The whistle blows softly, the train glides forward, and India begins to unfold, one royal landscape at a time. Aboard the India luxury train Maharajas’ Express, every moment feels celebratory, even when there’s no festival on the calendar. Because when you’re surrounded by regal interiors, world-class dining, and India’s most timeless destinations outside your window, that itself becomes a festival.
The Maharajas’ Express isn’t merely a train; it’s a statement of grandeur that travels.
From the red-carpet welcome to the traditional aarti at embarkation, the experience feels like stepping into another era, one where royalty met refinement and journeys were stories in themselves.
Each cabin exudes sophistication:
Handcrafted teak interiors, silk furnishings, and marble-clad bathrooms recreate the grace of princely India. A personal butler, Wi-Fi connectivity, and 24×7 service make the experience as seamless as it is indulgent.
Dining onboard feels like a royal banquet. In Mayur Mahal and Rang Mahal, multi-cuisine menus are served in an ambience glowing with chandeliers and soft conversation. Later, the Safari Bar turns into an elegant retreat, where guests exchange stories over vintage wines as the countryside passes by under a starlit sky.
This isn’t travel, it’s theatre on rails, where every scene is crafted to perfection.
While there’s no dedicated “festive itinerary,” each route of the Maharajas’ Express captures India’s celebratory spirit through its landscapes, architecture, and living traditions.
The Indian Splendour itinerary, from Delhi to Mumbai via Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Udaipur, is a masterstroke of cultural storytelling.
Even the shorter Treasures of India route (Delhi–Agra–Ranthambore–Jaipur) feels like a condensed festival, one that begins with devotion, peaks with wonder, and ends in splendour. So, while there isn’t a separate Maharajas’ Express festival travel itinerary, the experience itself mirrors the rhythm of India’s festivals, vibrant, soulful, and unforgettable.
The celebration doesn’t stop when the train leaves a station; it simply changes form. Each morning begins with fragrant tea and fresh scenery, mist over fields, temples glowing in dawn light, distant chants carried on the breeze.
Days flow into guided excursions through forts, temples, and marketplaces alive with colour and craft. Evenings return you to the luxury cocoon of the train, where gourmet dinners and soft melodies fill the lounge cars. The entire rhythm of the Maharajas’ Express feels festive in its own right, not because of rituals, but because of how deeply it immerses you in the art of travel.
Here, every sunrise feels like an offering. Every journey, like a procession of discovery.
If there’s ever a time to experience this grandeur, it’s between October and April, when the weather is crisp, the landscapes bloom, and India’s biggest festivals light up the country.
From the glittering lamps of Diwali to the riot of colours in Holi, this is when India feels most alive. The Maharajas’ Express runs its journeys through these very months, aligning beautifully with the season of joy, devotion, and discovery.
So while there’s no festival-specific tour, the timing itself makes every itinerary feel festive, like being part of a grand, countrywide celebration.
Every element of the Maharajas’ Express adds to a larger symphony of indulgence and emotion:
This holiday, train travel India at its finest, blending comfort with culture, movement with mindfulness. By the time the journey ends, you’ll have seen not just India’s monuments, but its moods, the laughter of artisans, the scent of incense in temples, and the warmth of a land that still knows how to celebrate life in its purest form.
As the train slows toward its final stop, you realise the real festival wasn’t in any one city, it was in the journey itself. Every mile, every meal, every story shared over clinking glasses felt like part of a grand procession of experiences.
The Maharajas’ Express doesn’t just take you across India, it lets you feel India.
So this festive season, don’t wait for a date on the calendar. Step aboard the train where celebration never ends, because on the Maharajas’ Express, every journey is a festival in motion.