Gatimaan Express Luxury Train - From Delhi To Agra in 100 Minutes

India’s high-speed luxury train, Gatimaan Express has made its inaugural journey. The lavish ride runs from New Delhi to Agra. The Honorable Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, flagged off the first ride today.

The launch of the train heralds a new era of high-speed rail travel in India. Though a far call from bullet trains, it is the fastest train in India, with a maximum speed of 160 km per hour. The best aspect of the train is its deluxe features and facilities, inspired from the series of ‘Palace on Wheels’ luxury trains in India. The train has made it possible to enjoy a luxurious day trip to Agra possible.

Gatimaan Express - Travel Time

The train will cover the 192-km distance between Delhi and Agra in all of 100 minutes. The train achieves the maximum speed of 160 km/ hr.
Timings

The Gatimaan service will be running on all days of the week, except Friday, the day Taj Mahal remains closed. The train starts from Nizamuddin station at 8.10 am and reaching Agra Cantt at 9.50 am. The return journey of the train will start from Agra at 5.50 pm and reach Nizamuddin station at 7.30 pm.

Gatimaan Express - Technology

Made by the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, the Gatimaan Express boasts of some of the best technology for locomotives. The train runs on a WAP5 electrical engine of 1500 Horse Power. It is the best in-class loco produced so far by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works and Linke Hofmann Busch coaches.

Most of the locomotive and the coaches are the same as used in Shatabdi Express, though several changes in the track and the signaling system have been made. One of the reasons behind the Gatimaan’s higher speed is that Northern Railways has worked to cut down more than 80 obstacle points on the Delhi-Agra route. Sharp turns, bridges, crossings and yards have been lessened. Also tracks have been tilted for the smoother and faster run of the train.

Gatimaan Express - Menu of Gastronomy Served

The Gatimaan Express, owing to IRCTC is set to provide culinary delights. Different from other regular passenger trains in the country, the catering is unique and a new sign of luxury. The hostesses will be serving both Indian and continental cuisine. Imagine, Chicken Sausages with Spanish Omelette, plus slices of Date Walnut Cake. If you are on the calorie-conscious band, you can opt for the Whole-Wheat Upma, Kanjeevaram Idli, or Freshly Cut Fruits.

Indulgent flavors of India are presented in delights of Aloo Kulcha, Mini Dosa, Chicken Roll and Swiss Roll are also on the menu. And the icing on the cake, everything will be served in Bone China. It is quite the gastronomical journey.

Gatimaan Express Entertainment

Gatimaan Express also provides free on-board entertainment by a private provider, MyFreeTv.in. There is an 8 inch LED Screen at the back of every seat. These screens are planned to be powered by satellite television and will broadcast live-feed. Passengers can also entertain themselves with videos during the travel on their smartphone, tablets or laptops even without internet connection through Wi-Fi.

Gatimaan Express Fare

The Gatimaan Express train comprises two executive AC chair cars and eight AC chair car coaches. The train will run with 10 coaches, including eight air-conditioned chair car (AC CC) coaches and two executive class bogies, with a total of 715 seats. The fare for an AC chair car seat is set at 750 INR and that for an executive AC chair car seat at 1,500 INR.

Pictures of India’s Fastest Train Gatimaan Express That You Should Definitely See!

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Maharaja Express Train: Greatest Rail Journeys

 The Greatest Rail Journeys: Maharajas' Express Treasures of India

Maharajas Express Treasures of India is one of the greatest rail journeys in the world

Maharajas Express was recently voted World's Leading Luxury Train. Fashioned to recreate the feel of the way Indian maharajas and Nizams used to traveled when India was composed of various princely states, Maharajas' Express offer a superior yet elegant way to travel across some of the most vibrant destinations in India.

Treasures of India is a short tour across the famed golden triangle tour circuit which consists of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Each of these destinations is replete with history, legends and romance of a bygone era. Also included in the itinerary is tour to the royal hunting ground of former maharaja of Jaipur, now one of the most renowned tiger reserves in India; Ranthambore National Park.

The highlights of the tour includes visit to the world heritage site Jamtar Mantar or the Royal Observatory in Jaipur and another UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the 7 Modern Wonders of the World Taj Mahal in Agra.

Besides, guests also get to participate in Exhibition Elephant Polo Match in Jaipur which was once the exclusive sport of Maharajas. On board facilities are at par with the 5 star hotels with Wi-Fi internet, live television, cabins with attached bathrooms, dining and bar car as well as lounge and souvenir shop.

Maharajas' Express Treasures of India journey ensures that you get to relive the grandeur which was once exclusive domain of the Indian monarchs. Red carpet welcome, insider experiences and gracious hospitality clubbed with tours to the incredible Indian destinations makes for one of the greatest rail journeys in the world.

For more details of the journeys and train visit Maharaja Express Train site.

Contributed by Nikhil Chandra

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Palace on Wheels Bharatpur Tour : A Peek into the Exotic Wildlife

The Palace on Wheels is awarded as the fourth best luxury train in the world. The luxury train explores the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary on the 7th day of the sightseeing trip. Palace on Wheels is equipped with multi-cuisine restaurants, health and wellness spa, luxuriously designed guest cabins and a lounge bar.

Palace on Wheels Train

The train covers the destinations of Agra, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Sawai Madhopur, Udaipur and Bharatpur. The Palace on Wheels Bharatpur Tour peeks into the wildlife of Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary and Keoladeo Ghana National Park.The other major attractions of the Bharatpur tour include Lohagrah Fort, Government Museum, Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj, Deeg and The Palace. Amongst them, The Lohagrah Fort is the most visited attraction in Bharatpur and faced many British attacks. The fort also houses for three palaces that are Mahal Khas, Kothi and Mahal. While The Palace is the historical marvel of both Rajput and Mughal architecture.

Palace on wheels Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary

One of the best and the prime destination covered by Palace on Wheels is Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. Located 55 kms ahead of Agra, Bharatpur is famous all over the world for its prime attraction- Keoladeo Ghana National Park. Rare Siberian cranes migrate to this national park in order to spend the winter season in the warmer climate of Bharatpur.This national park, a world heritage site by UNESCO,  is spread over an area of 12 square miles and is affluent with a large avian variety. The park has swamps, wet prairies, dry savanna and complex woodlands. This exotic national park has 370 types of birds of which 115 are migrants that comes from Western China, Siberia and Asia. Watching these beautiful birds is altogether an ultimate experience. Mallards, geese, storks, teals, black headed Ibis, sparrows and ducks are found here in large numbers. In short, tour will give you a unique experience.

For more details of the journeys and train visit Palace on wheels Train site.

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Tour aboard Palace on Wheels for Wildlife Excursion

Spanning over a whopping 3,42,000 square kilometers, in the northwestern part of the country, Rajasthan is not only the largest state in India  but also attracts a sizeable chunk of overseas travelers. One of the most popular ways to explore the diversity of this region is to travel on board Palace on Wheels. When it comes to Rajasthan tours, the popular tourist attractions are forts, palaces, lakes, sand dunes and wildlife. The state is home an array of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. 

Palace on Wheels Train

During the 8 days and 7 night journey on board Palace on Wheels, the luxury train encompasses the former princely states of Rajasthan along with a stopover in Agra. The two destinations covered by the Palace on Wheels train- Sawai Madhopur and Bharatpur- are mainly visited for wildlife excursion. While Sawai Madhopur is home to Ranthambore National Park, Bharatpur is famous for Keoladeo Ghana National Park, a UNESCO  World Heritage Site and bird sanctuary.

Spotted Deer in Ranthambore National Park

These national parks teem with an array of flora and fauna species including some highly elusive and endangered animal species such as Royal Bengal Tiger and Siberian Crane. Lets have a look what these  wildlife sanctuaries have to offer to its clientele.

Ranthambore National Park 

Royal Bengal Tigers - Ranthambore National Park

Nestled at the junction of Aravali and Vindhya mountain ranges, Ranthambore National Park, spanning over an area of 320 square kilometers, is mainly visited for its large population of Bengal Tigers. Besides Royal Bengal Tigers, the park has more than 200 species of birds and various herbivorous, carnivorous and omnivorous animals. The park is dotted with steep rocky hills and a 10th century Ranthambore fort at a height of 700 meters above the sea level. The fort is home to three temples , built with red Karauali stones and dedicated to Shiva, Ganesha and Ramlalji.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary 

Siberian Crane at Keoladeo National Park

Emblazoned as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, also known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park, is named after an ancient Shiva temple located at the center of the park. It is an absolute heaven for bird watchers and ornithologists. The bird sanctuary is home to  more than 336 bird species, out of which 117 migrate from China and Siberia.

Cycle Safaris in the Keoladeo National Park

Palace on Wheels let you explore the Ranthambore National Park and the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in the first half of the 3rd and the 7th day sightseeing trip. This luxury train is a virtual five star hotel equipped with luxuriously designed guest cabins, multi cuisine restaurants, a lounge bar and well equipped spa.

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Deccan Odyssey Train Tour - Announces 5% Discount

 Indian Holidays Pvt. Ltd. Announces 5% Discounts for Select Deccan Odyssey Journeys

Deccan Odyssey Train Journey

Indian Holidays Pvt. Ltd., one of the premier luxury tour operators has announced a minimum 5% discount on select departures for IRCTC and Maharashtra Tourism’s flagship luxury train, the Deccan Odyssey. The journey tariffs had recently been lowered in a bid to make the Deccan Odyssey journeys accessible to a wider spectrum of guests. It must be noted that the tariffs were earlier USD 315/ day onwards (triple occupancy). According to Indian Holidays, this will be soon revised due to the price cuts implemented.

Deccan Odyssey has received some fantastic reviews on various international travel forums and is already quite popular with luxury travel aficionados. The train has also been nominated for the World Trade Awards in the best Asian Luxury Train category. Deccan Odyssey is a 7 night 8 day journey plying between 7 destinations in Maharashtra and Goa. The itinerary has been planned to offer its guests the best cultural insights into historically important cities such as Sindhudurg, Aurangabad and Nasik and the erstwhile Portuguese colony of Goa. The primary reason behind the success of the journey is that all sightseeing and expeditions are scheduled during daytime so that guests can retire to their cabins for overnight stays and that is when the train covers most of the distance.

As far as the feature list is concerned, the train comes absolutely loaded, even by luxury trains’ standards. Pumped with state of the art features for ensuring maximum comfort and convenience for its guests, the train offers services such as Spa and Gym, Electronic Safe, Individual Climate Control for each cabin, Public Address system, Wi-Fi and dedicated services of a personal attendant.

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Palace on Wheels Train will initiate from September 2012

India’s premier luxury train, Palace on Wheels, is scheduled to run its first course of the season on September 5, 2012. The train is the flagship luxury sojourn of Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) and takes its guests on a scenic 8 day tour of the kingly Indian state of Rajasthan, with 1 day excursions to the wonderful Taj Mahal and Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary scheduled. The train is quite popular with both international and local guests and gets sold out a couple of months prior to the beginning of the season. The destinations of the tour include Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Udaipur, Jaywalker, Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Agra.

Palace on Wheels Train : Best Rail Journeys in the World

The train is a true ambassador of luxury travel and offers quality services and luxury facilities such as personal services of a butler, electronic safes, separate spa cars, souvenir shops, a separate lounge car and on-train entertainment. A salient feature of the train is varying ranges in tariffs to accommodate high and mid-range budgets. It is advisable for would-be guests to make prior booking on this luxury sojourn to avoid any last minute disappointments.

How to book it:
Indian Luxury Trains
http://www.indianluxurytrains.com/journeys/palace-on-wheels.html
Indian Luxury Trains is India's first and only luxury train travel portal. Details of upcoming schedule and booking of the Palace on Wheels train tour packages along with post and pre tour arrangement, air ticket booking could be done at the Indian Luxury Trains website.

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Golden Chariot First Journey of the Season to Begin from 1st October, 2012

Operators of the Golden Chariot train, Karnataka State Tourism and Development Corporation (KSTDC) have announced the departure date for the first seasonal journey of this Indian luxury train. The luxury train will chug its way from Bangalore to Goa on 1st October 2012. The departure schedule for the upcoming run season is given on the website of Indian luxury trains. 

Golden Chariot : Luxury Train in India

The Golden Chariot with its two itineraries-Prides of the South and Splendor of the South- takes guests on an enchanting voyage through sublime terrains of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Goa. The Pride of the South itinerary by Golden Chariot is 8 days and 7 night’s journey that covers Bangalore, Kabini, Mysore, Hassan, Hospet, Badami and Goa. The weeklong journey encompasses ancient temples, World Heritage Sites, churches & cathedrals and wildlife treasure troves.  

Built on the lines of famous Palace on Wheels, the Golden Chariot is India’s first disabled friendly luxury train. The train constitutes of 44 well appointed cabins which include 25 twin bed cabins, 18 double bed cabins and 1 cabin for physically challenged. Each cabin represents the architectural esthetics of erstwhile south Indian dynasties in their interior décor and maintains modern refinement through state of the art amenities such as LCD television, individual temperature control, electronic safe and Wi-Fi internet among others.

For more information on train facilities, itineraries, schedules and facilities, you may like to visit the website of the - http://www.indianluxurytrains.com/journeys/the-golden-chariot.html

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Golden Chariot Train Pride of the South : Discover Myriad Facets of Karnataka

“Water changes at every mile and language changes at every three miles”. The varied topography, cultural mix, religious tolerance and multi-lingual populace of India certainly mount up to the aforementioned statement. When it comes to southern region of India, there could be no way better than Golden Chariot train to unearth the natural and cultural treasures of this region.

The Golden Chariot Train Ariel View

Fondly referred to as South India’s very own Palace on Wheels, this Indian luxury train was launched to showcase the rich heritage of Karnataka in an opulent manner. On 10th March, 2008, Golden Chariot embarked on its maiden voyage from Bangalore to Goa. During the course of its 8 days and 7 nights’ journey, this Indian luxury train encompasses various historically prominent and naturally rich destinations which include Mysore, Kabini, Hassan, Hospet, Badami and Goa. From ancient temples to stunning palaces and from wildlife treasure troves to colonial edifices, this tastefully crafted itinerary aboard the Golden Chariot train offer different strokes to different folks.

Each day of Pride of the South journey lets you discover a different aspect of tourism in this state. The 2nd day marks the entry of Golden Chariot into the rustic hinterland of Kabini. A delectable lunch in jungle lodge enveloped with luxuriant greens followed by a game safari to enjoy the call of the wild is what scheduled for the 2nd day.

Moving on the 3rd day of this itinerary, the train will chug into the erstwhile realm of Tipu Sultan - Mysore. Beautiful gardens, stunning temples, magnificent palaces and local markets of this south Indian princely state will surely leave you spellbound. The sightseeing excursion will reach its crescendo in the cultural program organized at Lalitha Mahal Palace.

Apart from exploring wildlife treasures and imperial heritage of Mysore, this Indian luxury train brings you face to face with the rich Dravidian heritage of south India. The 4th, 5th and 6th day on board Pride of the South journey will take you to Hassan, Hospet and Badami, each of which is sprinkled with scores of religious edifices and monuments built during medieval age.

On the penultimate day of this rail tour, the luxury train enters the beach paradise ‘Goa’. The sightseeing tour of the day includes exploration of churches and Sola Souto Manor, a Portuguese house dating back to 16th century, in Old Goa.

Some points to be remembered while making reservations for Golden Chariot train:

• If reservation is made for individual travelling, you have to pay 20% of the ticket value at the time of booking confirmation. Rest 80% is to be paid 60 days prior to departure.
•  If reservation is made for a group tour, you are required to pay 50% of the ticket value at the time of booking confirmation. Rest 80% is to be paid 60 days prior to departure.

The destinations covered by Golden Chariot during the course of Pride of the South journey offers peak into the rich history and cultural heritage of Karnataka. Right from exploring rich Dravidian heritage to wildlife rendezvous in Bandipur National Park, the journey explores many worlds of Karnataka.

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Luxury Train in India - The Buzzword for Luxury Travel

Indian luxury trains are the most sought after by connoisseurs of luxury travel around the world. Unlike Blue train and Orient Express that dominate the luxury rail segment in west, much of the contribution has come from India with 6 luxury trains operating in current scenario.  Luxury train tours are a booming travel trend for those who are not afraid of shelling out moolah for attaining the experience of royal pampering and elegant living.

The history of luxury train travelling traces its roots to the era of erstwhile Indian maharajas who were believed to have travelled in overtly luxurious rail carriages. Taking cue from the personal rail carriages of erstwhile Indian monarchs, Rajasthan Tourism and Development Corporation in association with Indian railways launched Palace on Wheels train in 1982. The train has been designed with replica carriages of erstwhile Rajput princes, Nizams of Hyderabad and Viceroys of India and traverses the course of former princely states of Rajasthan during the course of its 8 days and 7 nights journey.

The seamless fusion of Rajputana décor, state of the art amenities and traditional India hospitality is apparent in every aspect of the train. The weeklong journey on board Palace on Wheels train whisks you into the Rajputana heartland and let you discover the royal and cultural facet of Rajasthan along with the exploration of wildlife treasure troves.

Following the overwhelming success of Palace on Wheels, many state tourism boards followed in the footsteps of Rajasthan Tourism and Development Corporation and came up with their own version of Palace on Wheels train. The popularity of this luxury tourist train reached the corridors of private players too which resulted in chartering of Deccan Odyssey train by Travel Corporation of India (TCI).

Besides Rajasthan, luxury trains in India allow guests to explore the natural and cultural treasure troves of western and southern region of India. While Deccan Odyssey offers jaunt into Maratha heartland with two days halt in Goa, Golden Chariot with its two journeys- Pride of the South and Splendor of the South- offers whirlwind tour across historically significant and naturally rich destinations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The two itineraries of Indian Maharaja train- Delhi to Mumbai and Mumbai to Delhi- are a medley of vibrant colors of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. 

Although the six luxury trains operating in India differ in terms of destinations but all of them strive hard towards meeting a similar goal. The goal is to provide elegant stay with sightseeing of some of the best tourist destinations in India. Hence it would not be an overstatement to say that a new age of opulent and elegant train travelling has arrived in India with the rise of luxury rail tour segment.

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