Train journeys do not have to be noisy, cramped and dirty. Rail tourism has caught on in a big way among middle-class Indians and the Railway Ministry is now acting as a travel agent. We found over a hundred rail tour packages on offer, and culled out a few that show the better side of the Indian Railways.
Where: You can visit every single tourist spot in the country, but for now, journeys can only commence from stations in the West and South. For instance, a journey from Mumbai up to Mount Abu, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Delhi,Agra, Mathura, Jaipur and back will cost Rs 5,567 per person. These trains are exclusively for tourists. Or how about experiencing the magic of a toy train, be it in Darjeeling, the Nilgiris, Shimla, Matheran or Jatinga,Assam?
The cost: Just Rs 500 per person per day, including hotel stay, all meals and sightseeing
What is this: Whether you fancy a beach vacation, a skiing sojourn, a honeymoon to remember, an ayurvedic retreat or a walk on the wild side, Indian Railways has something for everybody.There are over 10 weekend packages out of Delhi alone.Visit http://www.railtourismindia.com/ for more details.
The cost: It’s definitely cheaper, and less tiring, than trying to book tickets and hotels individually. For example, a Mumbai-Goa four-day package costs Rs 24,000, if you choose to stay in a three-star hotel
Where: From Vaishno Devi to Rameshwaram and Ajmer to Kamakhya Temple, every important pilgrimage spot is a few clicks of the mouse away. But the pièce de résistance will be the Maha Parinirvan Express, a special train launched in 2007 that takes you on a seven-day journey across every place associated with Lord Buddha, including Lumbini in Nepal.The train departs from Delhi twice a month.
The cost: The Buddhist tour costs Rs 6,000 per person per night in AC first class and Rs 3,500 in AC three-tier
Not for the cost conscious: Train travel is not always shoestring. Everybody has heard about the Palace on Wheels, Royal Orient, Deccan Odyssey and Fairy Queen occupying the other end of the spectrum.And the list just keeps growing.There is the Golden Chariot, which will take you across Karnataka, Heritage on Wheels for Bikaner and the Shekhawati region, Punjab Luxury Train and Southern Splendour.
The cost: Ranges between $150 and $750 per person a night (Rs 6,000-30,000)
