khajuraho, Bandhavgarh, Varanasi and Gaya. The Delhi-Kolkata route will be named as "Classical India Journey" while the return trip will be called the "Celestial India Tour". The tourists will get to see some natural wildlife while crossing through the Bandhavgarh National Park.

Maharaja Express Facilities:

1. Special Bar named Machan
2. Two restaurants - Haveli and Peacock, which will be maintained by a 5-star chain.
3. Movie Screening on board.
4. Individual temperature control system
5. Environment-friendly toilets and bath-tubs
6. Direct Dialling Facilities
7. Package tours in AC buses and cars
8. Visit to Bandhavgarh, Ranthambhore national parks are highlights of the tour.


(Source: http://www.travelindia-guide.com/tour-guides/misc-travel-info/india-luxury-trains.aspx)


You can also refer http://www.themaharajatrain.com/ for further details.

Now let us have glimpses of the train: