28-522: The Maharajas' Express is a luxury tourist train owned and operated by The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). It serves four routes across North-West and Central India, mainly centered on Rajasthan between the months of October and April. The Maharajas' Express, often also referred to as the Orient Express of the Orient was voted "The World's Leading Luxury Train" Seven times in
56-815: A 6,000-mile (9,656 km) trip (the world's longest train journey) across two continents and eight time zones . It follows the Trans-Siberian Railway , which connects Moscow and European Russia with the Russian Far East , Mongolia, China, and the Sea of Japan . Rocky Mountaineer is a Canadian company that operates trains touring the Canadian Rockies and the northwestern U.S. Via Rail sold off its Rockies by Daylight scenic train to Rocky Mountaineer Vacations (which became Rocky Mountaineer) in 1990. The company operates four routes. The Royal Canadian Pacific
84-658: A crew room, shower rooms, and toilets. It offers two- and four-day round trips, departing from Hakata Station . The two-day tour visits Nagasaki , Aso , and Yufuin , and the four-day journey visits Yufuin, Miyazaki , Miyakonojō , Hayato , Kagoshima-Chuo , Kagoshima , Aso, and Bungo-Mori . Luxury trains in India include the Palace on Wheels , Deccan Odyssey , Golden Chariot , Maharajas' Express , and Royal Rajasthan on Wheels . The Blue Train , covering about 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) between Pretoria and Cape Town ,
112-585: A row at The World Travel Awards from 2012 through 2018. Maharajas' Express also received recognition from the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Travel Award in 2022. The train service was started in March 2010. The IRCTC and Cox and Kings India Ltd entered a joint venture, setting up Royale Indian Rail Tours Ltd (RIRTL) to oversee the functioning and management of the Maharajas' Express. This arrangement
140-541: A twin bedroom and bathroom with shower, The train has two dining cars—named Rang Mahal and Mayur Mahal —designed for full fine dining service. Mayur Mahal (the Peacock restaurant) has a peacock feather theme in its décor. The Rajah Club is a dedicated bar carriage. The Safari lounge and bar have a multilingual library. Maharajas Express operates four different itineraries from October to April, of which two are short-term Golden Triangle (Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra) tours and
168-529: A wooden (Teak) bodied vehicle was deemed unsafe to continue passenger operations, it was withdrawn from mainline service. It was followed in 1992 by Pullman car Raven , acquired at the same time as the others in the train. Dining Car 2 used to be 99131, an ex-LNER SC1999 coach named Victory . It was replaced by the Pullman car Swift , which was acquired in 2011 and converted by Assenta Rail in Scotland. On 9 August 2011,
196-554: Is South Africa's oldest and best-known luxury train service. Transnet Freight Rail runs the Blue Train , also between Pretoria and Cape Town. Rovos Rail operates the Pride of Africa service, which runs between South Africa, Zimbabwe , Zambia , and Tanzania . The Ghan , a luxury train, runs 2,979 kilometres (1,851 miles) through the heart of the Australian continent, from Darwin in
224-583: Is a luxury overnight passenger train based in Calgary , Canada. The train has a royal warrant from Queen Elizabeth . It makes charter runs along CP tracks in summer and fall, taking passengers into the Rocky Mountains of Alberta and British Columbia . A typical six-day, five-night round trip runs through the Columbia River valley and Crowsnest Pass . The train halts at night to enable passengers to enjoy
252-402: Is also equipped with a water filtration plant. The guest carriages provide seating and sleeping capacity for 84 guests. There are 20 Deluxe Cabins, 18 Junior Suites, 4 Suites, and a Presidential Suite. All suites have a full bath. The Presidential suite occupies an entire rail carriage, incorporating a separate sitting-cum-dining room, a master bedroom and bathroom with shower and bathtub, plus
280-556: Is credited with beginning the age of luxury trains and grand hotels. The Orient Express , setting of Agatha Christie 's Murder on the Orient Express , was Europe's first luxury train. It began its maiden journey on 5 June 1883 from Paris' Gare de l'Est . Although the original Orient Express ceased operation in 2009, private operators and public–private joint ventures provide luxury train travel in several countries. According to Belmond (formerly known as Orient Express Hotels),
308-770: Is operated by Renfe Viajeros and runs from March to October on scheduled and charter trips. The main routes cross northern Spain and Andalusia , with special tours throughout the peninsula. The oldest tourist train in Spain (operating since 1983), the Transcantábrico , uses original 1923 Pullman coaches . Between 1950 and 1969, Swedish State Railways operated the luxury train service Sunlit Nights Land Cruises , which ran from Stockholm to northern Sweden and primarily targeted foreign tourists. The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express began operation in April 2007 and takes passengers on
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#1732855571286336-635: The Brighton Belle 's British Pullman coaches. Buffet cars are British Rail Mark 1 coaches. Although the train primarily operates in Northern England and Scotland, it also serves London and Bristol . The train has two British Rail Mark 3 sleeper coaches for its crew. It departs from a number of northern cities, including Liverpool , Edinburgh , Glasgow , and Manchester . The Northern Belle has six dining cars, named after historic British houses. Spain's state-owned network of luxury trains
364-519: The Scottish Highlands , visiting castles, distilleries and historic sites. Once each year, it also makes a 7-night journey around the whole of Great Britain . The first train was composed of Mark 1 sleeping cars and three vintage dining and lounge carriages. After the inauguration of the current train set in 1989, the vintage coaches have kept on running as the Queen of Scots charter train. For
392-791: The Peruvian cities of Arequipa to Cusco in vice versa and the Belmond Hiram Bingham , named after the explorer who rediscovered the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu , runs from the Sacred Valley to the landmark. British Pullman cars were formerly used on the Brighton Belle out of London Victoria station . Northern Belle is a privately owned luxury train introduced in 2000. It consists primarily of British Rail Mark 2 coach stock, refurbished internally and painted externally to resemble
420-742: The Pioneer, was introduced in 1865 in the United States and was followed two years later by "hotel cars". It was the first railway carriage with dining and sleeping areas. Georges Nagelmackers founded the French Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits , creator of the Orient Express . Inspired by Pullman trains in the US, Nagelmackers returned to Europe and built a fleet of over 30 luxury trains that traveled to several European destinations. He
448-608: The abandoning of the Single cabins is scheduled, for which one more replacement carriage, Pullman Kitchen First 315 Heron is foreseen. The train length is 675 feet (206 m) without locos. Until 2015, the Royal Scotsman motive power was provided by West Coast Railways , usually using Class 37, Class 47 or Class 57 diesel locomotives. For the 2016 season, the haulage contract was taken over by GB Railfreight . Two of their Class 66 locomotives, 66743 and 66746, being dedicated to
476-540: The coach was shipped to Mivan Marine in Antrim, where it was outfitted with two Bamford SPA rooms and 2 additional bedrooms (1 PRM Twin and 1 Double) with inter-connection. Upon completion the carriage was taken back to CRRES for final mechanical works and entry into the rolling stock library as 99337. The carriage entered service in September 2016. Following an announcement in March 2023, a new accommodation category, Grand Suite,
504-455: The company operates the highest number of luxury train tours in the world. With service in Europe, Asia, and South America, Belmond is the only private luxury tour provider (with the exception of Russia's Golden Eagle Trans Siberian Express ) to offer continental or intercontinental service. The Venice-Simplon Orient Express , with service from London to Venice, was voted the top luxury train in
532-436: The north to Adelaide in the south. The Indian Pacific is a long-distance train connecting Sydney on the east coast, with Perth on the west coast. Belmond Royal Scotsman The Belmond Royal Scotsman is a Scottish overnight luxury train, started in 1985 by GS&WR (Great Scottish and Western Railway Co.), and run since 2005 by Belmond Ltd. Its itineraries include 2-, 3-, 4-, 5- or 7-night journeys around
560-584: The other three are week-long pan-India voyages: The train's curated journey includes participation in evening prayer rituals at the banks of river Ganga. Luxury train A luxury train is a premium passenger rail service. Some luxury trains promote tourism in destinations across a region, while others (such as the Maharajas' Express ) take passengers on a ride through a single country. Luxury trains include restaurants, bars, bathrooms, and sleeping and seating areas. George Pullman 's first sleeping car,
588-463: The scenery. It consists of up to ten luxury passenger cars (built between 1916 and 1931), two fully restored 1950s locomotives, and a booster unit . Seven Stars in Kyushu is a deluxe sleeping-car excursion train that has toured the island of Kyushu since October 2013. Its name derives from Kyushu's seven prefectures and the train's seven cars. The train has a piano, bar, suites, a mini-kitchen,
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#1732855571286616-480: The second train batch the train's former owner acquired Pullman cars, which were built in 1960 by Metropolitan Cammell for the East Coast Main Line . This train consisted of four sleeping cars, two dining cars, and one observation car . The train's two dining cars have been replaced over the years. Dining Car 1, which used to be a Gresley kitchen car, was damaged in a shunting incident on depot and, as
644-512: The train hosted the very first wedding on an Orient Express train. Two former Mark 3 sleeping cars were added to the train in 1997 as service carriages, replacing two Mk1 coaches (99987 & 99966). One of them has also got double sleeping cabins. Belmond acquired another Pullman coach in 2015 from CRRES (West Coast Railway Co Ltd) and again employed Assenta Rail to undertake outfitting and project management in order to create "State car - SPA". After provisional mechanical and body works at CRRES
672-760: The train. These were repainted into Belmond Royal Scotsman maroon livery with appropriate decals in April/May 2016, the work being carried out by Arlington Fleet Services at Eastleigh Works in Hampshire. 66746 appeared first, being released on 11 April with 66743 following on 30 May. The train was a definite inspiration for Belmond's other luxury service Grand Hibernian which entered in service in August 2016 for trips in Ireland and Northern Ireland but ceased in February 2021. The train
700-545: The world in 2009. The Royal Scotsman offers service across Scotland and, occasionally, the rest of Britain. The Belmond Grand Hibernian began operations in Ireland on 30 August 2016. The Eastern and Oriental Express runs from Bangkok to Singapore (via Kuala Lumpur ) and to Vientiane . Covering over 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) of peninsular Southeast Asia, its two-day journey includes frequent stops at scenic locations. The Belmond Andean Explorer services
728-535: Was launched in May 2024. Similar to their namesakes on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express , the two compartments feature double beds and a drawing saloon with a sofa. For this a new State Car 1 was converted from another Pullman car, Kitchen First 316 Magpie . It replaced the previous State Car 1 (ex Pullman Parlour First 324 Amber ) in late April 2024. For 2025, the introduction of two more Grand Suites and
756-559: Was made of Irish Mark 3 carriages, including five sleeping cars , two restaurant cars and an observation car , featuring a very similar composition and carriage layouts to the Royal Scotsman. The carriages left Ireland in 2022, and Belmond planned to relocate the train to a new place inside Europe. It has been realized in shape of the new service Britannic Explorer , which will have its first ride in July 2025, featuring round trips from London to Cornwall , Wales and The Lake District . Like
784-462: Was terminated on 12 August 2011, and the train was then operated exclusively by IRCTC. The train comprises 23 carriages which include accommodation, dining, bar, lounge, generator, and store cars. Accommodation is available in 14 guest carriages with a total passenger capacity of 84. The train also has a lounge called the Rajah Club with a private bar, two dining cars, and a dedicated bar car. The train
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