Luxury train journeys in India are an exquisite way to discover this colourful subcontinent, traveling mostly at night and exploring during the day. There are temples, palaces and forts, lots of history and culture and encounters with wildlife along the way.
No need to pack or unpack every night, search for the next guided tour or a decent restaurant. Everything is on hand. After a day’s sightseeing, there is ample time to relax Maharaja-style, among stately furnishings and tempting offers of gourmet cuisine. It’s sheer indulgence and the journey of a lifetime.
Top Luxury Trains in India, the Palace on Wheels
Launched in 1982, the exclusive Palace on Wheels combines Indian heritage, traditional hospitality and personalised service. The 14 air-conditioned coaches are named after princely states, with lavish designs worthy of their former rulers. Each coach reflects its origins, be it through a royal crest, miniature paintings, mother of pearl, mirror or teak lattice work, with colours to match.
Every saloon boasts a lounge area with hot and cold drinks while double bedded cabins have wall to wall carpeting and en-suite. Other amenities include a bar and two restaurants serving Continental, Chinese, Indian and Rajasthani cuisines. Mineral water, essential toiletries, magazines and newspapers are also available on board the Palace on Wheels.
Rajasthan Luxury Train Journey
The Palace on Wheels begins its luxury tour in New Delhi, first heading for Jaipur, Rajasthan's Pink City, where guests visit the Palace of Winds, City Palace, Observatory and Amber Fort. Day 3 takes in the desert town of Jaisalmer, famous for its crafts, before a night journey to Jodhpur, the walled city with a mighty fort and seven gates and bastions. Day 5 includes a visit to Ranthambhor National Park before the onward journey to Chittaurgarh and its fort.
Udaipur, the Lake City, is next, reached by luxury coach up in the mountains, with its marble palaces and fabulous City Palace museum. The following day brings a chance to explore the bird sanctuary in the Ghana National Park. Before the final overnight journey back to Delhi, Rajasthan's luxury train stops in Agra, with time to see the nearby ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri, the Red Fort and the legendary Taj Mahal, the perfect end to an unforgettable royal journey.
Luxury Travel in India, Golden Chariot and Maharaja Luxury Tours
Other luxury train tours have followed the Palace on Wheels. The Royal Rajasthan offers a similar itinerary but adds Khajuraho, and its World Heritage temples, and the holy site of Varanasi on the river Ganges. The Maharaja Express has a choice of routes and themes, from classical to princely or royal India.
The famous Golden Chariot promises ‘many worlds in one voyage,’ on a trip from Bangalore taking in Mysore, Hampi and Goa, with optional return. Also starting in Bangalore on the Golden Chariot is Splendour of the South, via Chennai, Pondicherry, Madurai and Kerala, with a tour of Kochi and boat ride on the backwaters largest lake.
Solange Hando - I am a travel writer, editor and photographer, contributing to a range of publications in the UK and worldwide.
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