Palace on Wheels to Ayodhya at Reduced Fare: Gujarat Private Company Awarded Contract, Special Menu Announced
The Palace on Wheels, Rajasthan’s most royal train, will now also undertake a journey to Ayodhya. Winning the title of the world’s second most luxurious train, this train’s route is being changed after 42 years. Its journey will commence from Ayodhya.
During religious journeys, passengers on the train will not be served non-vegetarian food or alcohol. The new interior and sound system of this royal train will also provide passengers with a spiritual atmosphere.
With many changes, this royal train will embark on its first religious route in May. The Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) has awarded the contract to a private company from Gujarat.
Read More- What will be the change in the Palace on Wheels.
Until now, this train was operated by RTDC. The director of the Palace on Wheels, Pradeep Bohra, stated that now this train will be operated privately for the last seven years. The management of this train is done by Gujarat’s Cube Construction Private Limited.
The company will now also organize religious trips through the Palace on Wheels. Its operations will start in May. This 6-day religious journey will start from Delhi. The Palace on Wheels will take you from Delhi to Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Mathura, and Vrindavan.
Plan to Operate for 12 Months, Local Travelers Also Offered Discounts
Until now, RTDC operated this train for 8 months. However, the Gujarat company is now preparing to operate it for 12 months. Its route plan will also be finalized shortly. Religious trips will also be scheduled for the next 2 months, with a focus on local travelers. This means that if a traveler wishes to undertake only the journey to Ayodhya or Prayagraj, they can do so and will be offered special discounts for the same. The company has started accepting bookings for it.
₹5 Crore Deal
The Gujarat-based Cube Construction Company has signed a deal with RTDC. Currently, ₹7 crore is being spent for the new look of this train. Previously, for operating the Palace on Wheels with a private company, a ₹5 crore deal was made annually with RTDC.
With this, RTDC will receive a total of 18% of the turnovers. The responsibility of this train has been given to Pradeep Bohra, who was already retired from RTDC, but was later appointed as its director by the company.
Will stay up to Rs. 95,000
A night’s journey on the luxury train costs from Rs. 70,000 to Rs. 95,000. The rent for the semi-deluxe coach of this train is Rs. 70,000, while the deluxe coach’s rent is Rs. 95,000. A total of 46 passengers can travel on this train. This is India’s first luxury train, which started on January 26, 1982.
This train is now in its fourth generation. Therefore, it has undergone renovation four times. The fourth renovation is being done by a company from Gujarat. The train is fully equipped with AC and world-class facilities. The AC coach of this train is called “saloon,” which includes bedrooms, lounge, pantry, kitchen, dining car, wall-to-wall carpeting, and a stocked bar along with all other international amenities.
8 Days and 7 Nights Journey
This is Rajasthan’s most royal train, which takes passengers to various places in Rajasthan. The Palace on Wheels train tour plan is for 8 days and 7 nights. The train departs from Delhi and on the second day reaches Jaipur, on the third day reaches Sawai Madhopur and Chittorgarh, on the fourth day reaches Udaipur, on the fifth day reaches Jaisalmer, on the sixth day reaches Jodhpur, on the seventh day reaches Bharatpur and Agra, and on the eighth day, the train returns to Delhi.
Special Features of the Tour Package:
Package Name: Shree Ram Janam Bhoomi – Ayodhya, Prayagraj with 03 Jyotirlinga Darshan (WZBGI14) Destination Cover: Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Shringaverpur, Chitrakoot, Varanasi, Ujjain, and Nasik Departure Date: February 5, 2024 Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Travel Duration: 10 Days/9 Nights Travel Mode: Train Classes: Economy (Sleeper), Comfort (Third AC), and Superior (Second AC)
The package starts from Rs. 20,500 per person, depending on the class chosen by the passenger.
This package starts at Rs. 20,500 per person. The cost per person in the Economy (Sleeper) class is Rs. 20,500. The fare for the Comfort (Third AC) class per person is Rs. 33,000, while the ticket for the Superior (Second AC) class per person is Rs. 46,000.
Booking Procedure: Travelers can book this tour package on the official website of IRCTC, irctctourism.com. Additionally, booking can also be done through IRCTC Passenger Facilitation Center, Zonal Offices, and Regional Offices.
