Palace on Wheels Departs from Safdarjung Railway Station with 32 Passengers

New Delhi: The renowned heritage train, Palace on Wheels, operated by Indian Railways and the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC), departed for its first journey of the tourism season from Safdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi on Wednesday evening. Aboard this inaugural journey are 32 passengers, including five each from the USA and the UK, two each from Spain, Australia, and Singapore, one each from Sri Lanka, Ukraine, and Poland, along with 12 passengers from India.

The train was flagged off by RTDC Managing Director Sushma Arora, Executive Director Rajendra Singh Shekhawat, Managing Director of the operating private company O&M, Bhagat Singh Lohagarh, and Director Pradeep Bohra.

Sushma Arora remarked that this train, which began operations in 1982, is India’s first heritage train and can be rightly termed the cultural ambassador of the country. Over the past three months, mechanical and design enhancements have significantly improved the train's aesthetics and quality.

Arora also mentioned that the upcoming Rising Rajasthan International Investment Summit in December is drawing attention from Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari, and RTDC Chairman Ravi Jain, who are focusing on tourism investments.

Rajendra Singh Shekhawat highlighted that through this royal train, both domestic and international tourists are captivated by Rajasthan's hospitality and Indian culture, making their journey truly unforgettable.

According to Bhagat Singh Lohagarh, the Managing Director of O&M, the first trip includes 32 international guests. Pradeep Bohra, a director at O&M, noted that the train has the capacity for 82 passengers at a time. Bhagat Singh added that the most affordable cabin package starts at ₹12 lakh, while the most expensive package is priced at ₹39 lakh. This luxury train covers eight cities in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh—Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur, and Agra—in just seven days.