Orient Rail Journeys Blog

While going to Jaipur from Agra, you will find a city which is kind of lost in history. It lies in ruins, abandoned by the humankind, with no residents dwelling. But wait, you will be amazed to know that so marvellous this place is that it has been listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Let us take you through a quick tour of Fatehpur Sikri through this short read so that you can figure out yourself why so amazing it is: Enroute Agra to Jaipur, you will find the Ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri that encloses striking features like Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal, Salim Chisti’s Tomb etc. Scheduling a brief visit here can be very rewarding. Another option is that you can also plan a side visit while you are touring Agra as it lies a short drive away. As you plan your stopover in this city, we promise you that you will not regret it at all. The reason is that you get to discover Mughal history through the artefacts of this place. It is here that the legends of Navratnas i.e. N...

The golden age of Mughal rule in India has gifted us with several architectural masterpieces. One such is Taj Mahal, considered as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Why is Taj Mahal so special? Let us check out. Taj Mahal is an epitome of spellbinding beauty. This marble edifice is known to change colour with every phase of the day. While it has a pink hue in the morning, the colour gradually changes to milky white in the evening, golden at mid night and then it shines as a pearl on a full moon night. Taj Mahal is embellished with semi-precious stones and painted with beautiful motifs. Every part of Taj Mahal exhibits the passion of the Emperor towards art and architecture. Last but not the least, the exquisite setting of the monument makes it aromatic place. Taj Mahal is encircled by a sprawling garden, aromatic with the fragrance of fresh flowers and pleasant with the cool air flowing from River Yamuna. If you want to cherish the beauty of Taj Mahal far from the ma...

What is it? Jantar Mantar is one of the ancient astronomical houses of India, built in 1734. It was built by Raja Jai Singh who is also known to build such observatories throughout the country, like Delhi, Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura, Jaipur's being the largest. This astronomical house is still in use due to its accurate calculations and observations. Why Visit? The word Jantar Mantar means, ‘instruments for measuring the harmony of the heavens.’This is the largest stone astronomical observatory of the world. All the instruments here are made from stone and when clearly visible surfaces were required, marble was used. This made the instruments durable and ideal for extensive use. Today the observatory is in used for teaching and calculation purposes. The observatory treasures the world’s largest sundial. Enter the lunar land and enjoy calculating local time, positions of various constellations at different time phases, experience declination of stars, locate the pole stars ...

The Golden Chariot Simply the flawless and delicate yet attractive violet and gold coaches of the magnificent train is sufficient to charge your heed.Golden Chariot gets its name from the Hampi ruins. Its classy decor is depicting South Indian engineering which is quite hypnotising. This honour winning train has a classy style displayed on Dravidian culture. Golden Chariot is the only luxury train in India that navigates through the green valleys and landscapes of the Southern India. Enjoy the immaculate warm services of the staff while benefiting each amenities of day to day life throughout the journey on board Golden Chariot. The culinary alternatives are no less, with an undeniable veggie lover and non-vegan menu, and the private cabins furnished with modern facilities and stunningly furniture. The stylish theme of a lounge bar, 'Madira', is inspired by Mysore palaces, and the coaches are designed unequivocally from Mysore and Hoysala architectures. Golden Chariot...

Golden Chariot is a luxury train that focuses on the states of South India. The train provides two tours namely; The Pride of South and The Splendour of South.  In Pride of South, the train takes you through Karnataka and Goa. The train tour starts in Bangalore and ends in Goa. It is a seven nights and eight days trip that include main destinations like Kabini, Mysore, Hassan, ruins of Hampi and Badami. The trip starts on a Monday. The tourists start their travel towards Mysore and reach there by midnight. Tourists enjoy Kabini and Mysore tourist destinations and start their travel to Hassan on day four. After enjoying important destinations, it would reach Hospet. From Hospet, tourists take road transportation to reach the ruins of Hampi. On day six, the train reaches Badami. On day seven, the train reaches its last tourist destination, Goa. After a full day in Goa, the train halts its journey at Bangalore on the morning of day eight. By afternoon, the luxury train will be rea...

Now to experience the royalty of Palace on Wheels it is not required to embark on a journey over the train. The Indian railways have come up with a unique idea in which tourists can enjoy the opulence of the Indian Maharajas through their meals on luxury rail coaches of Palace on Wheels. Sounds incredible? Well, it is true and a matter of joy to all travelers who love to experience the regal life of India and are just not satisfied with visiting the majestic palaces and mighty forts. Palace on Wheels is one of the oldest luxury trains of India . The train comes with best in class amenities, exquisitely decorated with vintage furniture and promising a luxurious journey to its passengers through Rajasthan, Delhi and Agra. At present there are nine original coaches of Palace on Wheels that are preserved at the Indian National Museum. Indian railways is on a venture to refurbish these coaches and turn them into world class restaurants where people can relish their meal in the style and...

Deccan Odyssey is a luxury train in India that takes you to many important tourist destinations in Goa and Maharashtra.  There are six routes covered by Deccan Odyssey and this article will talk in detail about the routes in each itinerary. Indian Sojourn This route starts in Mumbai and ends in Delhi. This itinerary is for seven nights and eight days.  The train’s first destination is Vadodara. Then, it enters into Rajasthan for destinations like Udaipur, Jodhpur and others. Then, the train takes a turn towards Agra, Sawai Madhopur and Jaipur. The train then reaches its final destination, Mumbai. Click here for detailed Itinerary, train price, departure date and booking. Jewels of Deccan This trip starts and ends in Mumbai. The train covers Bijapur, Aihole, Hampi, Hyderbad, Aurangabad, caves of Ajanta and then reaches back to Mumbai . The trip takes eight days and seven nights for completion. It covers south Indian states like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh too. ...