Palace on Wheels to start offering tours to Ayodhya, Kashi, and Varanasi from May; full report

As per the latest development, the famous luxury train, Palace on Wheels, is all set to alter its route after 42 years. If reports are to go by, this luxury train will now be making a historic journey to the sacred city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

Having earned the fame of the world’s second most luxurious train, Palace on Wheels officials announced a shift in focus, introducing religious tours starting from May. If reports are to go by, the six-day spiritual journey will commence in Delhi, and take travellers across Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Mathura, and Vrindavan.

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Referring to this, officials from the Palace on Wheels said that during its regular journeys, the train traditionally served non-vegetarian cuisine and alcoholic beverages to cater to both foreign and domestic tourists. They added that however, for the religious tours, non-vegetarian options will be excluded from the menu, and dishes will abstain from onion and garlic.

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The religious tours will be scheduled twice a month, thereby providing flexibility for local tourists who may opt for specific destinations like Ayodhya or Prayagraj, with special discounts offered for such tailored trips.

The Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) has delegated the management of Palace on Wheels to Cube Construction Company Pvt Ltd, a Gujarat-based private firm, for the next seven years. The private operator will initiate religious tour services in May, featuring a comprehensive six-day itinerary starting from Delhi and covering Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Mathura, and Vrindavan.

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Pradeep Bohra, Director of Palace on Wheels, affirmed that the customary non-vegetarian fare and alcoholic beverages served during regular journeys would be omitted during religious tours. The menu for these spiritual journeys will also exclude onion and garlic, whereas passengers will also be treated to devotional melodies resonating with the spirit of Ram and Krishna throughout the expedition.

While previously operational for eight months annually, the Palace on Wheels, under the new management, aims to extend its services year-round. The religious tours, initially scheduled for a two-month period, seek to attract local tourists with flexible itineraries and discounted rates for specific destinations. Cube Construction Company has committed to an annual payment of INR 5 crore to the RTDC for operating the Palace on Wheels, along with a share of 18% of the total turnover. The recent INR 7 crore refurbishment marks the train’s fourth-generation upgrade, overseen by the Gujarat-based company.

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