India’s luxury Maharajas’ Express lures Americans

Washington, Nov 21 (IANS) India’s famed Maharajas’ Express is making select stops on the US West Coast to showcase its luxurious amenities to North American travellers who want to experience Incredible India by stepping back into time.

The Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), which owns and operates the luxury train is hosting special events in Los Angeles (Nov 26), San Francisco (Nov 30), and Las Vegas to showcase Maharajas’ Express, according to a media release.

Awarded ‘Best Luxury Train’ by CNBC Travel in 2010 and named 1st runner up in the Readers Choice Award for Conde Nast Traveler in 2011, the train offers a range of five incredible itineraries between the months of September and April.

“The train is designed to transport guests into a more gracious age of train travelling,” said Rakesh Kumar Tandon, managing director, IRCTC.

“Interiors suffused with nostalgia, state−of−the−art amenities, a tastefully−crafted itinerary, and impeccable hospitality enable Maharajas’ Express to present India in a way never seen before.”

Each train carries 14 guest carriages, including one truly classic presidential suite that stretches the length of an entire carriage. Every cabin has large windows, designed so that guests can savour every bit of magnificent India.

All passenger cars come with independent, cabin−controlled air conditioning, online water filtration systems, environmentally−friendly toilets, pneumatic suspension, live television, Wi−Fi Internet, CCTV cameras, hair dryers, electronic safe deposit boxes, bath tubs in suites and the presidential suite − almost everything one could imagine to travel in luxury.

The Maharajas’ Express features two fine−dining restaurants that each seat 42 people, and everyone on board dines together. For added zest, there is an exotic Safari bar and Rajah Club, with the choicest collection of complimentary, house brand spirits. Each train comfortably fits a total of 88 passengers.

−−Indo−Asian News Service

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IANS 2012-11-21 09:48:04