TRAIN VACATIONS IN INDIA

Train Vacations

Vacation in trains- sounds interesting! In reality the idea of spending an entire vacation in trains is not just an interesting idea but an interesting experience as well. Mahatma Gandhi had once pointed out that a travel by train allows one to see and understand India and her people better. This is indeed true for a vast country like India where a single vacation is not enough to appreciate the beauty and culture of different parts of India. The Indian Railways, one of the largest rail system in the world, takes people their desired destinations everyday.

However there are trains that are especially meant for tourism purpose. These trains not only move passengers from one place to another but provide a lot more amenities . There are luxury trains like The Palace on Wheels, The Royal Orient; superfast trains like the Rajdhani and the Shatabdi; there are also toy trains that run in hill stations.

Luxury Trains
The Luxury trains offer their passengers an opportunity to experience a lifestyle that is opulent, regal, impressive, extrvagant, stylish, splendid- in brief an opportunity to feel like emperor a nd empress . In India there are two luxury train that offer an experience for lifetime.

The Palace on Wheels
Most popular with tourists, this train runs from September to April. The train with 14 air conditioned coaches starts from Delhi and covers the beautiful cities of Jaipur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Agra in its eight days journey. The train offers an extremely royal atmosphere to its passengers complete with delicious food, resturant, library, bar, lounges and personal attendants. At every halt, traditional royal welcome is given to the passengers who are then taken for a sightseeing excursion. Travelling is done during night hours while daytime is reserved for sightseeing.The beauty of the cities is enhanced by the comfort and luxury provided to the travellers. A journey on The Palace on Wheels leaves a traveller with an unforgettable memory.

The Royal Orient
The Royal Orient, as the name suggests is royal in its treatment of its guests. The train commencing from Delhi journeys through the cities of two of the most colourful and culturally rich states of India-Gujrat and Rajasthan. The cities covered by the train in eight days are Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Veraval, Sesangir, Delvada, Palitana, Sarkhej, Ahemedabad and Jaipur. The train that runs between October and March provides top-notch service and facilities to its passengers including decorated coaches with attached bathrooms, resturant, bars and a library. Again night hours are reserved for travelling while daytime is spent in exploring the city. Passengers boarding The Royal Orient will cherish the joy and experience of travelling in the train forever.

The Deccan Odyssey
The Deccan Odyssey occupies a similar position in south India as The Palace on Wheels in the north. A weeklong trip full of merriment, knowledge and luxury- this is what is on offer by The Deccan Odyssey.The train starts off and culminates in Mumbai and enroute it covers Jaigadh, Ganpathipule, Ratnagiri,Sindhudurg, Tarkarli, Sawantwadi, Goa, Pune, Aurangabad, Ajanta and Nasik. Facilities available on board include resturants, lounge, bar, spa compartment,conference hall( with additional facilities of satellite communication,internet, computer with printer and fax, telephones), library and beauty parlour. A doctor and money exchange & credit card facilities are also available. A complete and comfortable journey- worth taking a trip in once.

Superfast Trains
Though the superfast trains do not provide the luxury of the earlier mentioned trains, still they ensure a basic comfort level for all their passengers.Among the most prominent superfast trains are the Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, Konkan Railways and the Taj Express.

The Rajdhani is a long distance air-conditioned train that connects New Delhi with the capital city of all states. All the Rajdhani trains have very few stoppage points and are therefore more comfortable. Meals , snacks, beverages are available on train.
The Shatabdi Express connects major cities and like Rajdhani provides meals and snacks to its passengers. It is also a completely air conditioned train. Konkan Railways that operate up and down the Konkan region and the Taj Express that connects Delhi to Agra and Gwalior are also classified as superfast trains.

Toy Trains
Toy trains are small trains that run mostly in hill stations connecting the hilly area with plains. Running on a narrow guage, these toy trains are not just a means to commute from one place to another, rather they provide an experience markedly different from the one felt while travelling in usual trains.Enjoying the natural beauty of the surrounding area, travellers( their numbers are also less compared to other trains) are transported to a completely different world. Some of the Toy trains that operate in India are the Shivalik Express (120 seater, from Kalka to Shimla), Shivalik Queen( launched for honeymooners) and the Matheran Railway( Mumbai-Pune). These trains have their own speciality like the Shivalik Express has glass windows and wall to wall carpeting and the Shivalik Queen provides privacy despite having big windows.A trip in these Toytrains is definitely enjoyable.