A look into Palace on Wheels Interiors

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Palace on Wheels Interesting Facts & History

Palace on Wheels, the great luxury train of India has a very interesting history and fact file.

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1. The Palace on Wheels is India’s first luxury train
2. The carriages of this wonderful luxury train of India have a history of their own. Originally used as a favorite medium of transport by the rulers of princely states of Rajputana, Gujarat, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Viceroy of British India, the magnificent coaches of the Palace on Wheels take you to the dream world of erstwhile Maharaja and Nawabs of India.
3. After the independence of India in 1947, Indian Railways decided to discontinue the use of these magnificent coaches. As the coaches had well decorated traditional interiors with gorgeous furnishings, it was not viable to include them in the normal passenger trains. In 1981-82, due to efforts of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation, the Indian Railways decided to launch a special heritage train for tourists, visiting Rajasthan. It was aimed at providing an unforgettable and momentous travel and tour experience to the tourists. And so was the Palace on Wheels became a reality.
4. Powered by a steam engine, the Palace on Wheels made its maiden journey on 26th January (India’s Republic Day) 1982.
5. The Palace on Wheels has gained remarkable success and attained worldwide acclaim and popularity including the PATA gold award in 1987. The Palace on Wheels has been rated as one of the ten best luxurious rail journeys in the world.
6. Recently it’s been voted in Top 4 luxury trains in the world by a popular travel magazine.
7. There is a separate reception area for Palace on Wheels passengers at the railway station. Once you reach the station, it’s very easy to find its location, as an extended reception area is created in front of the station building itself. You need to park your vehicle just in front of the reception area.
8. In 1991, a new air-conditioned meter gauge Palace on Wheels on the lines of the old heritage train was launched, which has 14 saloons, 2 restaurants cum kitchen cars, one bar cum lounge and 4 service cars. Each saloon boasts 4 cabins, equipped with bath and shower facilities. The Palace on Wheels also has a well-maintained library. It now boasts of a Spa, Wi-fi and Digital television facilities also.

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Palace on Wheels is amongst the Top 5 Luxury Trains in the World

India's legendary luxury train - Palace on Wheels - is amongst the Top 5 Luxury Trains around the world  declared sometime back by the popular travel magazine Conde Nast. For 2009, the magazine had asked its readers to vote for their favorite train.

They were asked to rank each train out of 100 points. Palace on Wheels attained 83.94 points and was ranked fourth below the Venice Simplon-Orient Express (89.92 points), Eurostar (86.92 points) and Pride of Africa, Rovos Rail (84.25 points). There is no other luxury train of India in the top 10 trains. The newly launched Royal Rajasthan on Wheels (RROW) was not ranked since it is a new train.
The chairman and managing director of Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC), Manjit Singh, said the announcement will give a big boost not only to the luxury trains of Rajasthan but also tourism in the state. He said the train was currently undergoing major revamp at a cost of Rs. 1.5 crore. The interior of the train were being redone. A spa was being added to the facilities in the train.
The CMD also said that the tourists will be taken for a Dubai-like desert safari when the train halts at Jaisalmer. More varied food will be served. For instance, Mexican, Thai and seafood were being added to the menu. The bar was also being upgraded and some of the world’s best wines and liquor will be made available.

Source: Times of India

Palace on Wheels : Travel Like a True Maharaja

Interesting experiences compiled by Madhulika Sonkar on BombayNews.net

Exquisitely carved interiors, intricate gold tapestry, crisp white curtains and shimmering bejeweled walls - not for nothing is India's Palace on Wheels one of the top 10 luxury trains in the world. And now it offers more.

A royal spa car and spruced up interiors are among the improved amenities introduced in the train last month and these are being offered to guests at no extra cost.

'The upgraded version is surely going to work better,' said Manjit Singh, chairman and managing director of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) which manages the train.

'The advance booking for the train takes place much before the beginning of the season. It's an indication that this train is a success,' Singh said.

And the season has just begun. The 24-coach train, with a capacity of 104 guests, departs from New Delhi every Wednesday between September and April. It runs mainly overnight with guests waking up to an exciting new destination in Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh. A night in the exotic train costs $400-500 (Rs.18,000-20,000), depending on the service one opts for.

For American tourist Perry Marco, a friend's advice was worth the experience last year.

'I had heard about this train from a friend, and decided to take the journey myself. Really, it's a beautiful experience. A spectacular showcasing of ancient heritage. I don't mind giving a second shot to it,' he said.

Marco's wife Lydia said:

'This is the best way to see the royal palaces of Rajasthan, the rich history and culture.'

There are 14 carriages, each with four en-suite rooms and attendants, two restaurant cars, one small gym, a beauty salon and a bar lounge car. Each carriage is decorated individually with luscious fabrics and named after a different Rajput state - making Palace on Wheels an apt name! The newly added Royal Space is attached to the carriages and boasts of ayurvedic and non-ayurvedic massages. The 52 rooms in the train with single, double and triple occupancies can accommodate 104 passengers on any fully-booked tour.

For Lalit Pawar, the chairman of the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and former managing director of RTDC, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 'Only heaven can be equated with Palace on Wheels,' Pawar told IANS.

'The train travels almost 2,200 km. The stoppages offer four different rides: elephant, camel, boat and safari. I have got amazing feedback from guests telling me how much they loved the journey,' he said. Pawar said because of the cost, Indian travelers give it a miss.

'We will certainly work on an economy version of the train. I feel we should explore every possibility of making this royal treat available to the Indian masses,' said Pawar, who has an eight-year-long experience with RTDC.

The train makes its way through the royal forts and palaces of 'Pink City' Jaipur, 'Golden City' Jaisalmer, touches base at Ranthambore, famous for its tigers, and also Agra, home to the Taj Mahal. There's space for gastronomic delights too. It has two lavish restaurants - The Maharaja and The Maharani - with a Rajasthani ambience serving palate tickling Continental, Chinese and Rajasthani cuisines.

Belgium-based Watson Seron said:

'Oh! I fell in love with the food...Maharaja (restaurant) has a lot to offer. The luxury quotient is high.'

Mellisa Craig from Belgium said she has travelled the world, but this was her best experience.

'I travel a lot. And this has been my best experience so far. They take so much care of the guests. I would love to come again,' she added.

'It passes like a flash. Palace on Wheels ends like a dream,' signs off Lydia on a nostalgic note.

(Madhulika Sonkar can be contacted at madhulika.sonkar@gmail.com)

Nice Palace on Wheels Video Compilation!

New Palace on Wheels embarks for this season!

India's premier tourist luxury train, 'Palace on Wheels' steamed out of New Delhi on last Wednesday.
To woo more tourists, the train has been refurbished with an added spa and variety of cuisines on its menu.
Forty-one passengers, including foreigners, boarded the train.
"We had actually heard about this train long back and we planned with our European friends to come here but unfortunately we could not manage but this time we decided to go on this train with our whole family," Murli Adnani, a passenger.
The joint operators of this exclusive train-Indian Railways and the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC)-- expressed hope that the added facilities would attract tourists.
"Now this time after two to three years, refurbishing has been done. All the saloons, cabins and lounge cars have new curtains, new tapestry, new carpets; all have been changed. We have added a spa car this year apart from this, the cuisine, now we have Indian, Chinese, Continental, Italian, Mexican, Thai, sea food every thing is there," said Pramod Sharma, General Manager, Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation.
The journey by the Palace on Wheels covers all the famous royal palaces, museums, sanctuaries and the Thar Desert in Rajasthan over a period of seven days.
Guests on the Palace on Wheels are taken around the rich cultural heritages, including architecturally renowned palaces in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Chittorgarh and Jaisalmer.
Inaugurated in 1982, the 'Palace on Wheels' has been a hit with tourists.
The fully air-conditioned train has 14 deluxe saloons in which the Maharajas of yore traveled.
In tune with modern trends, all saloons are equipped with five star amenities like channel music, intercom, running hot water, double beds and wall-to-wall carpeting.
The interiors of most coaches reflect the glory and elegance of various dynasties of Indian history. (ANI)