The success of the train which now runs in the Jaipur-Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-Udaipur-Agra-Delhi sector, has prompted the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and the Indian Railways to introduce one more such train in the state that will ply on metre gauge and connect Jaipur, Jhunjhunu, Bikaner and Chittore.
The train will be in place by the end of December, Vinod Zutshi, state's secretary for tourism and chairman of RTDC says. "The talks with the Indian Railways are in the last stage and we are trying to press for a 50:50 sharing plan. Once that is over, the train will be ready to be run," he says.
The palace-on-wheels has been a wonder since its launch in 1982 by putting together 13 coaches from different princely states in India.
In 1991, the train was further developed and now it can carry 104 passengers in 14 deluxe saloons and is rated as one of the top 10 luxury trains across the world, thanks to the wide coverage given to it by the international media.
The palace-on-wheels has been a wonder since its launch in 1982 by putting together 13 coaches from different princely states in India.
In 1991, the train was further developed and now it can carry 104 passengers in 14 deluxe saloons and is rated as one of the top 10 luxury trains across the world, thanks to the wide coverage given to it by the international media.
RTDC officials say the train is booked till 2010, with confirmed bookings in the current year, 70 per cent bookings for the next, and part confirmed and part provisional bookings for the rest of the years.
The train has run over 800 trips and has carried over 50,000 tourists, most of them foreigners and non-resident Indians, so far.
The train that is going to be run as the new palace-on-wheels was used by the RTDC to run in the Jaipur-Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-Agra-Delhi sector, before the line was converted into broad gauge.
After the broad gauge palace-on-wheels train began service, the metre gauge train was taken over by Gujarat that tried to run it in the state as the 'Royal Orient'.
However, the venture did not go far and before long, it was wound up and the train shunted to its current location in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh.
After the RTDC decided to run another palace-on-wheels, the authorities checked the train and found it to be in good condition. The train is being given a face-lift and after the talks are over, will be run in the metre gauge as the palace-on-wheels.
"The rates for travel in the train are also being worked out and is expected to be less than the rates now," Zutshi says.
