Luxury train traveling in India has come a long way since the introduction of Palace on Wheels train in 1982 for promotion of tourism in Rajasthan. The most recent and unarguably the most luxurious tourist train in India with finesse at par with the Orient Express of the West, Maharajas’ Express has redefined the art of elegant train traveling in India. A fascinating voyage across some of the finest destinations in India let you discover the true spirit of this incredible nation.
One of the most expensive and luxurious luxury train rides in the world, the salons of the Maharajas’ Express train draws inspiration from the private saloons of the erstwhile Maharajas’ of India. Even before the inception of rail traveling in India, Maharajas’ of India had a keen fascination with these moving wonders on wheels invented by James Watt.
Many Maharajas’ of India ruling various princely states took the initiative to build their own lines whereas many had their heir apparent built miles of narrow gauge lines where they could play with their personal toy trains. Even as Maharaja of Vadodara built his then son and the present Maharaja of Vadodara a fully functional toy train, Maharaja of Gwalior used to proudly flaunt his silver model train chugging along the center of his banqueting table to the dignitaries and officers of East India Company.
In the era of Raj, many Maharajas’ had their own personal carriages draped in luxury used for occasions such as state visits, nuptial sojourn and hunting trips. Many had been built and designed in art deco style. Sylvan inlays, exquisite carvings and elegant tapestries along with exquisite mirror and jewel work exuded an unmistakable ?lan. All this and more spoke volumes about the splendor and pomp of the Maharajas’ of erstwhile princely states of India.
Current salons of the train are designed to recreate the same old panache of the personal carriages of Indian Maharajas’. Each of the cabins including the dining coupes is suffused with nostalgia of past grandeur. Quaint décor fused together with the contemporary amenities create an aura of sheer opulence and 5 Star pampering inside the cabins of Maharajas’ Express.
The journeys of Maharajas’ Express have even been compared to that of legendary Orient Express of the West in refinement and luxury. From every modern amenity which money can buy to eco-friendly technologies and services, every aspect of an elegant train journey has been looked into with meticulous diligence.
A truly world class train journey is promised in each of the 5 itineraries offered by the train. With each destination as vivid as the confounding colors of India and tours encompassing palaces, fortresses, World Heritage Sites, cultural sightseeing and spirituality of India, the royal colors of India and its rich heritage sprinkled across vast geography do come alive in each of these pre-crafted journeys.