IRCTC · India · Luxury

Maharajas’ Express

Maharajas' Express is IRCTC's luxury touring train in India, combining overnight accommodation with organised sightseeing. Its four principal itineraries include the three-night Treasures of India and three six-night journeys: The Indian Panorama, The Indian Splendour and The Heritage of India. Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Ranthambore feature across the programme, with other stops determined by the chosen route. Four cabin categories all provide private en-suite bathrooms.

For the right route, service level and date for your journey, email our rail specialists with your preferred travel period and number of guests.

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Signature geography

Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan, Mumbai and selected central-Indian destinations

The journey in perspective

What makes Maharajas' Express distinctive?

The train is designed to carry a multi-stop cultural holiday, not simply connect two cities. Depending on the itinerary, visits can combine Rajasthan's palace cities with the Taj Mahal, Ranthambore or Varanasi. Two dining cars and two bar-lounges give the journey a social centre, while a valet serves each guest carriage. Deluxe Cabins and Junior Suites offer twin or double options; the Presidential Suite includes a double bedroom and a twin bedroom. The sightseeing itinerary remains the starting point for choosing: a larger suite cannot add a destination that the selected circuit does not visit.

Bedrooms, suites and your private retreat

Choose accommodation by the way you want to travel: sleeping arrangement, bathroom facilities, room to move and daytime seating. Category names alone do not make two trains equivalent.

Deluxe Cabin
Junior Suite
Suite
Presidential Suite

Four cabin categories, all with private bathrooms

Deluxe Cabins and Junior Suites provide twin or double choices with private en-suite facilities. A larger category principally changes the amount of private space available between sightseeing excursions, not whether guests have a bathroom of their own. The carriage valet is part of the onboard service, and the distinction between a twin room and a double should be settled before allocation.

The Suite adds a separate living area, while the Presidential Suite combines a double bedroom, twin bedroom and living space. That two-bedroom arrangement deserves attention from families or companions who want to stay together without sharing one sleeping room. For an excursion-heavy itinerary, weigh the value of extra sitting space against the time you expect to spend away from the train.

All four cabin categories have private en-suite facilities.
The Presidential Suite has separate double and twin bedrooms.
Restaurant seating includes tables for two and four.

Ask us to compare the available categories and applicable offers for your dates. We will confirm the exact seating or sleeping arrangement in your proposal.

Food, dining and the daily rhythm

Rang Mahal and Mayur Mahal serve Indian and international menus, while the Rajah Club and Safari Bar provide space for drinks and conversation. Dietary requests should be lodged well in advance. Smart casual clothing works for most evenings; a jacket or cocktail attire suits gala moments, while comfortable, modest clothing and supportive shoes are essential for excursions.

Indian and international menus in two dining rooms

Mayur Mahal and Rang Mahal are the two restaurant cars, with tables arranged for couples and groups of four. Indian dishes sit alongside international choices, making the dining experience broader than a continuous sequence of spicy regional meals. The setting changes from daytime sightseeing to a shared onboard evening, with the Rajah Club and Safari Bar offering additional social space.

Table d'hôte meals form part of the fare, but included house drinks should not be confused with every label available on board. Compare the written inclusions with any wine preferences or celebration plans. Vegetarian needs and other dietary restrictions should be explained before travel, including whether they apply to excursions and restaurant stops as well as meals prepared aboard.

Read our guide to meals, wine and dietary planning.

Tell us about dietary requirements when you inquire. Included beverages, special menus and the pace of off-train visits should be confirmed for the exact departure.

How to plan this journey well

Choose Treasures of India for a shorter Delhi round trip, Indian Panorama if Varanasi matters, and compare the Delhi–Mumbai and Mumbai–Delhi routes for a broader Rajasthan itinerary. Confirm the season and fixed departure first. Read inclusions and exclusions carefully: specified excursions and house drinks are included, but optional tours, flights, arrival/departure transfers and pre- or post-tour hotels are generally separate unless explicitly packaged. Discuss dietary and mobility needs before paying, particularly for busy days of sightseeing.

Who will enjoy it most?

First-time or returning India visitors who want an organised multi-city cultural itinerary with a consistent onboard base.

Accessibility and individual needs

Steps, narrow corridors, uneven heritage sites and safari vehicles can present barriers. Request a route-specific assessment before deposit if any traveler has reduced mobility.

Share mobility needs, luggage concerns and any important personal requirements before paying a deposit. We will request the relevant details; an inquiry is not a guarantee that a particular request can be accommodated.

Make the train part of a complete holiday

Explore our India destination guidance for context around the rail journey. Consider your arrival city, a comfortable night before boarding and the onward connection before committing to flights.

Also considering another style of journey? Read our Deccan Odyssey guide, then compare the trains side by side.

Continue planningCabins & suites Packing & dress Compare trains

A closer look

Maharajas’ Express in photographs

Image dates and carriage configurations can differ from your departure. Your confirmed category and current operator details govern the experience booked.

Illuminated red-and-gold Maharajas’ Express carriages beside a station platform — **Maharajas’ Express at a station, photographed in 2010.**Photo: Aswin Krishna Poyil · CC0

Cities along the journey

Discover the places beyond the platform

Plan time for the city as well as the train. These guides suggest sights and local flavors for a separately arranged stay; they do not promise included excursions.

India

Mumbai

Mumbai brings a different energy to an Indian rail holiday: a major harbour city where monumental buildings, busy streets and neighbourhood food culture sit close together. The southern waterfront offers an accessible first orientation, but distances across the wider metropolis are substantial. A well-paced stay should combine one principal outing with a smaller local walk rather than attempt the whole city. For travellers joining or leaving a train, arriving early enough to settle into a hotel is a considerable advantage. It creates time to enjoy Mumbai's urban character instead of experiencing it only through traffic and station halls.

A taste of the city. Mumbai's street-food culture offers approachable tastes such as vada pav, alongside dishes reflecting the city's many communities and its coastal setting. A short tasting stop can introduce local flavours, while a seated meal gives more space to explore the menu and discuss ingredients. Choose the setting thoughtfully and explain dietary requirements clearly. If seafood interests you, ask what is being prepared that day rather than assuming every coastal speciality will be available everywhere.

Explore sights, food and arrival planning

India

Udaipur

Udaipur's appeal lies in the relationship between water, hills and palace architecture. Lake Pichola gives the city a distinctive visual centre, while the City Palace offers an introduction to the history and craftsmanship of Mewar. A visit benefits from a slower rhythm than a rapid sequence of photo stops: look across the lake, enter a collection and leave time for a meal. Rail itineraries may provide a tightly organised excursion, but an independent stay allows another perspective after the main visits are over. Choose accommodation and activities according to the time you genuinely have ashore.

A taste of the city. Udaipur offers a useful introduction to Rajasthani preparations such as gatte ki sabzi, with gram-flour dumplings in a yoghurt-based sauce. A thali can make it easier to compare several flavours, provided you ask what is included and how substantial it is. Ghewar supplies a sweet contrast when available. A lakeside setting may be appealing, but choose the menu and pace as carefully as the view, especially when a train excursion has a fixed return time.

Explore sights, food and arrival planning

India

Jodhpur

Jodhpur is a city of strong contrasts in scale: the massive presence of Mehrangarh above and the closer detail of streets, doorways and market life below. The fort gives an immediate sense of the city's history, but a carefully paced walk and a local meal make the visit feel less like a monument circuit. Jaswant Thada provides a quieter counterpoint nearby. For rail travellers, it is worth checking how much free time the actual programme allows before planning independently. A dedicated stay can add the morning and evening atmosphere that a single excursion may miss.

A taste of the city. Jodhpur's savoury snacks include mirchi vada, while makhaniya lassi offers a rich dairy-based contrast. These can introduce the city's flavours without requiring a long formal meal. For lunch or dinner, ask about regional dishes, spice levels and the role of ghee or yoghurt in their preparation. A small order is a useful starting point if the food is unfamiliar, leaving room to try another suggestion rather than overcommitting before returning to the train.

Explore sights, food and arrival planning

India

Jaipur

Jaipur offers a vivid introduction to Rajasthan through its planned city streets, palace architecture and surrounding fortified hills. The experience becomes richer when you look beyond the familiar pink façades to craftsmanship, daily markets and the relationship between royal buildings and the wider landscape. Amber deserves a substantial visit outside the central city, while the urban palace area supports a more concentrated day. For rail travellers, the key distinction is between an operator's scheduled excursion and time you have independently. An additional night can create space to explore your interests without competing with the train programme.

A taste of the city. Dal bati churma brings together lentils, wheat preparations and a sweet element in a recognisably Rajasthani meal. Other dishes may feature gram flour, yoghurt or ingredients adapted to the region's dry landscape. Ghewar provides a distinctive sweet taste when available. Ask about heat levels and dairy rather than assuming every vegetarian dish is light or vegan. A small selection, chosen with guidance, is often more enjoyable than ordering an unfamiliar feast immediately before another excursion.

Which Maharajas' Express journey is shortest?

Treasures of India is three nights and four days, travelling from Delhi to Agra, Ranthambore and Jaipur before returning to Delhi.

Which route includes Varanasi?

The Indian Panorama is the six-night itinerary that includes Varanasi, alongside other northern and central Indian stops. Recheck the final programme for your departure.

Does the fare include every expense?

No. Accommodation, meals, house-brand drinks and the listed guided excursions are included. Optional activities, some drinks, taxes, gratuities, flights and other listed exclusions need separate consideration.

Are all Maharajas' Express cabins en-suite?

Yes. The four categories are Deluxe Cabin, Junior Suite, Suite and Presidential Suite. Bed layout and living space differ, so compare the category rather than relying only on the word suite.

Check the right route and cabin

Request a personalized Maharajas’ Express proposal.

We will check the current dates, direction, accommodation or seating choices, inclusions and complete-trip options.

Email our luxury rail experts Share your journey details WhatsApp 1-702-900-9975