India launches one more royal tourist train

New Delhi, Jan 11 : Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, a regal train chugging across the land of maharajas in western India, Sunday started its maiden journey, with the government promising to launch similar services in more states.

"Many states have shown interest in this regard and I am going to take up the issue before the cabinet and also with the states that are keen on having luxury tourist trains," Tourism Minister Ambika Soni told reporters after flagging off the new train at the Safdarjung railway station here.

The luxury train is a joint venture by the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and the Indian Railways.

It will provide an alternative to the Palace on Wheels, India's first luxury train, which is already booked till 2010.

The seven-day sojourn on the Royal Rajasthan train promises to be a heady mix of Rajasthan's pristine historic experience, said Soni.

With a carrying capacity of 82 people, the train will have 13 deluxe saloons and one super deluxe saloon, four service cars and two restaurant bars. A top-class spa and wi-fi facilities are also in the offing.

The itinerary of the train will be the same as the Palace on Wheels: it would leave Delhi and start on its week-long journey through Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Sawai Madhopur among other places before terminating the run at Delhi.

Due to technical difficulties, the train will not go to Bikaner this season though announced earlier.

The train was earlier expected to commence operations from October 2008.