Maharajas' Express definitely is a luxury train that bears all the features associated with its regal name. The Indian Railways has conceived and executed its travel facilities in a way that will beat the best of hospitality favours dished out by the country’s star hotels.
Interested to board a coach of the Maharajas’ now into its tenth year of inception? The traveller can not only see the varied heritage of the ancient land around, but get a feel of being a king oneself – being virtually pampered by the host team.
It was in 2010 the Indian Railways launched the noble concept of the Maharajas' Express. The debut train in the series chugged off westward from Kolkata to the national capital of Delhi in March that year. In a couple of years, the service earned the World Travel Award. That 2012 recognition, as the world's Leading Luxury Train, was repeated seven times consecutively - till last declared. Least surprising, given its hospitality features as well as the kind of places the train takes its visitors to with elan. The journeys have a season: October to April - that is from autumn to spring, when the weather is pleasant (especially upcountry).
The Maharajas' offers two categories of trips going by their time-span. One is seven days and eight nights; the other is four days and three nights.
Among them is a round trip, where the train originates from Delhi and drops the passenger back in the same metropolis. The stopovers are Jaipur, Ranthambore, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Gwalior, Khajuraho, Varanasi and Lucknow.
There is a Delhi-Mumbai service of the same duration, with an equally exciting itinerary: Agra (Uttar Pradesh), Ranthambore, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur (all Rajasthan) and Balasinor (Gujarat) before hitting the destination. Back from the commercial city in the west, the train offers a slightly different package at the initial phase while climbing up to Delhi: Ajanta, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Ranthambore and Agra.
The four-day trips are Delhi-Delhi, too. Three halts: Agra (Taj Mahal), Ranthambore (wildlife sanctuary), Jaipur (palaces and forts).
The service has four grades of rooms (coaches): deluxe cabin (Rs 4,25,900), junior suite (Rs 6,73,750), suite (Rs 9,82,840) and presidential suite (Rs 16,87,920) - for the seven-day trip. For the four-days-three-nights package, the respective rates go thus: Rs 2,74,200, Rs 3,52,540, Rs 5,41,280 and Rs 9,18,740.
The interiors of the coaches are surreally beautiful. The food is delicious, what with two restaurants capable of accommodating 42 guests at a time. The dishes are Indian as well as foreign - be it breakfast or dinner and whatever in between. The train has two bars as well: Raja Club and Safari, making it gala time for those interested in drinks.
Overall, it can be an unforgettable trip.