A Southern Odyssey with Luxury on Wheels on-board the Maharajas Express

When you step into the Maharajas’ Express, you enter a world of unsurpassed glory and splendor. Bestowed the “World’s Leading Luxury Train” award at the World Travel Awards for five consecutive years from 2012 to 2016, it has recreated the concept of luxury travel. While showering its guests’ in opulence, it provides a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of India. This is the best way to discover India! This Indian luxury train now has come up with two scintillating journeys into the Southern region of India.

Maharajas’ Express – an initiative of Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), now adds two new royal journeys to its itinerary in the form of The Southern Jewels and The Southern Sojourn. South India, besides being blessed with abundant natural beauty, is a land immersed in history, art and culture. It is a veritable storehouse of treasures waiting to be explored, and the introduction of this initiative enables visitors to do just that.

Maharajas Express – Southern Jewel presents an itinerary of eight days, during which it lets you explore some of the most alluring destinations of the region including, Chettinad, Thanjavur, Mahabalipuram, Mysore, Hampi and Goa at the Konkan coast. All this while, the guests are pampered in every way.

Some of the defining features presented by this tour are the spectacular mansions of Chettinad, incredible ruins of Hampi, UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mahabalipuram, the fabulous churches of Old Goa etc. While the interiors are adorned with magnificence, the on-board facilities cater to every kind of whims and fancies of the guest.

Maharajas Express – Southern Sojourn is a well-planned journey spread over a period of eight days, during which the magnificence of South India is brought to you in all its glory. The tour covers destinations like Goa, Hampi, Mysore, Cochin and Kumarakom.

While the ruins of Hampi will leave you utterly fascinated, the churches of Goa will throw you in a spiritual trance. Some of the other sights to behold are Chinese fishing nets in Cochin, canoe cruising in Kumarakom and Mysore Palace – the symbol of opulence.

Maharajas’ Express made its debut journey in the year 2010, and has been conferred with the winner of the world’s “Leading Luxury Train” at The World Travel Awards repeatedly for five years in a row (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016). The train immerses its guests with the choicest of comforts and endears itself to them with its incredible hospitality.

The opulence and grandeur of Indian architecture flows freely in the décor and the interiors of the Maharajas’ Express. Its cabins are furnished with linen, excellent upholstery, semi-precious stones, wall-to-wall carpeting, rich tapestry and antiques passed down from previous generations. Regardless of whether you stay in a Presidential Suite, Junior Suite, Deluxe Cabin or Suite, you will always find yourself amid unparalleled luxury. The various amenities provided onboard like twin or king-size bed, toiletries and private bathrooms only embellish the overall experience of a guest. All the rooms are equipped with facilities like Wi-Fi Internet, electronic safety deposit, channel music, DVD players, Direct Dial Telephone and LCD TV, among others.

The two restaurants of the train – Mayur Mahal and Rang Mahal, redefine the dining experience. Relaxing and unwinding is done best at The Rajah Club – a luxurious lounge, and the Safari Bar – the bar car. Some of the other facilities provided onboard like spa, gym, souvenir shop, an observation car, on-board doctor etc., reinforces its claim of being “royalty on wheels.”

Tickets for the train journeys could be booked from the website IndianLuxuryTrains.Com, a venture of Indian Holiday Pvt. Ltd, the official PSA-IA (IRCTC Affiliate) for booking  Maharajas’ Express train tickets.