NEW DELHI: Countless Hindi movies and songs have been shot on trains and now Railways is banking upon Bollywood celebrities to publicise its luxury trains. An invitation has been sent to Amitabh Bachchan, and couple Ajay Devgn and Kajol to take free rides on Maharajas’ Express.
The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has decided to reach out to celebrities to publicise its ultra luxurious Maharajas’ Express. Free rides in the train have also been offered to all Indian Olympic and Paralympic medallists.
“There are plans to offer special packages to film directors for shooting films on luxury trains. We are reaching out to Bollywood celebrities to take a ride on one of the world’s most luxurious trains,” said IRCTC CMD A K Manocha.
Started in 2010, the Maharajas’ Express offers five fascinating journeys crisscrossing vibrant destinations, significant attractions and offering a vista of breathtaking landscape, culture and heritage. A truly world-class train journey is promised in each of the five itineraries.
With all the luxury, the journey comes at a heavy price. For an eight-night seven-day trip, a passenger has to shell out `4.6 lakh for Deluxe Cabin, `6.6 lakh for a Junior Suite, `9.2 lakh for a suite and `16 lakh for the Presidential Suite. Tours include palaces, fortresses, World Heritage Sites, cultural sightseeing and spirituality of India. The journeys of Maharajas’ Express have even been compared to that of the legendary Orient Express of the West in refinement and luxury.
IRCTC has been planning several measures to attract passengers. Most of the occupants of the train have been foreigners and non-resident Indians. “At present, all trips are conducted between October and March. Now, we are planning to run the train in months from April to September on other routes,” said Manocha.