To die-hard world travellers, train vacations are irresistible holidays, and there?s nothing to beat the lure of chugging along on tracks that meander through laid-back or busy railway platforms. Trains that halt at destinations known for their historical past, ancient temples, stunning sea resorts, exotic wildlife and opulent or quaint hotels.

Be it the fear of flying or the hatred of crowded airports, the number of travellers opting for ?rail vacations? is on an increase. The golden days of train travel are back as discerning holiday-makers discover the stress-free pace and smooth hospitality offered by the great train journeys of modern India.

A holiday on wheels

One of the pleasures of boarding any of India?s tourist trains is that you find yourself with plenty of time for various activities. There?s time for solitude and time for sightseeing; there?s time to relax and time to enjoy the finer things in life; and above all, there?s time to discover the company of new-found friends from across the globe.

The India experience is made complete by the myriad trains that criss-cross some of the country?s best tourist locales. There are some jewels in India?s tourism crown such as heritage tourist trains and narrow gauge ?toy trains? that get you to popular hill stations like Simla, Darjeeling, Ooty and Matheran.

In the lap of luxury

Royal India?s love for luxury extended to its locomotives. The saloons of royal families used to be built at a huge cost and were extravagant to boot. Today tourists can live it up like the erstwhile royals by booking themselves on week-long tours on any of the luxury trains run by Indian Railways: The Palace-on-Wheels and The Royal Orient (which will restart operations in 2005). The Fairy Queen, too, offers all-inclusive tours to Alwar from Delhi though it has a shorter run of two days. It finds mention in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest running steam locomotive in the world.

Your train holiday begins the moment you step aboard to be treated as a guest in a distinctive hotel. But travellers soon realise that no hotel can present them with the kaleidoscope of colours and panoramic scenery that flashes by the cabin windows.

The Palace-on-Wheels and The Royal Orient tours are packaged so that guests sightsee by day ? visiting palaces, forts, museums, temples, sanctuaries or beaches ? and retire to the train?s royal saloons by night. The trains make quick time at night and arrive at the next destination just as travellers awake the next morning. A week on the train gives an idea of the land?s varying topography.

The trains are fitted with all the modern conveniences one would expect of a first class hotel. Besides air-conditioning, each train is complete with restaurants, a library, a bar and lounges, where bartenders serve just the right amount of friendly banter along with your favourite poison. After drinks, make your way to the elegant restaurant car where liveried waiters guide you through a sumptuous menu.

Each saloon boasts of four large coupes with adjoining washrooms and a lounge with a television and video recorder. An attendant is on call 24 hours and the service is impeccable. Broad beds (only the lower bunks are used) with adequate storage facilities make for comfort while the running hot and cold water ensures a refreshing bath at the end of a day of sightseeing. A traditional welcome at every station makes you feel special.

The Palace-on-Wheels

The pi?ce de r?sistance of the Indian Railways and Rajasthan Tourism, the train is the most luxurious way to travel through Rajasthan. It is, in fact, considered as one of the 10 best luxurious train journeys in the world. The coaches of the train originally belonged to the erstwhile rulers of the princely states of Rajputana, Gujarat, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Viceroy of British India.

Since the coaches were very opulent they were not used by Indian Railways after Independence. However, they rolled into operation in 1982, as the spanking new Palace-on-Wheels with 14 coaches. All the coaches came with different names derived from the former princely states ? Kota, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Alwar, Sirohi, Kishangarh, Bundi, Dungarpur, Bharatpur, Jhalawar and Dholpur.

The journey takes travellers into the heart of erstwhile maharaja country. It touches Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Sawai Madhopur (to visit the Ranthambore National Park), Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Bharatpur (for a visit to the Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary), Fatehpur Sikri and Agra.

The train has two restaurants, The Maharaja and The Maharani serving Continental, Chinese, Indian and Rajasthani cuisine. A satellite phone ensures that passengers can always be in touch ? anywhere in the world. (Useful sites: www.palaceonwheelsindia.com)

The Royal Orient

In 1991, a new meter gauge Palace-on-Wheels was built on the lines of the original heritage train. The old train metamorphosed into The Royal Orient that now operates in Rajasthan and Gujarat. It is now undergoing some upgrades ? in its tracks and interiors ? and will roll out again in 2005.

The Royal Orient, the brainchild of the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat and Indian Railways, is a 13-saloon train. Its first halt is in Chittaurgarh and Udaipur in Rajasthan, from where it?s on to Gujarat. Before returning to Delhi it makes a halt in Jaipur. Like the Palace-on-Wheels, Oriental and Continental cuisines are served in rather natty dining cars, christened Sasan Gir and Velavadar. (Useful site: www.gujarattourism.com)

Fairy Queen

For a shorter journey, time travellers are opting for the two-saloon Fairy Queen, the train which makes an idyllic weekend trip between Delhi and Alwar. In 1855 the grand Fairy Queen had rolled out for the East Indian Railway.

Fairy Queen steams twice a month from October to February taking 50 passengers from around the world on a memorable weekend trip to Alwar. Travellers arrive in the picturesque town in Rajasthan the same day, and from there leave for Sariska Tiger Reserve for an overnight halt. (Useful site: www.royalorienttrain.com)

Deccan Odyssey

nIf a week-long train journey suits you best, then savour Maharashtra aboard the luxurious Deccan Odyssey. The seven-night, eight-day tour includes several exotic destinations covering the vast expanse of Maharashtra and Goa. It takes travellers to Mumbai, Ganpatipule, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Goa, Pune, Aurangabad, Ajanta and Ellora.

The joy of hill trains

Besides heritage trains, the toy trains of India have also grown to become tourist attractions. Rail enthusiasts always find the time to take a slow toy train up to the hill resorts as they offer panoramic views of little hamlets and terraced fields as they go through tunnels and over bridges. These trains, that puff along jungles of sal and teak, along steep mountain-sides, past boulders and wild flowers, are engineering marvels in themselves.

The trains, originally built to ferry British officials and their families from the sweltering plains to hilly retreats, are up and puffing today. The wondrous miniature trains that ply between Kalka and Simla and from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling are the most popular.

Kalka to Simla: The journey from Kalka to Simla is enchanting as the train stops at picturesque stations along the way. The Simla-Kalka railway has even completed a successful 100-year run. The track from the town of Kalka, that lies at the edge of the plains, to Simla, the former summer capital of British India, was built in 1889.

The track rises from 650m above sea level to a breathtaking 2,100m, passing through some 107 tunnels, 969 bridges, 919 curves and 18 railway stations along the way. The railway track was inaugurated by Lord Curzon, the British Viceroy in India, in November 1903. Tickets are heavily subsidised, as the train boosts Simla?s economy with holiday-makers. A one-way ticket costs about Rs 125.

New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling: The most famous of the little trains is the one linking New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. The 86km line with a two feet gauge, makes the Darjeeling Hill Railway the narrowest of the narrow gauges. The journey is regarded as among the most spectacular in the world. In July 1881 the track was opened to traffic.

Mettupalayam to Ooty: At a maximum speed of 33 km per hour, the train from Mettupalayam to Ooty crosses plains, plantations and forest clad hills. The 16 tunnels and tall girder bridges make for breathtaking views.

Neral to Matheran: Matheran is another hill resort that can be reached via a toy train. A narrow gauge toy train from Neral (87km from Mumbai) meanders up the mountain, treating tourists to some spectacular scenery. Getting from Mumbai to Neral by local train takes two hours, while the toy-train journey takes an hour and a half.

Riding one of India?s luxury or tourist trains holds out the promise of a very different holiday experience and ?getting there? is just as enjoyable as being there. All in all, a magical journey that you will cherish for a lifetime.

Tour programmes

PALACE-ON-WHEELS (7 nights/8 days) Runs from September to April Places covered: Delhi, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Ranthambore, Agra, Udaipur and Bharatpur

Cost: Rs 1,05,000 per head

Booking: RTDC, Bikaner House, Pandara Road, New Delhi (2338 1884/2338 6069)

THE ROYAL ORIENT (7 nights/8 days)

Places covered: Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Jaipur, Junagarh, Somnath, Sasan Gir, Diu, Ahmedpur-Mandvi, Palitana and Ahmedabad

Cost: October to March ? $200 per day; April to September ? $150 per day. Indians pay the equivalent based on exhange rates.

Booking: Tourism Corporation of Gujarat, II Floor, A-6, State Emporia Building, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi (2336 7050/4724)

FAIRY QUEEN (1 night/2 days) Starts every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month from Delhi. Runs from October to March

Places covered: Departs Delhi Cantonment to arrive in Alwar. Next morning brings a visit to the Sariska Tiger Reserve followed by breakfast and return journey to Delhi.

Cost: Rs 10,000 per head

Booking: Tourism Directorate, Rail Bhavan, New Delhi (2338 3000)

THE TOY TRAINS

Kalka to Simla: Simla is connected to Delhi by a broad gauge line up to Kalka. From Kalka to Simla, the train covers 96km in six hours

Mettupalayam to Ooty: Ooty is connected by a narrow gauge line from Mettupalayam, which serves as the railhead for mainline trains. The Nilgiri Express connects Mettupalayam with Chennai daily. Coimbatore, the nearest city, is 90km away and linked to all the major cities by rail.

New Jalpaiguri (NJP) to Darjeeling: NJP is the starting point of the hill train to Darjeeling and is directly connected to Calcutta, Delhi, Guwahati and other places in India by rail and air

Neral to Matheran: A narrow gauge line from Neral (87km from Mumbai) connects it to Matheran. The trip takes two hours.

Chugging along

Shahnaz Husain
Beauty expert

Train travel provides a great view of the countryside and when combined with luxury, it can be the ultimate experience. I?ve always been fascinated by train journeys that recreate the glorious princely era. The Palace-on-Wheels relives the extravagant lifestyle of the Indian maharajahs, which I?ve had the pleasure of enjoying. It?s the best way to explore Rajasthan, and as for the train itself, from its cuisines to the opulent rooms, it truly is a palace on wheels.

Shruti Seth
Veejay

I did travel in the Palace on Wheels once but that was years ago as a child. Naturally, I don?t remember much of it which is why I hope to make the trip again in the future. I believe it is one of the best ways to experience the state you?re passing through