A Complete Comparison of the Famous Luxury Trains in India

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19 May 2023

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There is no need to introduce you to luxury trains. In general, it is a star-hotel styled train, which takes you to a series of destinations. At each destination, you would take up road excursion to enjoy sightseeing and other activities.

India has three main luxury trains in its menu, namely, the Palace on Wheels, Maharajas’ Express, and Deccan Odyssey. Every year, thousands of people visit India for the sole purpose of experiencing luxury trains. The regal cars, red carpet service, silverware, panoramic sights, and the long list of amenities keep the train at the top among the luxury experiences to enjoy in India.

Since there is more than one option, it is important to choose one at a time. How to choose the best one among the four options? We help you in this process by comparing and contrasting the four luxury trains to provide you with all the detailed information to make an informed decision.

Specialty of the train

Palace on Wheels is the oldest luxury train, which focuses on re-creating the carriages used by the royal families in the past. Most of the cabins were the royal carriages, which were renovated and added to with more amenities. Palace on Wheels holds the top position among the four trains in the country.

Maharajas’ Express is the world's leading luxury train in the list and thus, it holds many ultra-modern amenities with individual temperature control and other facilities, which are impossible in the others.

Deccan Odyssey focuses on many hidden gems, like Gujarat and others.

On the other hand, Golden Chariot is the only train that covers many southern cities of the country.

Also Read: 15 Best Places to Visit in April in the World

Accommodation options

Palace on Wheels has two styles of accommodations, namely the standard deluxe cabin and the super deluxe room. The standard cabin has a twin bed with basic facilities, and the super deluxe room has double beds with special bathroom features and others. The train has 14 carriages in total.

Maharajas’ Express has one basic cabin, three styles of premium rooms, and one iconic presidential suite, which has two bedrooms. The presidential suite travelers are given private vehicles, private guides, and other facilities.

Golden Chariot has only one style of accommodation, which comes with either twin beds or double beds.

Deccan Odyssey has two styles of accommodations. There are four presidential suites, and the remaining are either twin-bedded standard cabins or double-bedded standard cabins.

Also Read: Top 20 Majestic Palaces and Forts in India

Availability

None of the four trains runs throughout the year. None of the four trains does not run between May and August. This is due to the peak monsoon season, which is the worst time for tourism, sightseeing and others. September and April are considered as lean tourism months. December and January are the peak months.

Special Indian luxury train for Rajasthan

Cuisine

Each of the above trains has two restaurants, with the same menu and service. The menu of the trains varies from one other and with the season. All the trains provide different meal options like vegan diet, gluten-free diet, cholesterol diet and others.

The requirement should be mentioned during the ticket booking. From time to time, chefs might present specialty dishes based on the delicacy ingredient procured at each destination, which differs from each train.

In the lounge room, drinking is permitted. In the Maharajas’ Express, local Indian liquor brands are free to consume, whereas international brands would be charged. Other trains’ tariffs do not include liquor at all.

When it comes to options in cuisines, Maharajas’ Express stands top with eight different meal options, which include vegetarian, vegan, non-veg meal, kosher meal, lactose-free meal, gluten-free meal, Jain meal, and others.

Read More About the Maharajas' Express Train

Other Amenities

Butler service, spa, and gym are found in all four trains. In Palace on Wheels and Maharajas’ Express, private guides are available for premium travelers. Beyond these, Palace on Wheels provides indoor games, wheelchair assistance, Wi-Fi services, a conference room, a newspaper, a magazine, a security case, on-board medical assistance, a souvenir shop, and others.

Maharajas’ Express holds ga ame room, arm chair with panoramic windows, an LCD TV, internet facility, private temperature control, an electronic safe, a satellite phone, hair dryer, wardrobe, smoke detector, air ambulance service, mini bar (only in presidential suite), on-board water filtration system and others.

Golden Chariot provides LCD TV, DVD player, centralized air conditioner, conference car, indoor games, wheelchair assistance, internet facilities, newspapers, paramedic availability, souvenir shop, and others.

Deccan Odyssey provides indoor games, wheelchair assistance, creches, attenders, porters, internet facilities, a wedding hall, conference food, newspapers, magazines, a security safe, and others.

Smoking

Smoking is prohibited in all the cabins of all four trains. Even the bathrooms of the trains are filled with smoke detectors, and thus, it is prohibited to smoke anywhere in the train. If you are interested in smoking, contact any staff or the butler, who would arrange the required facilities.

Cost

Palace on Wheels price is $4,550 during peak season and $3,500 during lean season per person for basic cabin accommodation.

Maharajas’ Express has a standard Price of $3,850 for a night and four-day trip and $5,900 for seven nights and eight days trips per person for basic accommodation.

The cost of a ticket per head for Golden Chariot is $5,000, and the cost of a ticket for a basic accommodation trip in Deccan Odyssey is $6,500 per head.

Do you want to enjoy India in luxury trains? The topmost luxury trains are:

Welcome kit

Each train uniquely welcomes its passengers. Maharajas’ Express provides a red carpet welcome, with traditional music, garland, welcome drink, and a set of traditional Indian dress to every traveler based on his/her age and gender.

Palace on Wheels also provides a similar welcome ceremony and presents a small welcome kit with a turban, a respectable headwear for men.

Deccan Odyssey welcomes with a welcome drink, and Golden Chariot provides Indian dresses as a welcome gift based on the age and gender of the travelers.

Plan your luxury trip in January via Maharajas' Express:

Itineraries Of Luxury Train:-

Maharajas Express

Maharajas’ Express has seven different itineraries. Out of the seven, two itineraries focus on the southern states of the country. The rest of the itinerary focuses on Rajasthan and the attractions around it, or attractions between Mumbai and Delhi. There are two types of itineraries based on the span, namely, a three-night trip and a seven-night trip.

The Heritage Of India ( 6 Nights & 7 Days ): Mumbai - Ajanta - Udaipur - Jodhpur - Bikaner - Jaipur - Ranthambore - Agra - Delhi
The Indian Splendor ( 6 Nights & 7 Days ): Delhi - Agra - Ranthambore - Jaipur - Bikaner - Jodhpur - Udaipur - Balasinor - Mumbai
Treasures of India ( 3 Nights & 4 Days ): Delhi - Agra - Ranthambore - Jaipur - Delhi
The Indian Panorama ( 6 Nights & 7 Days ): Delhi - Jaipur - Ranthambore - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra - Gwalior - Orchha - Khajuraho- Varanasi - Lucknow - Delhi

Further Read:

Palace on Wheels

Palace on Wheels is famous for its iconic signature trip, which is mimicked by most of the luxury trains in the country. The trip starts and ends in Delhi, covering Rajasthan and Agra. This is the classic luxury train trip route. If you were new to India and looking for a classic trip, this would be a flawless option.

Special Indian luxury train for Rajasthan

Deccan Odyssey

Deccan Odyssey has seven itineraries of equal length, seven nights and eight days. Each itinerary focuses on a certain state or theme of vacation, like Gujarat, Maharashtra, wildlife attractions, the Deccan plateau, and others.

Indian Odyssey ( 7 Nights & 8 Days ): Delhi - Sawai Madhopur - Agra - Jaipur - Udaipur - Vadodara - Ellora Caves- Mumbai
Maharashtra Wild Trail ( 7 Nights & 8 Days ): Mumbai - Nashik - Ellora Caves - Ajanta Caves - Kolhapur - Goa - Ratnagiri - Mumbai
Maharashtra Splendor ( 7 Nights & 8 Days ): Mumbai - Ellora Caves - Aurangabad - Pench -Tadoba - Ajanta - Nashik - Mumbai
Heritage Odyssey ( 7 Nights & 8 Days ): Mumbai - Bijapur - Aihole and Pattadakal - Hampi - Hyderabad - Ellora Caves - Ajanta Caves - Mumbai
Cultural Odyssey ( 7 Nights & 8 Days ): Mumbai - Vadodara - Palitana - Sasan Gir - Somnath- Little Rann of Kutch - Modhera - Patan - Nashik - Mumbai
Indian Sojourn ( 7 Nights & 8 Days ): Mumbai - Vadodara - Udaipur - Jodhpur - Agra - Sawai Madhopur - Jaipur - Delhi

Further Read:

Golden Chariot

Golden Chariot has two seven-night trips. One focuses on Tamil Nadu and Kerala and the other focuses on Karnataka and Goa. Both itineraries cover southern destinations only.

Pride of the Karnataka ( 7 Nights & 8 Days ): Bangalore - Kabini - Bandipur - Mysore - Hassan - Hospet - Badami - Goa - Bangalore
Jewels of South (Golden Chariot) ( 7 Nights & 8 Days ): Bangalore - Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Auroville - Pondicherry - Trichy - Tanjore - Madurai - Kanyakumari - Kovalam - Kerala - Cochin - Bangalore

Note: Currently Golden Chariot Train is not operating

Also Read: Top 20 Majestic Palaces and Forts in India

Booking options

All the trains have official sites, which can be used for booking tickets. Many tour operators also provide similar services. Booking and cancellation policies vary from one train to another. If you are choosing travel agents, it is essential to choose agents that are approved by the government of India and the Ministry of Tourism, like Travelogy India. Do not fall for fake sites that promise easy booking of tickets or other facilities.

How to Book Luxury Trains?

You would be certain that when it comes to luxury, all the trains seem to have almost similar facilities and amenities. Thus, it is best to choose the luxury train of your choice in regards to the routes provided by the train and the time of the visit. Expert advice would be to trial all the trains, one at a time, as each one is as unique as a snowflake.

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Note: Currently Golden Chariot Train is not operating

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