Mumbai · Udaipur · Jodhpur · Jaisalmer · Jaipur · Agra · Delhi
The Maharajas' Express was launched in 2010 by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), with the ambition of creating India's most luxurious train. It succeeded immediately. Within two years of operation it had been crowned the World's Leading Luxury Train by the World Travel Awards — a title it has won multiple times since.
The train draws its aesthetic from the grandeur of India's royal courts. Each of the 23 coaches is decorated in a distinct regional style: Rajasthani mirror-work, Mughal inlaid stone patterns, and lacquerwork sourced from artisan ateliers in Jaipur and Udaipur. The presidential suites are genuinely palatial — larger than many five-star hotel rooms.
There are four itineraries available, each departing weekly from either Mumbai or Delhi between October and April (the season runs in the cooler months). The flagship Indian Splendor itinerary covers eight days and seven nights, visiting the greatest monuments of Rajasthan and the Mughal Empire including the Taj Mahal at sunrise, the forts of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, the lakes of Udaipur, and the pink city of Jaipur.
Every excursion is included in the fare — guests leave the train in air-conditioned coaches accompanied by expert local guides, and return to find the dining car set for the next meal. The experience is closer to a moving five-star resort than a conventional train journey.
Interactive Route
Click any marker for details about each stop.
The Journey
Indian Splendor itinerary (Mumbai departure)
Day 1 · Evening
Boarding begins at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus with a champagne reception. The train departs as the sun sets over Mumbai harbour.
Day 2
Rajasthan's most romantic city. An exclusive boat ride across Lake Pichola to the Lake Palace — built in 1746 on a marble island — is the day's centrepiece. The city palace tour follows.
Day 3
The walls of Mehrangarh Fort rise 120 metres above the Blue City. The Jaswant Thada cenotaph, set in carved white marble, offers sweeping views. Local artisans demonstrate tie-dye and lacquerwork in the bazaars below.
Day 4
The train arrives in the Thar Desert. Jaisalmer Fort — one of the world's few living forts — glows honeyed gold at dusk. A camel safari through the Sam Sand Dunes follows, with sundowners in the desert.
Day 5
A morning jeep safari into Ranthambore National Park, one of India's premier tiger reserves. Sightings are not guaranteed but the landscape alone — crumbling fort walls rising from the jungle — is extraordinary.
Day 6
The Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, and the extraordinary Jantar Mantar astronomical observatory. An elephant ride up to the fort gates is included — a Rajput royal tradition, still maintained.
Day 7
The train arrives before dawn. Guests are taken to the Taj Mahal at sunrise — the only time of day when it can be experienced without the full weight of the crowds. Agra Fort and the abandoned Fatehpur Sikri follow.
Day 8 · Morning
Final arrival in Delhi. Transfers to hotels or onward connections are arranged by the on-board concierge.
Accommodation
All fares include accommodation, all meals, excursions and cultural performances
Comfort at the heart of Rajasthan
Indian Splendor, 7 nights. October–April season.
A step up in space and ceremony
Indian Splendor, 7 nights.
Two rooms, unmatched grandeur
Indian Splendor, 7 nights. Two suites per train.
Bookings open six to twelve months before departure. Don't delay.
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