Maharajas' Express: Delhi · Agra · Ranthambore · Jaipur · Udaipur · Varanasi · Mumbai
Four journeys, with the Taj Mahal and Ranthambore on every one
Indian Railways (IRCTC) · Sleeper
The Maharajas' Express is the sleeper through Rajasthan, Agra and Varanasi: four journeys of three to six nights linking Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Orchha, Khajuraho, Varanasi and Mumbai, and all four include the Taj Mahal. It is owned and run by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a Government of India enterprise, and its season runs from the end of September to April. The World Travel Awards named it the World's Leading Luxury Train for seven consecutive years, 2012 to 2018, and Asia's Leading Luxury Train Experience in 2023 and 2024.
IRCTC describes the train as almost half a mile long. It carries 88 guests in 43 cabins and suites: 20 Deluxe Cabins, 18 Junior Suites, 4 Suites and a single Presidential Suite, Navratana, which at 41.6 m² has two bedrooms and a living area. Every category has an en-suite bathroom with a shower, a butler, a wardrobe and electronic safe, an LED screen, air conditioning, Wi-Fi where the network allows and a daily change of linen; the Suites add a separate living room and a bath tub. A tour director travels on board, with a paramedic round the clock.
Meals are table d'hôte in two restaurants, Mayur Mahal, named for the peacock, and Rang Mahal, under a hand-painted fresco ceiling; each seats 42 at tables for two or four. The Safari Bar and the Rajah Club, the observatory lounge, pour the house-brand Indian wine, beer and spirits included in the fare, and select international wines and spirits are sold. Excursions off the train are guided, with entrance fees and transport included, and the transport depends on the cabin: deluxe coaches for Deluxe Cabins, super deluxe coaches for Junior Suites, and a private luxury car with a guide for the Suites and the Presidential Suite.
IRCTC sells the Maharajas' Express through its certified Indian agents. We book it through one of them and confirm the cabin, what your cabin tier includes on the excursions, and IRCTC's conditions in writing before you pay.
- Cabin-selection guidance before the best categories sell through
- Every benefit confirmed in writing before you commit
- Hotels joined either side of the journey, as one trip
The route
Drawn to show the order of the stations, not the exact track.
The journeys
The Indian Splendour
6 nights
Delhi to Mumbai through Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Udaipur — the Taj Mahal on the first day, sundowners on the sand dunes, a boat on Lake Pichola. Seven Sunday departures a season, October to March.
The Heritage of India
6 nights
Broadly The Indian Splendour in reverse, Mumbai to Delhi with Fatehpur Sikri added: it opens with check-in and a briefing at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai and closes with the Taj Mahal on the last morning. Seven Sunday departures a season, October to April.
The Indian Panorama
6 nights
A Delhi round trip that adds Orchha, the Western Group of Temples at Khajuraho and Varanasi, with a Ganges boat ride at the evening Aarti, to Jaipur, Ranthambore, Fatehpur Sikri and Agra. Seven Sunday departures in 2026–27, October to March.
Treasures of India
3 nights
The short version: Delhi to Jaipur, Ranthambore and Agra and back, with a game drive in Ranthambore and the Taj Mahal on the last day. Seven departures in the 2026–27 season, September to March.
On board: the cabins
Deluxe Cabin
10.4 m² (112 sq ft)
Twenty across five cars, twelve twin and eight double, each with a folding writing table, shower and WC. Excursions travel in deluxe coaches.
Junior Suite
13.9 m² (150 sq ft)
Eighteen across six cars, twelve twin and six double, with panoramic windows, a writing table with two chairs, shower and WC. Excursions travel in super deluxe coaches.
Suite
20.4 m² (220 sq ft)
Four only, in two cars, all with a double bed, a separate living room and bedroom, a complimentary mini-bar and a bath tub with bath salts as well as a shower. Excursions are by private luxury car with a guide, the safari and the boat ride excepted, and IRCTC adds an exclusive jeep at Ranthambore, subject to passport copies, full payment, availability and Forest Department confirmation.
Presidential Suite (Navratana)
41.6 m² (448 sq ft)
One only, for up to four guests: a double room and a twin room, a living area with sofa, a complimentary mini-bar and a 24-hour personal valet. Its car is the only one with interconnecting cabins. Excursions are by private luxury car with an independent guide, the boat ride excepted, and the Ranthambore jeep is exclusive here too, on the same conditions as for the Suites.
The carriages
Mayur Mahal
One of the two restaurants, named for the peacock, seating 42 at tables for two or four. Meals are table d'hôte and included in the fare.
Rang Mahal
The second restaurant, whose name means Palace of Colours, under a hand-painted fresco ceiling; another 42 seats at tables for two or four.
Safari Bar
The bar car, with books and board games, and the space IRCTC offers for a meeting or a celebration on board.
Rajah Club
The observatory lounge. House-brand drinks are included; select international wines and spirits are sold.
Butlers, tour director and paramedic
A butler for each car, a tour director on board and a paramedic round the clock.
Booking this train
Choose by where you want to finish. The Indian Splendour and The Heritage of India cross Rajasthan between Delhi and Mumbai in opposite directions, so you fly into one city and out of the other; The Indian Panorama is the Delhi round trip for Khajuraho and Varanasi, and Treasures of India fits Jaipur, Ranthambore and Agra into three nights. Each journey leaves about every four weeks in a season that runs from the end of September to April, so your dates often settle the choice. Flights, arrival and departure transfers and hotel nights either side are not included, and we book them around the train: the Delhi departures check in at 06:15 or 06:30, so plan the night before in Delhi, and The Heritage of India starts with check-in at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai. IRCTC asks for 25% of the published price plus taxes at booking, with names and passport copies, and the balance 60 days before departure; cancelling 60 days or more ahead costs 25% of the published price, 45 to 59 days 50%, and under 45 days the full amount.
Questions, answered
Which Maharajas' Express journey should I take?
Pick by the route. The Indian Splendour runs Delhi to Mumbai over six nights through Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Udaipur, and The Heritage of India covers broadly the same ground from Mumbai to Delhi, with Fatehpur Sikri added. The Indian Panorama is a six-night Delhi round trip that reaches Orchha, Khajuraho and Varanasi. Treasures of India is the three-night version, Delhi to Jaipur, Ranthambore and Agra and back.
Which cabin should I book?
The Deluxe Cabin (10.4 m²) and the Junior Suite (13.9 m²) make up most of the train; the Junior Suite has panoramic windows and a writing table with two chairs. The four Suites (20.4 m²) have a separate living room and a bath tub, and the single Presidential Suite (41.6 m²) has two bedrooms for up to four. The tier also changes the excursions: coaches for the first two, a private car with a guide for the Suites and the Presidential Suite, plus an exclusive jeep at Ranthambore, which IRCTC confirms subject to passport copies, full payment, availability and the Forest Department.
What does the fare include?
IRCTC includes the cabin with its own bathroom, all meals, soft drinks and house-brand Indian wine, beer and spirits, a butler, porterage at stations, and guided excursions with entrance fees, still-camera fees, transport and a guide. Not included: optional tours, taxes, insurance, gratuities, laundry and telephone, drinks beyond the house brands, video and professional camera fees, arrival and departure transfers, flights, and hotel nights before or after the journey.
When does the Maharajas' Express run?
From the end of September to April. In 2026–27 The Indian Splendour, The Heritage of India and The Indian Panorama each have seven Sunday departures four weeks apart, and Treasures of India has seven departures between September and March. IRCTC has already published the 2027–28 season, October 2027 to April 2028.
Can a family travel in connecting cabins?
Only in the Presidential Suite car, the one place on the train with interconnecting cabins. Navratana has a double room and a twin room plus a living area with sofa, for up to four guests, and a 24-hour personal valet. Every other cabin and suite takes two.
Enquire
Hold a cabin on the Maharajas' Express
Tell us your dates and we will confirm live availability, hold the strongest cabin category, and plan the hotels at either end around the journey.
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