Maharajas' Express promises luxury journey from Kolkata to Delhi

Feel like a maharaja chugging from Kolkata to Delhi

The train is the latest offering from Indian Railways on the lines of the Palace On Wheels to generate revenue and help tourists explore India. It possesses elegant features and international-level comfort.

The journey from Kolkata to Delhi by Maharajas' Express has been christened Celestial India. It will cover pilgrim and tourist centres like Gaya and Varanasi, the Bandhavgarh forests, Khajuraho, Agra and Gwalior before terminating in Delhi.

The train chugged out with 38 passengers from Kolkata on Saturday night.

"I am delighted that this train was flagged off from this great city called Kolkata," said veteran journalist and broadcaster Mark Tully, who was present at the flagging-off ceremony.

He said: "Maharajas' Express will herald a new era in luxury and travel. This is a great experience indeed."

The train has five deluxe cabins, six junior suites, two suites and one grand presidential suite. The charges for the presidential suite are $2,500 (Rs.113,762) per person per day.
It is equipped with LCD televisions, DVD players, individual temperature control, direct dial telephones, Wi-Fi internet connectivity and large panoramic windows.

"My best wishes are there with all the passengers who are the first to board the train from Kolkata. It's a gift to those who want to savour royal India and can afford it," Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee said during her brief address Saturday night.

"The tourists can pay in dollars or Indian currency. It's a new initiative by the Indian railways to boost tourism in our country," she said.

Maharajas' Express is owned by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and managed by a joint venture company, Royale India Rail Tours Ltd.

According to railway officials, the interior of the train was designed by E.K. Associates and manufactured at Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.