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The Indian Railways along with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation provides a wide range of luxury rail travel in India. There are four tourist trains and three categories of superfast passenger rail services availed by the Indian railways. Indian Railways has recently decided to introduce luxurious Anubhuti Coaches in regular Trains, which would be similar to coaches in Luxury Trains like Maharaja Express or Palace on Wheels. However the Kolkata Metro Railway, which is also the 17th Zone of the Indian Railways also comes under the Luxury railways in India. ==Tourist trains== * The Palace on Wheels is a luxury tourist train. It was launched by the Indian Railways to promote tourism in Rajasthan, and has been highly popular since its launch. The train service was refurbished and relaunched in August 2009 with a new decor, itinerary and cuisine. The concept of the ''Palace on Wheels'' was derived from the royal background of the coaches, which were originally meant to be the personal railway coaches of the erstwhile rulers of the princely states of Rajputana, Gujarat, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Viceroy of British India. Each coach has four cabins (named ''chambers'' or ''saloons'' by the company) with twin beds,〔(See the "chambers" )〕 wall-to-wall carpeting, air-conditioning, DTH satellite television,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Watch Dish TV on Palace on Wheels )〕 channel music, intercom, attached toilets, running hot and cold water, with personal attendants.〔Though the word खिदमतगार - ''khiḍhmatgār'' (servant, steward) is used by the company, it is there to evoke a luxurious past.〕 * The (Maharaja Express ) is a luxury train owned by the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and operated from early 2010. The train used to be a joint venture between Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation but after the verdict of the High Court and Supreme Court of India the train now belong exclusively to the IRCTC.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2012/07/supreme-court-dismisses-plea-against-maharaja-express/ )〕 The IRCTC are the owners of the Maharajas Express Train〔(India's Maharajas' Express rail journey ),〕 The reintroduced Maharaja Express train offers 5 itineraries, all of which either begin or end in Delhi and include a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra. Each morning, the train arrives at a different station for off-rail excursions, including visits to monuments, heritage sites, shopping, palaces, forts, and hotels. New itineraries announced by the operators of Maharajas Express include 3 pan-Indian journeys and 2 golden triangle tour itineraries covering Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. The Maharaja Express is the most expensive luxury train in India. It was named to the 2011 list of World's Top 25 Trains by The Society of International Railway Travelers and was praised for its onboard accommodation and dining facilities, service, and off-train excursion program after its review in the Fall of 2010.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Top 25 train journeys )〕 * The ''Royal Rajasthan on Wheels'' is a luxury tourist train run by Indian Railways. It is modelled on the Palace on Wheels, and follows a similar route through Rajasthan. Tourists are taken to several important tourist, wildlife and heritage sites across Rajasthan. The train was launched in January 2009 following the success of the Palace on Wheels, another luxury train that travels through Rajasthan.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Railways to launch Royal Rajasthan on Wheels )〕 Some of the tourist attractions covered are the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), Moti Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Ranthambhor National Park, Chittaurgarh Fort, Jag Niwas (Lake Palace), Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Agra Fort and finally the Taj Mahal. * The Golden Chariot is a luxury tourist train that connects the important tourist spots in the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa. It is named after the Stone Chariot in the Vitthala Temple at Hampi.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=The Golden Chariot : Introduction )〕 The 19 coaches on the train are coloured purple and gold, and sport the logo of a mythological animal with the head of an elephant and a body of a lion. The ''Golden Chariot'' operates weekly and had its maiden commercial run on March 10, 2008. The train, along with the Deccan Odyssey, is designed on the lines of the more popular Palace on Wheels with accommodations, spa treatments and dining. The train is operated by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation and marketed by The Luxury Trains, whereas The Mapple Group handles the hospitality services on the train.〔〔 The ''Golden Chariot'' offers accommodation in 44 cabins in 11 coaches that are named after dynasties that ruled the region: Kadamba, Hoysala, Rashtrakuta, Ganga, Chalukya, Bahamani, Adil Shahi, Sangama, Satavahana, Yadukula and Vijayanagar. It also has two restaurants, a lounge bar, and conference, gym and spa facilities.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Golden Chariot: Facilities )〕 It is the only train in India to have onboard Wi-Fi connectivity, and satellite antennae providing live television service in the cabins. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Luxury rail in India」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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