The ''Maharajas' Express'' is a
luxury tourist train owned and operated by The
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation
{{Infobox company
, name = Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation
, logo_size = 150px
, logo = IRCTC Logo.svg
, type = Public
, traded_as = {{ubl, {{BSE, 542830, {{NSE, IRCTC
, ISIN = {{ISIN, sl=n, pl=y, INE335Y01012
, foundation ...
(IRCTC). It serves four routes across North-West and Central India, mainly centered on
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...
between the months of October and April.
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 and again in 2024 for the eighth time.
Maharajas' Express also received recognition from the
Condé Nast Traveler
''Condé Nast Traveler'' is a luxury and lifestyle travel magazine published by Condé Nast. The magazine has won 25 National Magazine Awards.
The Condé Nast unit of Advance Publications purchased ''Signature'', a magazine for Diners Club me ...
Readers' Choice Travel Award in 2022.
History
The train service was started in March 2010. The IRCTC and
Cox and Kings India Ltd 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.
Carriages
The 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.
Guest cabins
The 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.
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,
Dining and bar coaches
The 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.
The ''Rajah Club'' is a dedicated bar carriage. The ''Safari'' lounge and bar have a multilingual library.
Routes
Maharajas Express operates four different itineraries from October to April,
of which two are short-term Golden Triangle (Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra) tours and the other three are week-long pan-India voyages:
The train's curated journey includes participation in evening prayer rituals at the banks of river Ganga.
In popular media
*
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
Television TV stations/networks/channels ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network and company, including:
**ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network in the United Kingd ...
correspondent
Sir Trevor McDonald
Sir Trevor Lawson McDonald (born George McDonald; 16 August 1939) is a Trinidadian-British newsreader and journalist, best known for his career as a news presenter with Independent Television News (ITN).
McDonald began his career working as a ...
travels India by the Maharajas' Express in a 2019 documentary.
*Featured in Episode 3 of Season 2 of the
Discovery Channel Canada
Discovery Channel is a Canadian exempt discretionary service owned by Rogers Sports & Media. Based of the U.S. cable network of the same name, the channel focuses primarily on programming related to nature, science, and technology.
History
D ...
series ''
Mighty Trains''.
*Featured in Episode 2 of Amazon's ''James May: Our Man in India'' (2024)
Gallery
Maharajas' Express.jpg, A view of Maharajas' Express
Indische Luxus Zugs.jpg, Luxury Beds in the Maharajas' Express
Maharaja Express Índia.jpg, Foreign tourists at The Maharajas' Express
Maharajas' Express - Mayur Mahal, dining (4809207224).jpg, Dining at Maharajas' Express
See also
*
Fairy Queen
*
Palace on Wheels
*
Royal Orient
*
Deccan Odyssey
The ''Deccan Odyssey'' is an Indian luxury train modeled on the '' Palace on Wheels'' luxury train and put into service to boost tourism on the Maharashtra route of the Indian Railways. The train, owned by travel company Cox & Kings since 201 ...
*
Mahaparinirvan Express
*
Golden Chariot
*
Royal Rajasthan on Wheels
The ''Royal Rajasthan on Wheels'' is a luxury tourist train operated by Indian Railways in association with the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation. Launched in January 2009, it is modelled on the '' Palace on Wheels'' and follows a sim ...
References
External links
*
{{Udaipur
Luxury trains in India
Transport in Udaipur
Rail transport in Rajasthan
2010 establishments in India