The Maharajas' Express is a luxury tourist train owned and operated by The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). It serves four routes across North-West and Central India, mainly centered on Rajasthan between the months of October and April.[1]
| Maharajas' Express | |
|---|---|
 Logo of the Maharajas' Express | |
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| Family name | Luxury Trains |
| Entered service | 2010 |
| Operators | Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation |
The Maharajas' Express, often also referred to as the Orient Express of the Orient was voted "The World's Leading Luxury Train" Seven times in a row at The World Travel Awards from 2012 through 2018.[2][3] Maharajas' Express also received recognition from the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Travel Award in 2022.[4]
History
editThe train service was started in March 2010. The IRCTC and Cox and Kings India Ltd[5] entered a joint venture, setting up Royale Indian Rail Tours Ltd (RIRTL) to oversee the functioning and management of the Maharajas' Express. This arrangement was terminated on 12 August 2011, and the train was then operated exclusively by IRCTC.[6]
Carriages
editThe train comprises 23 carriages which include accommodation, dining, bar, lounge, generator, and store cars. Accommodation is available in 14 guest carriages with a total passenger capacity of 84. The train also has a lounge called the Rajah Club with a private bar, two dining cars, and a dedicated bar car. The train is also equipped with a water filtration plant.[7]
Guest cabins
editThe guest carriages provide seating and sleeping capacity for 84 guests. There are 20 Deluxe Cabins, 18 Junior Suites, 4 Suites, and a Presidential Suite. All suites have a full bath.[7] The Presidential suite occupies an entire rail carriage, incorporating a separate sitting-cum-dining room, a master bedroom and bathroom with shower and bathtub, plus a twin bedroom and bathroom with shower,[8]
Dining and bar coaches
editThe train has two dining cars—named Rang Mahal and Mayur Mahal—designed for full fine dining service. Mayur Mahal (the Peacock restaurant) has a peacock feather theme in its décor.[8] The Rajah Club is a dedicated bar carriage. The Safari lounge and bar have a multilingual library.
Routes
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The Heritage of India
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The Indian Panorama
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Treasures of India
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The Indian Splendour
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Maharajas Express operates four different itineraries from October to April,[9][7] of which two are short-term Golden Triangle (Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra) tours and the other three are week-long pan-India voyages:[10]
| Name | Duration | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage of India | 6 Nights/7 Days | Mumbai – Ajanta – Udaipur – Jodhpur – Bikaner – Jaipur – Ranthambore – Agra - New Delhi |
| Treasures of India | 3 nights/4 days | Delhi – Agra – Ranthambore – Jaipur – Delhi |
| Indian Panorama | 6 Nights/7 Days | Delhi – Jaipur – Jodhpur - Ranthambore – Fatehpur Sikri – Agra – Gwalior – Orchha – Khajuraho – Varanasi – Lucknow – Delhi |
| The Indian Splendour | 6 Nights/7 Days | Delhi – Agra – Ranthambore – Jaipur – Bikaner – Jodhpur – Udaipur – Balasinor – Mumbai |
The train's curated journey includes participation in evening prayer rituals at the banks of river Ganga.[11]
In popular media
edit- ITV correspondent Sir Trevor McDonald travels India by the Maharajas' Express in a 2019 documentary.
- Featured in Episode 3 of Season 2 of the Discovery Channel Canada series Mighty Trains.
- Featured in Episode 2 of Amazon's James May: Our Man in India (2024)
Gallery
edit-
A view of Maharajas' Express -
Luxury Beds in the Maharajas' Express -
Foreign tourists at The Maharajas' Express -
Dining at Maharajas' Express
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Maharajas' Express Introduction". Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ Malathronas, John (8 December 2015). "11 of the world's most luxurious train journeys". CNN. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
Often called "the Orient Express of the Orient," the Maharajas' Express is a recent entrant to the luxury train market.
- ^ "World's Leading Luxury Train Award". Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
- ^ "Top Trains: Readers' Choice Awards 2022". Condé Nast Traveler. 7 October 2019.
18 The Maharaja's Express, India 82.69
- ^ Ghosh, Dwaipayan (5 October 2009). "For Rs 1 lakh a day, travel like a maharaja". The Times of India. India. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
- ^ "Cox & Kings Lose Franchise To Maharaja Express". The Weekly Times. India. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
- ^ a b c "Great Rail Journeys". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 15 November 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Rail Technology". Railway Technology. Archived from the original on 14 September 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
- ^ "5 Journeys of Maharajas' Express". Worldwide Rail Journeys. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- ^ "The Best Train Trips in the World: 2023 Readers' Choice Awards". Condé Nast Traveler. 22 November 2019.
Each day of the itinerary includes special opportunities to experience India through the train's luxurious and singular perspective: like an early-morning champagne breakfast on a private hillside overlooking the Taj Mahal.
- ^ "The most luxurious train journeys in India". Forbes India. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
External links
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