At Charter Travel, our India specialists have spent years crafting tailor-made luxury train journeys aboard the Maharajas' Express. As an ABTA and ATOL-protected operator, we pair expert itinerary planning with first-hand destination knowledge, helping you experience Rajasthan's forts, palaces and wildlife in genuine regal style, backed by fully ABTA and ATOL protected booking.
Duration: 17 Nights
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Itinerary Highlights:
The Maharajas' Express is widely considered India's most luxurious train, and one of the most opulent rail journeys anywhere in the world. Operated by Indian Railways' tourism arm, it runs seasonally between October and April across Rajasthan and the surrounding regions of north-west and central India - the same dramatic landscape of desert forts, palaces and tiger reserves that gave the Maharajas their legendary status.
Rather than a single fixed route, the Maharajas' Express operates four distinct itineraries ranging from a 3-night Golden Triangle taster to longer 6–7 night journeys, each beginning or ending in Delhi or Mumbai. At Charter Travel, we build your India holiday around whichever of these best suits your dates and interests, then tailor everything either side of it, hotels, private touring, and any beach extension, to you. Book your flight inclusive holiday and fly with one of our airline partners including Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Air India and more.
The "Maharajas'" name is a deliberate nod to the train's purpose: recreating the travelling lifestyle once enjoyed by India's royal families, for guests today. Each carriage is named after a precious stone associated with Indian royalty, the interiors lean heavily on teak, brass and traditional Indian prints, and service runs to butlers, round-the-clock valet care and chauffeured excursions.
That positioning has been backed up with hardware: the train was named "World's Leading Luxury Train" at the World Travel Awards seven years running (2012–2018) and again in 2024, and it picked up a Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Award in 2022. It's this combination — genuine five-star service standards layered over Rajput-inspired design — that sets it apart from older heritage trains like the Palace on Wheels.
All four Maharajas' Express itineraries run between October and April, avoiding India's summer heat and monsoon season. Departures and arrivals are split between Delhi and Mumbai, with the train itself rarely including sightseeing in either city — most guests spend a night or two in Delhi before or after boarding to take in the capital separately.
Across the four routes, the train calls at destinations including Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ranthambore and Mumbai on the classic Rajasthan circuit, with the longer pan-India routes extending as far as Varanasi and Khajuraho. Our sample itinerary below follows the most popular of these — the full Rajasthan circuit — then continues on independently to a beach stay once you disembark.
Experience the opulence of India's Maharaja Express train as you journey through the heart of the country. Admire the stunning architecture of the Lotus Temple in Delhi before embarking on a safari adventure in Ranthambore National Park. Enjoy the breath-taking views on a boat trip on Lake Pichola before flying to the tropical paradise of Goa. Indulge in the vibrant culture and delicious cuisine of India while travelling in style and comfort on the Maharaja Express
This is a sample only - every Charter Travel itinerary is tailor-made, and hotels, durations and destinations either side of your time on the train can all be adjusted to suit you.
Itinerary at a glance: Delhi → Agra → Ranthambore → Jaipur → Bikaner → Jodhpur → Udaipur → Mumbai → Goa or Marari Beach, Kerala
Fly into Delhi, where you're met and transferred to your hotel. With a day to settle in before boarding the train, the late afternoon is given over to the Lotus Temple — Delhi's striking lotus-shaped Bahá'í House of Worship and one of the city's most photographed modern landmarks.
Board the Maharajas' Express on the morning of day three for the short run to Agra. With the afternoon free, visit Agra Fort, the red sandstone Mughal fortress that overlooks the Yamuna River and the Taj Mahal beyond it. You'll spend your first night on board as the train continues on.
An early start gets you to the Taj Mahal before the crowds. Back on board for breakfast, the train then heads on to Sawai Madhopur, gateway to Ranthambore National Park, for an afternoon safari in search of one of India's wild Bengal tiger populations. Dinner is served on board as the train departs overnight for Jaipur.
Wake in Jaipur, Rajasthan's "Pink City," for a visit to Amber Fort, the honey-coloured hilltop fortress-palace just outside the city. The train continues overnight towards Bikaner.
After lunch on board, visit Junagarh Fort — one of the few Rajasthani forts never to have been conquered. An evening barbecue on the train precedes an overnight journey on to Jodhpur.
Spend the morning on board before an afternoon at Mehrangarh Fort, the imposing fortress that towers over Jodhpur's blue-painted old city. The train departs overnight for Udaipur.
Arriving in Udaipur, often called the most romantic city in India, mornings here include a boat ride across Lake Pichola and a visit to the City Palace complex on its shores. With several nights here built into this itinerary, there's time to explore at a gentler pace before the train continues on to Mumbai overnight.
After breakfast on board, disembark the Maharajas' Express in Mumbai and transfer to the airport for your onward flight to the coast.
Spend the remainder of your trip unwinding at leisure. Goa's beaches and Portuguese-influenced old towns are the classic pairing with a Rajasthan train tour, but for something quieter, Marari Beach in Kerala's fishing village of the same name makes an excellent alternative. On day 18, transfer to the airport to fly home, via Mumbai.
Prefer a different shape to your trip? We can also build your holiday around any of the Maharajas' Express's other three itineraries — including the shorter 3-night Golden Triangle route or the longer pan-India journeys via Khajuraho and Varanasi — or substitute the beach extension above for a different region of India entirely. Get in touch and we'll talk through the options.
The Maharajas' Express operates seasonally from October through to April, which neatly sidesteps both the peak summer heat and the monsoon rains that affect much of north and central India outside this window.
Within the season, November to February brings the most comfortable daytime temperatures for fort visits, walking tours and the Ranthambore safari, while October and March/April run slightly warmer but with the benefit of fewer crowds at major sights like the Taj Mahal.
There's no meaningfully "wrong" time to travel within the operating season — it's largely a question of whether you prioritise cooler weather or quieter sightseeing.
Nothing on this page is fixed. Hotels, durations, the choice of itinerary, and what you do either side of your time on board can all be adapted - whether that's adding extra nights in Udaipur, swapping the beach extension for a different region, or building in a Golden Triangle stay before you board.
As an ABTA member and ATOL-protected tour operator, your money and your trip are financially protected from the moment you book, giving you the same peace of mind on a complex multi-part India holiday as you'd expect from any package abroad.
Our travel advisors plan India itineraries day in, day out, and can talk you through the practical detail that's easy to miss when researching online — which cabin category genuinely suits you, how to sequence the train with the rest of your trip, and which extension destinations pair best with a Rajasthan-focused journey.
All our holidays are tailor-made and can be adapted by changing hotels durations and destinations to suit the individuals tastes and requirements – please do get in touch so we can start planning.
Cabin fares on the Maharajas' Express vary depending on your suite and route choice. As a tailor-made itinerary, your final cost depends on flights, cabin category, season, and any extensions (such as a Goa or Kerala beach stay) - get in touch for a personalised quote.
The fare is largely all-inclusive: all onboard meals across two dining cars, house wines, spirits and beers, guided excursions to forts, palaces and wildlife reserves, butler service in suite categories, and round-the-clock onboard amenities including Wi-Fi and air conditioning.
The train operates four set itineraries ranging from a 3-night Golden Triangle taster to week-long journeys of 6–7 nights. Charter Travel's sample itinerary extends the train portion into a full 17-night India holiday by adding a Goa or Kerala beach stay afterwards.
The Maharajas' Express is the newer, more contemporary and generally more luxurious of the two trains, having entered service in 2010, while the Palace on Wheels first ran in 1982 and has a more vintage, heritage feel. Both focus heavily on Rajasthan, but the Maharajas' Express offers larger cabins, more dining choice and higher-end finishes.
The train runs seasonally between October and April, avoiding India's summer heat and monsoon months. November to February offers the coolest, most comfortable conditions for sightseeing and wildlife safaris.
Routes vary by itinerary but typically cover Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ranthambore and Mumbai, with some longer routes extending to Varanasi and Khajuraho. Charter Travel's Rajasthan itinerary follows the classic Delhi–Agra–Ranthambore–Jaipur–Bikaner–Jodhpur–Udaipur–Mumbai route.
Yes. While the train itself runs to a fixed schedule, your surrounding holiday isn't - hotels, pre/post-train city stays, and any beach extension (Goa or Marari Beach in Kerala) can all be adapted to suit your dates, budget and interests.
The train welcomes solo travellers, couples and families, though excursions are typically taken in shared groups of around 30–35 guests when the train is at full occupancy. Private guides can be arranged in advance for an additional cost if you'd prefer a more independent experience.
As an ABTA and ATOL-protected UK tour operator, Charter Travel can book your Maharajas' Express cabin alongside flights, transfers and any extension stays as a single tailor-made package — simply enquire online or call our travel advisors directly.
