"Maharaja Express": a journey through India in a royal palace on wheels

For most passengers, a train is an inexpensive means of transport compared to an airplane to travel to their destination. However, there are several trains in the world for which only very wealthy people can afford tickets. The legendary one runs in Europe "Eastern Express", on Russian railways you can travel in the imperial interiors of the Golden Eagle, and in India, discerning tourists are offered tours on the most expensive train in Asia.


In a country where the lion's share of passenger rail transport is carried out in cheap and uncomfortable trains, which we have already discussed told, the luxurious Maharaja Express feels like the palace of Indian rulers among the slums of the poor. This train offers passengers a truly royal level of comfort and service.


The interior atmosphere of the train carriages is a combination of style and luxury typical of eastern rulers. Since the key word in the train's name is "Maharaja", everything that an Indian monarch should have is included in the train's composition and itinerary. Each compartment actually represents a room in the palace of the Indian great Raja. The program of each tour is carefully thought out, so travelers can equally enjoy the scenery outside the window and admire the architectural pearls of India.

Half-mile Imperial Palace on Wheels

The Maharaja Express consists of 23 carriages and is over 500 meters long. Only 14 carriages are intended to accommodate travelers, accommodating 88 people. The first and last cars are mobile power plants to provide the train with energy at any point along the way, regardless of the electrification of the railway. The second and penultimate carriages of the train accommodate service personnel. In the middle of the train there are two bars, a restaurant and a lounge car for rest and leisure of passengers.


Each of the guest carriages has its own name after the precious stones: hira (diamond), feeroza (turquoise), pukhraj (sapphire) and so on. When purchasing a ticket, passengers can choose one of four compartment categories:

✅ Deluxe cabin (high comfort compartment)
✅ Junior suite (junior suite)
✅ Suite
✅ Presidential suite (presidential suite)

Regardless of accommodation category, all passengers are offered Wi-Fi, free hot and cold drinks, international telephone, TV, personal safe and butler service. Other services are provided depending on the class of the car.

A high-comfort coupe is the most inexpensive way to travel on the Maharaja Express. A day's accommodation in this class will cost $900 per person. The train has 20 such numbers in five cars, named after gems: agate, turquoise, amethyst, aquamarine and ruby.


The rooms have an area of ​​10,5 square meters (for comparison, the area of ​​a standard Russian coupe is 3,5 square meters) and have a double bed measuring 2x1,5 meters. Travelers can use a private shower.

Junior suites are located in six carriages with three rooms each. They feature large interior space and panoramic windows for enjoying the views. In compartment-salons with an area of ​​14 sq.m. In addition to the huge bed, there is a desk. Each carriage has a minibar with a buffet, which is monitored by a special valet.

The area of ​​each of the four luxury rooms is comparable to the size of a small studio apartment and exceeds 22 sq.m. To emphasize the luxury and splendor of these truly royal apartments, the carriages are named after precious stones: diamond (khira) and blue sapphire (nilam).


In luxury rooms, the shower cabin is replaced by a full-fledged marble bathtub, there are individual minibars, and the list of additional services for luxury passengers is impressive:

✅ experienced guide who speaks several languages
✅ business class car for sightseeing trips
✅ individual valet-butler for each room
✅ soft chairs in the room
✅ separate bedroom and living room
✅ XNUMX-hour paramedic duty

The Presidential Suite occupies the entire ninth carriage of the train and is a real palace of the great Rajah on wheels. A room with an area of ​​more than 42 sq.m. consists of two bedrooms, a living room and two bathrooms. The carriage is named “Navratana”, which means “nine precious stones”. The interior decoration meets the requirements of the Indian Maharajas and combines luxury and extravagance.


The comfort of the VIP traveler is monitored 24 hours a day by two butlers and one valet. Upon arrival at the station for sightseeing, a luxury car is delivered to the carriage door. The personal guide for the Presidential Suite guests can speak eight languages.

The technical content of the Navratana carriage meets all modern requirements. In addition to the usual Wi-Fi, multimedia system and air conditioning, travelers are provided with a landline telephone with direct access to international communications.

In addition to residential cars, the train has two themed gourmet restaurants. The menu takes into account all the taste preferences of travelers from different countries and offers dishes of both local and European cuisine.


The interior decoration of the restaurants corresponds to the concept of the train and shines with luxury. Natural wood, velvet and massive furniture correspond to the name of the express.

Royal travel routes to the main attractions of India

The Maharaja Express runs on four routes covering the most interesting sights of the country:

✅ Heritage of India
✅ Treasures of India
✅ Panorama of India
✅ The Splendor of India

The shortest tour, “Treasures of India,” lasts only 4 days, during which time you will be able to visit several striking attractions. On the first day after a walk around the Indian capital, express guests will go to Agra, where one of the country's calling cards is located - the Taj Mahal mausoleum. The huge white marble complex was built in the mid-XNUMXth century and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Hindus rank the mausoleum among the seven wonders of the world, although it is not one.


On the second day, tourists will get to know Ranthambore National Park. Passengers of the Maharaja Express will be transported in open SUVs along protected trails, where you can easily meet exotic representatives of the local fauna. Next, the train will head to the city of Jaipur, famous for the Amber fortress. The fortification was built at the end of the XNUMXth century from white marble and red sandstone and is an architectural monument from the Mughal era.

From Jaipur the train returns to the Indian capital. This is the most inexpensive tour on the Maharaja Express. A trip in the Deluxe cabin category will cost $4900, while a ticket to the Presidential Suite costs $13.

The Splendor of India tour lasts 7 days and connects the two largest cities of Delhi and Mumbai. For the first three days, the train follows the route described above to Jaipur. Next, the Maharaja Express heads to Bikaner and Jodhpur, where tourists will be shown ancient forts and introduced to the daily life of local residents.


On the sixth day of the journey, tourists arrive in Udaipur, famous for its lakes. Here is also the largest palace complex in the state of Rajahsthan with carved balconies, crenellated arches and domes. The journey ends in Mumbai. The Indian Heritage route is completely similar, but planned in the opposite direction.

For a week-long trip on one of these routes in the most inexpensive class you need to pay $8130, a luxury room will cost $14, and a presidential carriage will cost almost $990.

The “Panorama of India” tour is aimed at tourists who are interested in the spiritual component of Indian culture. After visiting Agra and Jaipur, the train heads east towards the valley of the sacred Ganges River. Along the way, the express makes stops in the cities of Orchha and Khajuraho, famous for their temples. Some of these iconic buildings were built over a thousand years ago and are well preserved to this day.


The final point of the journey will be the famous spiritual center of India - the city of Varanasi. The city has existed for more than 3 thousand years and has the same significance for Hindus as Rome does for Catholics. The waters of the sacred Ganges, mosques, Buddhist temples, palaces of rulers and lively bazaars - all this is concentrated in Varanasi. From this city the express returns to New Delhi. Costs are comparable to other seven-day Maharaja Express tours and range from $7750 for a Deluxe to $24890 for a Presidential Suite.


Any of the tours on the most expensive train in Asia will undoubtedly leave a lot of impressions on tourists. The tour organizers have done everything to make travelers feel like kings of a bygone era.