The history of the Palace On Wheels is both legendary and colorful. The carriages which today form this famed train each have a history of their own. These coaches were operating as 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.

The Palace On Wheels has always been involved in mystery and intrigue. In reality the various carriages of the train have been the scenes of history and intrigue.

The Indian railways has stopped the use these coaches after independence as it was not feasible to include these in the normal passenger trains due to their richly and traditionally decorated interiors. The Palace On Wheels made its inaugural trip as a steam engine train on 26th January 1982. It started its operations regularly from October 1982.

The rebirth of a legend

In 1991, a new air-conditioned meter gauge Palace On Wheels was launched with 13 salons, 2 restaurants, kitchen car, Bar cum lounge and 4 service cars on the lines of the old heritage train. 'Khidmatgars' or personal attendants, in each cabin, cater to all your needs.

Palace on wheels has earned an international reputation for its truly world-class travel experiences. Winner of the PATA gold award in 1987, the train has been counted as one of the ten best luxurious rail journeys in the world. It has also caught the attention of the world's media including BBC, MTV, National Geographic, Zee TV, MDR of Germany and many others. It has carried 36096 tourists in 578 trios up to April 2002.

The Royal Palace on Wheels Accommodation

The Palace On Wheels is composed of 14 fully air-conditioned deluxe salons, well equipped with international level world-class amenities to enhance the comfort of your travel. The coaches are made up of 104 passenger berths in double bedded cabins, each with channel music, intercom, attached toilet, running hot and cold water and a shower.

The coaches are named after former Rajput states matching the aesthetics and interiors of the royal past. Each salon has a mini pantry and a lounge making available the hot and cold beverages, refreshments and a place to relax and a cool get together.

The two dining cars of the train have been aptly named "The Maharaja" and "The Maharani" keeping in mind the royal legacy. These restaurants serve sumptuous Indian, Chinese, Continental and Rajasthani cuisines. Enjoy a comfortable seat in the lounge bar where you can get the choicest of the Indian and international brands of liquors. Each coach has a good collection of books for the bibliophiles.

The renovation of the Palace On Wheels takes place at regular intervals. The décor in the salons and bar lounge keeps changing, keeping in mind, the traditionally aesthetic yet modern, Palace On Wheels. Each salon lounge has been equipped with a color television and a CD player. You will soon get a satellite phone which will enable you communicate anywhere in the world from the train.