 IRCTC.

[7][8][9] The IRCTC are the owners of the

Maharajas Express Train[10] The reintroduced Maharaja
Express train offers 5 itineraries, all of which either
begin or end in Delhi and include a visit to the Taj
Mahal in Agra. Each morning, the train arrives at a
different station for off-rail excursions, including visits
to monuments, heritage sites, shopping, palaces, forts,
and hotels.[11] New itineraries announced by the
operators of Maharajas Express include 3 pan-Indian
journeys and 2 golden triangle tour itineraries covering
Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. The Maharaja Express is the
most expensive luxury train in India.[12]

The Maharajas' Express was voted "The World's Leading

Luxury Train" thrice, in a row at The World Travel
Awards, 2012, 2013 and 2014.[2] It is the most expensive
luxury train in Asia.[3] Maharajas' Express also received
the first runner up award in the Specialist Train Operators
Category at Conde Nast Travelers Reader Choice Travel
Award in 2011.

History[edit]

The luxury train service was started in March 2010. The

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation
Limited (IRCTC) and Cox and Kings India Ltd.,[4] had
signed a joint venture to set up a company called Royale
Indian Rail Tours Ltd. (RIRTL) to oversee the
functioning and management of the Maharaja Express.
This joint venture was terminated on 12 August 2011 and
the train is now being operated exclusively by IRCTC.[5]

Facilities[edit]

The Maharajas' Express train has been equipped with

modern amenities to offer comfortable on board
experiences to the guest, such as pneumatic suspension,
live television, wifi, attached bathroom, dining cars, bar,
lounge and souvenir shop. Larger cabins have roll-top
baths and spacious sitting rooms.[6]
Carriages[edit]

The train comprises 23 carriages which include

accommodation, dining, bar, lounge, generator and store
cars. Accommodation is available in 14 guest carriages
with total passenger capacity of 88. The train also has a
lounge called the Rajah Club with a private bar, two
dining cars and a dedicated bar car. An on-board souvenir
boutique offers memorabilia for passengers.The train is
also equipped with a water filtration plant.[7]

Cabin Configuration[edit]

 5 Deluxe Cars
 6 Junior Suite Cars
 2 Suite Cars
 1 Presidential Suite car
 1 Bar car and 1 Lounge Car
 2 Restaurant cars
 1 Kitchen Car
 1 Staff Coach
 1 Executive Managers & Tour Managers Coach

Sq Ft
Total Passenge
Room Twi Doubl Area
Cabins/Suit r
Category n e (per
es Capacity
cabin)

Deluxe
15 5 20 40 112
Cabins

Junior
12 6 18 36 150
Suites

220
Suites – 4 4 8 coache
s

Presidenti
– 1 4 4 448
al Suite
Total 27 15 43 88 –

Guest cabins[edit]

14 carriages with 43 individual cabins provide seating and

sleeping capacity for 88 guests. There are 20 Deluxe
Cabins, 18 Junior Suites, 4 Suites and a Presidential Suite
offering 5-star equivalent accommodation. Both the
Suites and the Presidential suite has a bathtub in the toilet,
in addition to the bath cubicle.[7]

LCD televisions, eco-friendly toilets, direct dial phones,

DVD player, internet, individual climate control and
electronic safes are available in each guest cabin.[7]

There are 5 carriages in the category of Deluxe Cabins, a

total of 20 cabins accommodating 40 passengers (there
are 12 Twin bed cabins and 8 double bed cabins). There
are a total of 18 cabins in the category of Junior Suites,
accommodating 36 passengers (there are 12 Twin bed
Cabins and 6 Double bed cabins). Additionally, there are
four Suites available, having large separate sitting and
sleeping areas. A Presidential suite built on an entire rail
carriage, incorporating a separate sitting-cum-dining
room, a master bedroom and bathroom with shower and
bathtub, a twin bedroom and bathroom with shower. The
Maharajas' Express Presidential Suite is the first such a
rail carriage of its kind in the world for commercial use.[8]

Dining and bar coaches[edit]

The train has two dining cars designed for full five dining
service, each with a seating capacity of 42 guests at a time
so that all the guests dine together. The train has a state of
the art kitchen car designed to provide a range of cuisines.
The restaurants are named Rang Mahal and Mayur Mahal.
Mayur Mahal (the Peacock restaurant) has peacock
feather theme in its décor. Restaurant menus include
traditional Indian cuisines along with Continental,
Chinese and International cuisines.[8]
A dedicated bar carriage, the Rajah Club, offers wines,
liqueurs, spirits and beers along with snacks and starters
and a lounge cum bar called the Safari bar equipped with
a multilingual library and board games offers a casual
lounge experience. The tariff includes drinks on board,
the drinks served in the bar are IMFL ( Indian
Manufactured foreign Liquor)

Itineraries[edit]

In the year 2012, IRCTC introduced five new

journeys[7] of the Maharajas' Express, of which two are
short-term Golden Triangle (Delhi, Jaipur and Agra) tours
and rest three are week-long pan-Indian voyages.

Heritage of India[edit]

Duration: 7 Nights / 8 Days [7]

Destinations Covered: Mumbai – Ajanta – Udaipur –

Jodhpur – Bikaner – Jaipur – Ranthambore – Agra - Delhi
Treasures of India[edit]

Duration: 3 nights / 4 days [7]

Destinations Covered: Delhi – Agra – Ranthambore –

Jaipur – Delhi.

Gems of India[edit]

Duration: 3 Nights / 4 Days [7]

Destinations Covered: Delhi – Agra – Ranthambore –

Jaipur – Delhi

Indian Panorama[edit]

Duration: 7 Nights / 8 Days [7]

Destinations Covered: Delhi – Jaipur – Ranthambore –

Fatehpur Sikri – Agra – Gwalior – Orchha – Khajuraho –
Varanasi – Lucknow –