Some journeys take you to India. The Maharajas’ Express invites you to discover it in a very different way: from the window of an elegant cabin, over breakfast as the landscape changes, and through carefully arranged excursions that take you from grand forts and palaces to wildlife reserves, heritage hotels and historic cities. Aboard the Maharajas’ Express luxury train, the train is not merely your transport between destinations; it is your private world between discoveries, with fine dining, attentive service, beautifully appointed spaces and the comforts of a luxury hotel travelling with you.
The Maharajas’ way of discovering India is deliberately unhurried. You wake to a new landscape, breakfast is served onboard, and before long you are stepping out to experience the destination itself. Later, you return to the train, perhaps after a morning at a centuries-old fort or an afternoon game drive, and the transition is effortless. Your cabin is ready, the next meal awaits, and the landscape begins changing outside your window again.
There are four available modes of accommodation on the 23-carriage luxury train in India: 20 Deluxe Cabins, 18 Junior Suites, four Suites and the 448-square-foot Presidential Suite, Navratna. The cabins and suites are also given the names of precious and semi-precious stones, giving a royal touch even to the tiniest details of the train.
It offers you a private, comfortable room with twin/double beds, a writing table, a wardrobe, an electronic safe, an LED screen, Wi-Fi, and an en-suite bathroom with a shower cubicle, hot/cold running water, luxury toiletries, a bathrobe, slippers, and a hairdryer.
A slightly more spacious option for an onboard fix, with its own little mini-pantry and individual valet service. The suite also features an enclosed living room, bedroom, upholstered armchairs, side table, writing desk and a free minibar.
It is located at the top and offers two bedrooms, a living area, a sofa, a writing table, a complimentary minibar and ample space for up to four guests.
Large panoramic windows keep India in view, and air conditioning, Wi-Fi, LED screens, OTT entertainment, intercom connection, wardrobes, personal electronic safes and en-suite bathrooms ensure the spaces are as functional as they are classy.
Food and beverages on the world’s most luxurious train go with the flow. The morning countryside may be accompanied by breakfast; the time between excursions may be spent relaxing, with lunch and dinner creating an evening affair of its own. An on-board kitchen offers a variety of Indian and international dishes, and the menu is updated daily, while special dietary requests are catered to if made in advance.
Onboard, there are two restaurants. The inspiration for Mayur Mahal is the peacock, while Rang Mahal, or “Palace of Colours”, adds a more colourful and elaborate flair to the meals. Both can seat 42 people and can make even an average meal feel like it’s part of the celebration. The meals, beverages, wines and spirits are included as outlined in package inclusions.
When the day calls for a quieter finish, the Rajah Club and Safari Bar offer two different ways to unwind. Guests can sit in the lounge and enjoy a drink, a book or a board game with other travellers at the Safari Bar. It’s a minor, but significant, aspect of the Maharajas’ experience: you are not waiting for the next stop; you are always somewhere on board to enjoy the trip itself.
What makes the luxury train journey in India memorable is the connection between what happens onboard and what awaits beyond the carriages. Off-train, guided tours are planned into the itineraries, and all necessary transport, guide, entrance and still camera fees are covered. A particular problem is with luggage, which is handled by porters at the embarkation and disembarkation stations, and a butler is responsible for each carriage day and night.
From the majestic Taj Mahal at Agra to the forts and palaces of Rajasthan, a game drive at Ranthambore, the lakes of Udaipur and the cultural heritage of places like Khajuraho and Varanasi, the itineraries blend some of the most iconic sights and experiences India has to offer. For instance, on the Indian Splendour tour, you can take the train from breakfast to Amber Fort, the City Palace, and Albert Hall Museum, and then head for dinner at the Rambagh Palace and finally back on the train at night.
Luxury on Maharajas’ Express is also found in the details that are easy to overlook until you need them. Personalised service, electronic safes and RFID door locks are provided in each carriage; cabins fitted with CCTV cameras, smoke alarms and round-the-clock paramedic services provide safety. The Maharajas’ Express facilities offer practical comforts, such as hot and cold running water, linen changes daily or on request, luxury toiletries and hairdryers. Complimentary tea, coffee and mineral water are provided, while international adaptors are available onboard.
India can be wonderfully intense; its colours, sounds, distances, history and sheer variety are part of its magic. Maharajas’ Express gives you a refined base from which to experience all of it, without turning the journey into a series of hurried transfers.
That is ultimately what makes the Maharajas’ Express luxury train more than a way to travel between destinations. It is a distinctly Maharajas’ way of discovering India, where your room travels with you, your meals become part of the landscape, your butler is never far away, and every day brings another story beyond the train. Here, luxury is not simply about what you have onboard; it is about how effortlessly the entire journey lets you experience India.