MAHARAJ EXPRESS – INDIAN LUXURY TRAIN

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.

ORIGIN

Imagine going to school in your very own toy train – A miniature version of the Royal Scotsman. Well that’s what the royal prince got as a birthday gift to ferry him from the palace to his school. The passion for and fascination with James Watt creation among Maharajas of India was intense. Maharaja Pratapsinh Gaekwad of Vadodara gifted his five-year-old son – current maharaja of Vadodara - a fully functional toy train that ran on a ten-inch narrow gauge.

Maharaja of Gwalior had a silver model train chugging along the centerpiece on his banqueting table. The personal carriage built by Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company in 1936 for the Maharaja of Indore, Yeshwant Rao Holkar, was considered to be the most luxurious railway carriage ever built. It also happened to be the largest ever rail carriage to be constructed in Britain at that time, and such was the attention to detail that it also had air blown over ice to keep the carriage cool in the tropical climes. 

 
The Nizam of Hyderabad's private railway car was covered with thin strip of ivory, whereas as a young prince, Madhav Rao Scindia of Gwalior, had his father build a two-mile track on his palace grounds.

Maharajas of India were a world and breed apart from the rest. Born into royalty and adorned with diamonds and gold, money was never an object when it came to acquiring their fancy. It's not every day that a train earns itself the name Maharajas Express.  

 

 Fourteen guest carriages equipped with state-of-the-art amenities, two dining cars with seating capacity of 42 each, a suave bar and an observation lounge with library and personal bar, Maharajas Express offer veritably royal tours across tastefully preselected destinations in India. This luxury tourist train offers three distinct journeys which are named Royal India, Classical India and Princely India respectively.

. Various destinations covered during these journeys include Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, Bandhavgarh, Khajuraho, Gwalior, Vadodara, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur and Ranthambore.

Maharajas' Express is the latest, most expensive and may be the most luxurious luxury train in India. It was named to the 2011 list of World's Top 25 Trains by The Society of International Railway Travelers® for its high level of accommodation on board, service, dining and off-train programs after its review in the fall, 2010. 

The word Maharajah, literally meaning a great ruling prince in India epitomizes the facilities and treatment accorded to the guest on board this Indian luxury train Maharajas' Express. This idea behind this luxury train is inspired from the fascination of erstwhile princes of India with the luxury train travel. The interiors of those earlier trains used to be carved with ivory and golden hardware. Maharajas' Express tries to capture the same opulence and grandeur as enjoyed by the princes of a bygone era.

INCEPTION

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) and Cox and Kings India Ltd., one of the oldest travel company in the world signed a joint venture and the Maharajas' Express was conceived. Together, the IRCTC and Cox & Kings set up Royale India Rail Ltd. (RIRTL) which will look after the functioning and management of the Maharajas' Express.

 

FACILITIES

Maharajas Express offer royal experience to explore illuminating destinations in India. Equipped with modern facilities which technology can offer and money can buy, the journey on board Maharajas Express is a regal jaunt with all the pampering and luxury associated with erstwhile princes of India. Maharaja Express come equipped the world class facilities including the large LCD TVs, in house direct dial phone, internet and live television. All the cabins have their individual temperature controls and in suite bathroom as well.

 

Carriages

 

The train comprises 24 carriages which include accommodation, dining, bar, lounge, generator and store cars. Accommodation is available in 14 guest carriages with total passenger capacity of 88. The accommodations on board are categorized as deluxe cabins, junior suites, suites and a grand presidential suite spanning over entire carriage. Each guest carriage has been designed to recreate the opulence of Maharaja Style living. Elegantly decorated, the interiors of the cabin exude the finesse of exquisite workmanship. Sylvan parquets, intricate carvings and palette of soft hues characterize the interiors of the train. Carriages are fitted with panoramic windows to offer the vista of rolling landscape as train travels through some of the most fascinating landscapes and countryside of India. The train also has an observation lounge called the Rajah Club with a private bar. Besides these cars the train also has two elegantly appointed dining cars that offer an array of sumptuous cuisine to the guests. The Bar of the train serves an eclectic mix of wines from across the world in a serene and relaxing ambience. A high-end boutique in the train houses some perfect and intimate memorabilia to cherish this royal sojourn for a life time.

 

Guest cabins

 

14 carriages with 43 exquisitely finished cabins provides seating/sleeping capacity to 88 guests. There are 20 Deluxe Cabins, 18 Junior Suites, 4 Suites and a plush Presidential Suite offering elegant living comparable to 5 star living. Large LCD television, eco-friendly washrooms, direct dial phones, DVD player, internet, individual climate control and electronic safe are available in each guest cabin. 4 categories of accommodation offer plush living to the guests and each of them are equipped with latest in technology. Cabins of Maharajas Express are also equipped with 110/230 V sockets.

 

Deluxe Cabin

There are 5 carriages in the category of Deluxe Cabin. A total of 20 cabins of Maharajas Express offer accommodation to a maximum of 40 passengers during each journey. To accommodate the guests, there are 15 Twin cabins (capacity 2, beds 1) and 5 double cabins (capacity 2, beds 2).

 

Presidential Suite

First of its kind in the world, the lavish Presidential suite of the Maharajas Express is built on an entire rail carriage. A separate sitting cum dining room and a spacious bedroom add to the finer aspects of luxury rail traveling. The washroom of the presidential suite on board Maharajas Express is equipped with bathtubs and shower to add to the panache and pampering. The suite can accommodate up to 4 guests.

 

Dining & Bar Coaches

Dining on board Maharajas Express is a gourmet delight. There are two dining cars in the coach, each with a seating capacity of 42 guests at a time. Whereas wines and beers are a la carte, food offered is mostly table d’hôte (included in fare of the journey). The restaurants are named Rang Mahal and Mayur Mahal. Mayur Mahal (the Peacock restaurant) has peacock feather theme in its décor. Menu in the restaurant include traditional Indian cuisines along with Continental, Chinese and International cuisines. A well stocked bar with house brands of wines, liqueurs, spirits and beers is also present in Maharajas Express. A variety of snacks and starters are also served for the platter of guests along with drinks in the laid back Safari Bar designed to reflect the aspects of nonchalant leisure and luxury.

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