History
The Palace on Wheels, started on January 26 in 1982, was voted the 4th luxurious train in the world.
The concept of the Palace on Wheels was derived from the royal background of the coaches, which were originally meant to be the personal railway coaches of the erstwhile rulers of the princely states of Rajputana, Gujarat, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Viceroy of British India.
Each carriage of Palace on Wheels convey a history of its own; once used as the delicate railway coaches of the rulers of Rajasthan, Gujarat, the Nizams of Hyderabad and the Viceroys of India, today all the carriages are presenting stunning examples of bygone days regality accompanied by modern day classiness.
After India got independence in 1947, all the royal rail carriages were ceased to be used. Because of their rich artistry on the inner walls, it was not possible to include these in the fleet regular passenger trains. It was only on 26th January 1982, that Palace on Wheels pioneered the tradition of luxury train journey in India and made its maiden voyage as a luxury steam engine train. This luxury Indian train started operating in a regular basis from October 1982.
In the year 1991 Palace on Wheels had been refurbished again and this time it appeared as a meter gauge train having 13 salons, kitchen car, 2 luxuriously appointed restaurants, a bar with a lounge and 4 service cars. To make the journey all the more magical, the train introduced the concept of personal 'Khudmatgars' or attendants who are made available to the service of the guests round the clock.
The delightful journey aboard Palace on Wheels earned PATA Gold Award in the year 1987 and also caught the attention of the world media including BBC, MTV, MDR of Germany, National Geographic and several others. Over the years this Indian luxury train had went through several renovations so that a more pleasant experience can be shared with the guests. High tech and avant-garde amenities were introduced that ensures a regal voyaging experience amid soul tempting lavishness.
At present the train has 14 salons which replicates the original coaches used by erstwhile maharajas and viceroys of India. The train comes equipped with en-suite bathroom, two multi-cuisine restaurants, a bar with a great collection of Indian and international brands of wine, a lounge with a relaxing ambience and a spa car.
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