Starting in May, the luxurious Palace on Wheels train is taking a new turn. For the first time in 42 years, it will offer tours to the holy cities of Ayodhya, Varanasi, and other spiritual places. Here’s a quick rundown:
Highlights of New Palace on Wheels Train
New Route: The train, known for its luxury, is adding a special trip that includes Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Mathura, and Vrindavan.
Food Changes: During these tours, only vegetarian food will be served, without onion and garlic, to respect religious practices.
Music: Travelers will enjoy devotional music throughout their journey, adding to the spiritual atmosphere.
Tour Schedule: These religious tours will happen twice a month. This is great for local tourists who might want to visit specific cities. Plus, there are discounts for these special trips.
Management: A new company called Cube Construction Company Pvt Ltd is now in charge of the train. They’re planning these tours and have also upgraded the train with a big investment.
Year-Round Service: Unlike before, when the train ran for eight months a year, it will now operate all year. This gives more chances for people to experience the journey.
About the Train Palace on Wheels
The famous luxury train, the Palace on Wheels, is changing its route for the first time in 42 years. It will now include a trip to the holy city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, making it a part of its new religious tour package starting in May. This train, known as the second most luxurious in the world, will offer a six-day spiritual trip starting from Delhi. It will take passengers through several sacred cities including Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Mathura, and Vrindavan.
For these special religious trips, the train will not serve meat or alcohol, which were previously available. The menu will also avoid using onion and garlic to respect the religious sentiments of the passengers. These tours will happen twice a month, giving local tourists the chance to visit specific holy sites with the added benefit of special discounts.
The Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation has handed over the management of the Palace on Wheels to Cube Construction Company Pvt Ltd from Gujarat for the next seven years. This company will start these religious tours in May, offering a rich six-day journey that covers the same sacred cities.
Pradeep Bohra, the Director of the Palace on Wheels, mentioned that the train will not serve its usual non-vegetarian dishes and alcohol during these tours. The food will be specially prepared without onion and garlic, and passengers will enjoy devotional music throughout their journey.
The train, which used to run for eight months a year, will now operate all year round under its new management. The religious tours, initially planned for two months, aim to attract local tourists with flexible schedules and discounts for visits to places like Ayodhya or Prayagraj. Cube Construction Company has agreed to pay the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation 5 crore rupees annually for the rights to operate the train and will also share 18% of its total earnings. This comes after a 7 crore rupee upgrade to the train, marking its fourth generation of refurbishment by the Gujarat-based company.
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