Luxury Trains in Rajasthan

Of the numerous ways to explore the majestic state of Rajasthan, in western India, perhaps the most fascinating is the tours in the famous Rajasthan luxury trains. These trains are not only luxurious, they also take you back to the age of the Maharajas of Rajasthan who used to travel in these grand coaches within their estates. These trains are among the most important attractions of tourism in Rajasthan, and tourists are advised to undertake these railway trips at least once during their visits to Rajasthan.

The luxury trains of Rajasthan,India have been formed by bringing together the coaches and components of the lavish personal trains used by the erstwhile rulers of wealthy states of Rajasthan and other parts of India. The Nizam of Hyderabad, the rulers of Rajputana, and the viceroy of India used to travel in these trains. Therefore, these trains are heritage sites themselves. After independence, these coaches were pulled out of service as they could not be incorporated in the regular trains, being excessively lavish for such purposes.

At present, the famous Rajasthan luxury trains include the Palace on wheels, the fairy Queen, and the Royal Orient. The palace on wheels is the most celebrated of the three. It is a world famous train, known for its royal splendor. The coaches of this train have come from the erstwhile estates of Rajasthan, and bear the names of the states they belong to. The train has achieved the most fame among the luxury trains of India. It has a library, lounge car, dining car, and fabulous salon cars. The trip aboard the Palace on Wheels includes visits to some of the best known destinations in Rajasthan.

The fairy Queen is yet another among the famous Rajasthan luxury trains. The train derives its name form the locomotive that draws the two air conditioned coaches. The fairy Queen is the world�s oldest running locomotive. It started its service in 1855 and was taken off service in East India railway in 1908. After being displayed in the National railway museum, it was brought back to active service in 1997, making the maiden trip from Delhi cantonment station to Alwar in Rajasthan. The tour covers the cities of Delhi and Alwar, and a visit to the Sariska tiger reserve.

The Royal Orient is another fascinating experience if you can afford it. The train starts from Delhi and travels across the desert of Rajasthan before moving over to the state of Gujarat. The destinations covered by the Royal Orient include Chittorgrarh, Udaipur, Dilwara, Junagarh, Sasangir, Palitana, Jaipur, New Delhi Ahmedabad, among other spots.

The Rajasthan luxury trains are among the special trains operated jointly by the tourism authorities of India and the Indian railways. They have been a great success so far, and more such ventures are in the pipeline for the near future, covering the other important tourism sectors in India.