Luxury Trains in India : An Overview

Nowadays, luxury train journeys are gaining popularity among the high profile tourists who are not so short on time and are willing to pay for exclusive journeys. As opposed to airplane journeys, luxury train tours offers first hand view of the varied color of the places and landscapes one is traveling to. The window of these luxury trains become the illuminating scrolls offering view of kaleidoscope of the country you are traveling. For some of these travelers planning to visit India, the good news is the fleet of six luxury trains in India.

The introduction of luxury tourist trains is accredited to Georges Nagelmackers, founder-owner of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits in Europe. Profoundly inspired by the concept of Pullman Trains railroad ‘Hotel Cars’ equipped with dining and sleeping facilities, George Nagelmackers built a convoy of over 30 such trains to offer cruise train travelling across several destinations in Europe. Since then, this trend of sumptuous train journey has been acknowledged by many countries which include India.

Luxury train traveling in India has come a long way since the introduction of Palace on Wheels train in 1982. The first-ever luxury tourist train service which started out as an experiment to showcase and promote tourism in Rajasthan has led to introduction of six more luxury trains in India. Currently, Deccan Odyssey, Golden Chariot, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Maharajas Express and the Indian Maharaja. These trains promise extravagant journeys across select destinations in India. Luxury rail traveling offers a sumptuous way to discover and explore some of the most fascinating and enriching destinations in India.

The destinations are chosen with a view to familiarizing guests with the romance and heritage of the bygone era, for example, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels takes its visitors to the vibrant state of Rajasthan to let them experience the regal past of erstwhile kings of Rajasthan. Similarly, the Deccan Odyssey weaves through the historic sites of Ajanta, Ellora and Aurangabad for exploring cultural heritage of India. Even the coaches of these trains are named after some popular dynasties of erstwhile raja-maharajas of India. These journeys undoubtedly give a veritable royal experience to the travelers.

The Golden Chariot is the only train in the fleet of luxury trains in India which traverse the enthralling landscapes and destinations of south India. The two itineraries of this train are ‘Pride of the south’ and ‘Splendor of the South’. The journeys on board the Golden Chariot offer captivating views of the wildlife reserves, sun-kissed beaches and places of cultural significance.

Most deluxe trains in India take their cue from some ethnic motifs when it comes to interior décor. The traditional themes make a seamless blend with the excellent range of modern amenities on board. These facilities include fine restaurants offering gourmet cuisines, bars stocked with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from across the world. The recent addition to some of these trains are gym and spa facilities (which are rare in luxury trains) to rejuvenate the mind, body and soul of the guests.

The luxury trains are ideal way of planning exclusive tours in India. These journeys engross you in a week-long journey across some of the most enchanting landscapes and significant destinations in India. These Luxury Trains Tours offer experience which will stay in your memories for a long time to come and definitely worth spending your money.