A grand hotel that happens to move
Where the Palace on Wheels leans into Rajasthani heritage, the Maharajas' Express aims at the finish of a five-star hotel. The idea is the same. The feel is different.
The rhythm: you sleep on board while the train moves, mostly at night, wake in a new city and step off for the day's sightseeing.
Larger inside: cabins and suites are more generous than on most Indian trains, and the top suites are large by any railway standard.
Facts to know
- Operator
- Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation
- First ran
- 2010
- Restaurant cars
- Two, the Rang Mahal and Mayur Mahal
- Lounge
- The Rajah Club
- Largest suite
- The Presidential Suite, a whole carriage
- Two dining cars: the Rang Mahal and the Mayur Mahal, with the Rajah Club lounge for evenings.
- Beyond Rajasthan: unlike the Palace on Wheels, several journeys run to Mumbai or into central India and the Ganges.
- Sold by journey: each itinerary has its own name, route and dates. The same train may run four different journeys in a season.
- What doesn't change: a set programme, group sightseeing and long full days. Know that before you book.
How a railway company built a palace
Indian Railways ran the country's trains for more than a century before it built one meant to rival a palace hotel. When it did, it went all the way.
The idea: by the 2000s the Palace on Wheels had shown how many travellers wanted a royal train. The Maharajas' Express was built to offer more space and polish.
The launch: the Maharajas' Express began running in 2010, operated by IRCTC, the tourism and catering arm of Indian Railways.
- The look: carriages finished like grand hotel rooms, with two restaurant cars named Rang Mahal and Mayur Mahal, after palace halls, and the Rajah Club lounge.
- The ambition: from the start its journeys reached beyond Rajasthan, to Mumbai, central India and the Ganges, mixing royal cities with temples and holy rivers.
- The name: a nod to the princely saloons of the maharajas, who travelled to Delhi, Bombay and each other's weddings in private carriages.
- Today: it remains one of the most celebrated luxury trains in Asia. Its itineraries and season are revised often, so we check every year.
The journeys, and how much Rajasthan each holds
In recent seasons the train has run four main journeys. Names and stops change, so treat this as a map of the choices, not a timetable.
Indian Splendour: Delhi to Mumbai
Length: six nights.
- The route: recently Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Udaipur, then south through Gujarat to Mumbai.
- Rajasthan content: high. Of the long journeys, this and its mirror give the fullest picture of the state.
Heritage of India: Mumbai to Delhi
Length: six nights.
- The route: recently from Mumbai via the Ajanta caves to Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Ranthambore and Agra, ending in Delhi.
- Why choose it: the same royal cities as Indian Splendour, travelling north, with the rock-cut caves at the start.
Indian Panorama: Delhi and back
Length: six nights.
- The route: recently Jaipur, Ranthambore and Agra, then east into central India for Gwalior, Orchha and Khajuraho, and on to Varanasi.
- Rajasthan content: modest. Choose it for the temples and the Ganges, not for the desert.
Treasures of India: the short one
Length: three nights, from Delhi and back.
- The route: recently Agra, Ranthambore and Jaipur, the Golden Triangle with tigers.
- Why choose it: a taste of the train without giving it a whole week. Pair it with Udaipur afterwards.
Local tip
Read the route line by line. A six-night journey that spends two days outside Rajasthan may be exactly right, or exactly wrong, for what you came to see.
Choosing your journey
Most guests know which journey they want after one question: what do you want to remember most?
Forts, palaces and desert light: Indian Splendour or Heritage of India, which take in Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Udaipur.
Temples and the holy river: Indian Panorama, for Orchha, Khajuraho and Varanasi.
- Only a few days spare: Treasures of India, then a few free nights by road.
- Ending in Mumbai: if you fly home from Mumbai, a one-way journey saves a flight and a day.
- Want the Thar dunes? check whether Jaisalmer is on the route that season. It often isn't, and we add it by road.
- Tigers: every recent journey has called at Ranthambore, but one safari is a lottery. Our best time for tigers post explains the odds.
- Travelling once in a lifetime? choose the six-night journey that matches your flights, then add a slow week by road. The train is the spine, not the whole trip.
Cabins and suites, explained plainly
The train is sold by cabin category, and the difference between them is mostly space. Ask what you are booking, not just what it is called.
Deluxe Cabins
- What they are: the entry category, compact and comfortable, with a private bathroom.
- Who they suit: travellers who will spend their days off the train and want a good bed at night.
Junior Suites
- What they are: a step up in space, with more room to sit during the day.
- Who they suit: couples who like to spend afternoons in the cabin watching the country.
Suites
- What they are: larger again, with separate space for sleeping and sitting.
- Who they suit: anyone celebrating, or anyone who finds small rooms tiring over six nights.
The Presidential Suite
- What it is: a suite that fills an entire carriage, the largest accommodation on any Indian train we know.
- Who it suits: a family or couple who want privacy above everything. It sells early.
Local tip
Ask which side of the train your cabin faces on the desert legs. The sunrise side gives you the best hour of the journey from bed.
A day aboard, from first tea to last drink
The tea comes early, often while the train is still easing into a station that hasn't woken up.
Early morning
- Tea at the window: the best light of the day, with the country rolling past and the platform slowly waking.
- Some very early starts: the Ranthambore safari and the Taj Mahal at sunrise mean pre-dawn calls.
The day off the train
- Coaches and guides wait: you step down after breakfast and the programme takes you to the day's sights.
- Lunch: sometimes at a palace or hotel in the city, sometimes back on board.
Afternoon
- Back on the train: rest, a shower and time in the cabin. Take it. The days are long.
Evening
- Dinner: in one of the two restaurant cars, dressed a little more smartly, as the dark country slides past.
- After dinner: a drink in the Rajah Club, or an early night while the train moves on.
The Rajasthan stops, and what we'd add
Each city gets a day from the train. Here is what that day usually shows you, and what a second day would.
Jaipur
- The train's day: Amber Fort, the City Palace and Hawa Mahal.
- What we'd add: the walled city at dawn and the bazaars at dusk. Our Jaipur guide explains why.
Ranthambore
- The train's day: a safari from Sawai Madhopur into Ranthambore.
- What we'd add: two or three nights at a lodge another time, for the patient safaris that find tigers.
Bikaner
- The train's day: Bikaner's Junagarh Fort, never conquered, with some of the finest palace interiors in Rajasthan.
- What we'd add: the havelis of the old city and the Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke.
Jodhpur
- The train's day: Mehrangarh above the blue city.
- What we'd add: Bishnoi villages, and a night at a family fort such as Rohet Garh.
Udaipur
- The train's day: the City Palace and Lake Pichola.
- What we'd add: a sunset boat and at least two nights on the water at the Taj Lake Palace or The Oberoi Udaivilas.
Local tip
If one city on the route is the reason you came, tell us before you travel. We plan two free nights there after the train, so a single programme day becomes a beginning, not a goodbye.
The stops beyond Rajasthan
Several journeys spend days outside Rajasthan. These are some of the finest places in India, and worth knowing before you choose.
Agra
- The Taj Mahal: on every recent journey. Remember it is closed to sightseers on Fridays, which the operator plans around.
- What we'd add: Mehtab Bagh across the river at dusk. Our Agra guide explains the hours.
Gwalior and Orchha
- On Indian Panorama: the great hill fort of Gwalior and the riverside palaces and cenotaphs of Orchha on the Betwa.
- What we'd add: a quiet night in Orchha, one of the most atmospheric small towns in India.
Khajuraho
- The temples: the carved Chandela temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are among the great sculptural sites of the world.
- Best light: early morning and late afternoon, when the sandstone warms.
Varanasi
- The holy city: a boat on the Ganges at dawn, the ghats and the evening aarti.
- What we'd add: two nights, at least. Varanasi rewards the second morning more than any other city on the route.
Ajanta and Mumbai
- Ajanta: the rock-cut Buddhist caves with their ancient murals, recently on Heritage of India.
- Mumbai: the start or end of the long journeys, with the sea and the Gateway of India.
The nights we add before and after
A train shows you a lot in a short time. The nights either side of it are where you actually get to know a place.
Delhi before: a calm night or two, so you board rested. Our Delhi guide suggests a gentle first day.
The desert after: if Jaisalmer isn't on your route, add two nights there and one in a camp. See Jaisalmer.
Facts to know
- Before
- One or two nights to recover from the flight
- After a Rajasthan route
- Jawai, a family fort or the desert
- After Panorama
- Extra nights in Varanasi
- Ending in Mumbai
- A night by the sea before you fly
- Our planning
- One conversation, then a clear quote
- Leopards after: Jawai, about three hours from Udaipur or Jodhpur, is the place no train reaches.
- Varanasi slowly: after Indian Panorama, a dawn boat on the Ganges deserves more than a programme day.
- The full plan: our Maharajas' Express and beyond journey shows how we wrap the train.
When it runs, and the weeks we prefer
The train keeps to the cool months. Within them, a little thought about weather and festivals goes a long way.
The season: broadly autumn to spring, pausing for the hottest months and the monsoon. Exact departures change each year.
November and February: our favourite months, with clear skies and comfortable days.
- December and January: cooler, sometimes cold at night in the desert. Fog around Delhi can delay the start or end, so leave a cushion before flights.
- The edges: the first and last weeks of the season can bring warm afternoons, especially in Rajasthan.
- Festivals: the programme won't always stop for them. Add nights by road for the Pushkar Camel Fair or Holi.
- Confirm with us: we check the current calendar and availability with the operator before planning anything.
- Mornings in the desert: in December and January, Bikaner and Jodhpur can be near freezing at dawn. Pack a warm layer for early starts.
Maharajas' Express or Palace on Wheels
They are often compared, and rarely the same choice. This is how we explain the difference.
Character: the Palace on Wheels is the original of 1982, rooted in Rajasthan. The Maharajas' Express is the polished newcomer.
Space: the Maharajas' Express has more generous cabins and the largest suite.
- Route: the Palace on Wheels stays almost entirely within Rajasthan. Several Maharajas' Express journeys reach Mumbai, central India or Varanasi.
- Length: the Palace on Wheels runs about a week. The Maharajas' Express offers six nights or a short three.
- What's the same: sleeping on board, group sightseeing and a set timetable.
- Neither? our luxury trains overview and train or car post weigh the train against a private journey.
Before you board
A little preparation makes six nights on board feel easy rather than hurried.
Pack soft and light: storage is limited. Leave the rest with us or at your Delhi hotel.
Dress: smart casual by day, something a little dressier for dinner, modest clothes for temples.
- Layers: desert nights are cold in winter, middays warm, and the air-conditioning on board is cool.
- A day bag: water, sunscreen, a hat, a scarf for dust and temples, shoes that slip off.
- Earplugs: the train moves at night. It is gentle, but light sleepers will thank you.
- Passport: carry it every day. Hotels, stations and some sites ask for identity.
- Read ahead: our guides to packing and etiquette cover the rest.
What train guests most often wish they'd known
These are the small things we tell every guest before six nights on board. None of them is a reason not to go.
Rest in the afternoons: with pre-dawn safaris and sunrise at the Taj, a nap after lunch keeps the week enjoyable to the end.
You can skip an outing: a slow morning in your suite, watching the country, is allowed and often wise.
- Not every stop is a city: a few are short excursions. Read the programme so a half day doesn't feel like a missed one.
- Shopping is optional: if a stop includes shops, you never need to buy. Our shopping guide explains how to buy well.
- Carry medicines in your day bag: in original packets, with copies of prescriptions.
- Read ahead each night: ten minutes with a guide page before each city makes a one-day stop far richer.
Local tip
On the morning you cross the desert, ask for tea at first light and keep the blind up. That hour at the window is the one most guests remember.
Couples, families and special occasions
The train is often booked to mark something. A little planning makes the occasion feel personal rather than generic.
Honeymoons and anniversaries: couples often choose a suite, then add three nights on Lake Pichola. Our Rajasthan honeymoons page has ideas.
Milestone birthdays: ask us early, and we will pass the occasion to the operator so the day is marked on board.
- Families with teenagers: older children often love the trains, the stations and the safaris.
- Families with small children: policies vary by train and the days are long. A family journey by road, with pools and short drives, usually suits better.
- Groups of friends: booking several cabins together makes the dining car feel like your own dinner party.
Who will love it, and who should choose otherwise
The Maharajas' Express is superb at what it does. What it does is a timetable, beautifully served.
You'll love it if: you want space, polish and service, with a great deal of India in a week.
You'll love it if: you're celebrating, and a suite on a royal train feels like the right scale of occasion.
- You'll love it if: you're ending in Mumbai or want Rajasthan and Varanasi in one journey.
- Choose otherwise if: you want quiet hours at monuments, private guiding all the way, or long lazy afternoons.
- Choose otherwise if: you have small children or limited mobility. Steps onto platforms and coaches every day are demanding.
- The alternative: our Royal Rajputana journey covers the royal cities by road, with two nights or more in each.
How we look after you around the train
We don't run the Maharajas' Express. We make sure everything around it is as good as the train.
Honest advice: which journey, which cabin and which month suits you, after one conversation.
Availability checked: we confirm the season's dates and cabins with the operator before you commit.
- Arrival and departure: airport meetings, a calm hotel before you board and a transfer to the station at the right hour.
- Luggage kept: we hold your large bags and return them when you step off.
- The journey after: flights, a private car and driver, and the hotels for the nights beyond the railway.
- Your planner on WhatsApp: from the first idea to the last morning. No fares here. We quote clearly once we know what you want, starting with plan my journey.