Luxury Train Travel

Maharajas Express Train

Washington - India's famed Maharajas' Express is making select stops on the US West Coast to showcase its luxurious amenities to North American travellers who want to experience Incredible India by stepping back into time.

The Indian Railways Catering Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), which owns and operates the luxury train is hosting special events in Los Angeles (Nov 26), San Francisco (Nov 30), and Las Vegas to showcase Maharajas' Express, according to a media release.

Awarded 'Best Luxury Train' by CNBC Travel in 2010 and named 1st runner up in the Readers Choice Award for Conde Nast Traveler in 2011, the train offers a range of five incredible itineraries between the months of September and April.

"The train is designed to transport guests into a more gracious age of train travelling," said Rakesh Kumar Tandon, managing director, IRCTC.

"Interiors suffused with nostalgia, state−of−the−art amenities, a tastefully−crafted itinerary, and impeccable hospitality enable Maharajas' Express to present India in a way never seen before."

Each train carries 14 guest carriages, including one truly classic presidential suite that stretches the length of an entire carriage. Every cabin has large windows, designed so that guests can savour every bit of magnificent India.

All passenger cars come with independent, cabin−controlled air conditioning, online water filtration systems, environmentally−friendly toilets, pneumatic suspension, live television, Wi−Fi Internet, CCTV cameras, hair dryers, electronic safe deposit boxes, bath tubs in suites and the presidential suite − almost everything one could imagine to travel in luxury.

The Maharajas' Express features two fine−dining restaurants that each seat 42 people, and everyone on board dines together. For added zest, there is an exotic Safari bar and Rajah Club, with the choicest collection of complimentary, house brand spirits. Each train comfortably fits a total of 88 passengers.

Source: http://india.nydailynews.com/

Deccan Odyssey

The Deccan Odyssey luxury train service, operated by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, resumed operations in a new look today.

The Tourism Minister, Mr Chhagan Bhujbal, joined passengers on the maiden journey of the renovated luxury train from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus here.

The train was launched in January 2004 and travelled mostly within the State, catering mainly to foreign tourists. However, after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, the bookings dwindled.

“After the terror attacks, we had around 1,000 to 1,200 bookings cancelled,” the MTDC Joint Managing Director, Mr Avinash Dhakne, told PTI. Today, it carried about 80 passengers, including tourists from the US, Britain, Switzerland, Holland and Australia.

The train today embarked on a week-long journey to New Delhi, where another batch of tourists will board the train for the return journey.

The MTDC decided to fully renovate the train and re-launch it on a pan-India basis.

The train boasts regal interiors, the best of food and drinks, conference rooms, televisions in each suite, dining rooms, lounges, a fully-equipped gym with massage and spa, a library, and the full range of executive services.

Besides the Mumbai-New Delhi-Mumbai trip, which would take a fortnight, the train will also ply within the State.

“We are eyeing destinations such as Shirdi and are planning a special package for it,” Mr Dhakne said.

Source-http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/

The Indian Maharaja - Deccan Odyssey has won the Asia's Best luxury Train Award at the 19th World Travel Awards in the category of 'Asia's Leading Luxury Train-2012'.

The Indian Maharaja won the same award in 2011 and 2010 as well, said a release issued by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). "It had always been a close contest as the other contenders in the race were equally powerful. The nominees for the award included, Eastern & Oriental Express, Palace on Wheels, The Golden Chariot Train and The Viceroy of India," it added. Read More.

Orient Express, which owns and manages luxury hotels, restaurants, cruises, and luxury trains across the globe, will now promote its luxury rail and cruise products in the Indian market to target high-end discerning customers. With this objective, the company recently appointed ‘The Luxury Trains’, a Delhi-based travel company that markets luxury rail products, as their General Sales Agent (GSA) in India.

Orient Express currently operates five luxury rail products, and three luxury cruises in Southeast Asia and Europe. The luxury cruises include the famous ‘Road to Mandalay’ river cruise in Ayeyarwady River in Myanmar, and ‘A Float in France’, a luxury cruise through the waterways of France. A third cruise ship - Orcaella - is currently under construction at Yangon in Myanmar - and would be joining the fleet in July 2013. Read More....

Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation’s premier luxury train service, the Maharaja Express is all set to start on its first Gems of India journey tomorrow, i.e. 17 October 2012. The train will depart tomorrow night from the Safdarjung Railway Station. Every year, the Maharaja Express attracts thousands of visitors to its majestic interiors and world class on-board services. There are still some seats available for the inaugural run while the journeys around Christmas and New Year’s Eve are almost sold out.

The Gems of India journey is 3 night, 4 day tour and is essentially a shortened version of Maharajas Express’ longer itineraries and shows its guests around the Golden Triangle of India – The Delhi, Jaipur and Agra corridor. The Gems of India itinerary makes the most of the limited time and includes an exhibition Polo match, a trip to the Taj and a wildlife excursion to Ranthambore National Park as the highlights. The train has also won lavish praises due to its special provisions for accommodating handicapped guests. The next two journeys are scheduled on November 13 and December 12 this year, after which there are five more departures planned for rest of the season next year.

Maharajas Express Train Images