Royal Hospitality aboard Maharajas’ Express

If there is a luxury train experience that takes you up close and personal to India’s royal hospitality then it is none other than the one offered by Maharajas’ Express – the leading luxury train of India. Even though the winds of change have swept away the luxury and opulence enjoyed by the erstwhile Maharajas but the royal charm remains. And it is this royal charm and great hospitality traditions of yesteryear that Maharajas’ Express is keeping alive in its various luxury train tours.

The royalty is clearly evident in the luxury train’s décor and in the royal elegance the way it conducts its operations. For example, the moment guests board this luxury Palace on wheels, they are offered a red carpet welcome accompanied by swaying moves of folk dancers and the beats of drums. Each guest aboard Maharajas’ Express is treated like a king. There are trained butlers on the luxury train to carry out their commands.

Among many highlights of royal hospitality aboard Maharajas Express include a Champagne Breakfast overlooking The Taj Mahal in Agra and an exhibition Elephant Polo Match in the Pink City of Jaipur, in which guests can also participate.

Maharajas’ Express – the super luxury train of India is nearly half a mile long and guests sleep in cabins that feel like five star hotel rooms with carved wood paneling and marble-tiled floors. Each cabin on board Maharajas’ Express is equipped with individual climate control, LCD Television, DVD player, eco-friendly attached toilet, electronic safes and direct dial telephone facility among others.

Accommodation aboard this leading luxury train of the World is available in 14 guest carriages with total passenger capacity of 88. There are 20 Deluxe Cabins, 18 Junior Suites, 4 Suites and a Presidential Suite offering 5-star equivalent accommodation.

The Presidential Suite called Navratna is the one of its kinds in the world in terms of the facilities and services provided. This palatial suite covers an area of 448 square feet and occupies an entire guest carriage. The Presidential Suite consists of two bedrooms (one with twin-beds and one with a double bed), two attached bathrooms and a living room.  A stay aboard the Presidential Suite comes with a dedicated butler and a luxury car for off board excursions.

Maharajas’ Express – India’s leading luxury train comes with two dining cars, which are designed to provide full dining service. The restaurants are named Rang Mahal and Mayur Mahal and each has a seating capacity of 42 guests at a time.

This luxury train of India has a state-of-the-art kitchen car designed to provide a range of cuisines. Guests can tickle their taste buds with traditional Indian cuisines along with Continental and International cuisines. A dedicated bar carriage and a lounge cum bar called the Safari bar is equipped with a multilingual library and board games offer a casual lounge experience.

The Timeless Maharajas Express

The Maharajas Express derives its name from the rich and varied tradition of the Maharajas in India and reflects the echoes of a bygone era. The history of maharajas is inextricably mixed with that of the locomotive and their relentless fascination with James Watts invention.

Through the centuries the Maharajas were in fierce competition with each other over their ostentatious railways. Maharaja Gaekwad of Vadodhara installed a royal throne in his personal coach. To give you a glimpse of their extravagance - the Nizam of Hyderabad's private railway car was decked with thin strips of ivory accented with solid gold hardware.

Madhav Rao Scindias father installed a two mile rail track on his palace grounds. The child Madhav Rao delighted in taking his friends for joy rides on the premises.

Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur took the initiative to lay his own railway line and Raika Bagh Palace was probably the first railway Station in India!

His intense passion for trains culminated in the Maharaja of Gwalior having a silver model train chugging along the centre piece on his banqueting table. This train was to circulate liqueurs and cigars to his royal guests. The Maharaja prided himself on this quaint possession and showed it off every occasion he could. Once the train was derailed in its journey across the table, much to the chagrin of the Maharaja who was extremely upset with this little accident.

In 1936, the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company built a luxury state coach for Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar of Indore. This coach exuded luxury and finesse and was the finest of its kind. The art deco interior used sycamore wood, chrome, pink mirrors and an internal telephone system. Blown ice was used to cool it down in tropical climates. Such was the fascination with railway engines.

Much of this passion informs the luxurious Maharajas Express today. It tosses up tradition with exoticism and is a milestone in luxury travel.

At par with the Orient Express, the salons of the Maharaja Express train draw inspiration from the private saloons of the erstwhile Maharajas of India. Current saloons of the train capture some of the old world splendor of the carriages of the Maharajas. The essence of the pageantry of a bygone era is captured by some of the fine detailing of the train, its exquisite tapestries and quaint dicor. The modern day amenities work quietly, behind the scenes, and do not detract from its gracious elan.

The Maharajas Express is owned and operated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation. It is often compared and found to be on par with the Orient Express of the west. The train was started in March 2010. The maharajas express was named to the worlds top 25 trains by the Society of International Railway Travelers. It boasts a Presidential suite spread over two carriages.

The Maharajas express is the winner of the World travel Award for 2012 and 2013. It is also the winner of the Excellence in Luxury Award 2013.

Much of the splendor of this fascinating enterprise is indescribable. Voyagers who have travelled on the train leave behind a trail of wonderful testimonials. Here are just a few.

"Thank you for the fabulous experience of Incredible India" 

- Manuel Mourao, Spain

"This experience is definitely better than the Royal Scotsman, and has been equal to Orient Express, if not better." 

- Taylor, New Jersey, USA 

"The entire journey was and will be an unforgettable experience. If I was a poet, I would be probably set this entire fabulous experience in beautiful poetry." 

- Judith Moorthy, Queensland, Australia 

Let the Maharajas, Express entice you into the heart of exotic India. Lose yourself in its pageantry and taste of the rich heritage of the Maharajas.

Source: Maharajas Express Blog

Maharajas’ Express Jaipur Tour

The Maharajas' Express, bestowed the "World’s Leading Luxury Train" award at the World Travel Awards for two consecutive years in 2012 & 2013. The Maharajas Express has redefined the luxury travel experience by offering guests the opportunity to explore fabled destinations providing a glimpse of rich cultural heritage of Incredible India.

To know a country you have to look at it from the eyes of the long standing witnesses, best examples of which are the palaces and forts. These not only show you how the ancestors of that place thought and what they did, but also depict how the country has taken from its history and how much it has changed. For an experience as such, there is no better place than Jaipur.

Founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, after whom the city has been named, Jaipur is also known as the Pink City of India.

The city is divided into various sectors. The Palace quarter encloses the Hawa Mahal palace complex, formal gardens, and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort, which was the residence of the King Sawai Jai Singh II, crowns the hill in the northwest corner of the old city. The observatory, Jantar Mantar, is one of the World Heritage Sites. Jaipur is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, in India.

A visit to Jaipur is always filled with many sites to visit with forts such as the Hawa Mahal, Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, City Palace, etc., temples such as the Govind Dev Ji Temple, Birla Temple, etc. and gardens like Ram Niwas Garden, Sisodia Rani Garden & Palace, Jawahar Circle garden. A must visit place, without which you would not completely be able to know India.

Source: Maharajas Express Blog