| India's railway network connects its greatest cities with | | | | better off by bringing along your own package snacks, |
| its remotest villages, and traveling across India by train | | | | bottled water, sandwiches, and juice. You will also be |
| will give you a great opportunity to see sites not | | | | very glad you bring sanitary hand wipes are and your |
| accessible any other way. Traveling by train during | | | | own toilet paper. |
| your stay in India can be one of the high points of your | | | | India, of course, has some world class luxury train |
| journey, but only if you plan carefully and know what | | | | service in addition to its ordinary commuter trains. |
| to expect. | | | | These luxury trains include some of the most famous |
| Booking passage on second-class non--air-conditioned | | | | names in the world: Palace on Wheels; the Fairy |
| trains will let you view the passing scenery through | | | | Queen; the Royal Orient; Kalka Shimla; and Deccan |
| open windows, free of the film which covers the | | | | Odyssey. Each of these magnificent trains follows a |
| windows in air-conditioned cars. Purchasing a seat in | | | | different route, but all of them offer exceptional |
| air-conditioned car, on the other hand, will keep you | | | | service, dining, and luxurious accommodations. The |
| comfortable even in the peak of India's hot season. | | | | most famous of them, Palace on Wheels, has 14 |
| India's trains, especially those which travel to the | | | | opulent sleeping compartments with baths along with |
| smaller villages, have a reputation for being late, so you | | | | two full-service restaurants and a bar. |
| will have to get used to delays. | | | | The Palace on Wheel's "Week in Wonderland" trip, |
| If you find yourself waiting to get a connecting train, | | | | starting at $4900 per person double occupancy, |
| however, take time to observe your surroundings and | | | | makes a round-trip beginning in Delhi and progressing |
| immerse yourself in the chaos around you. You will | | | | through (among other cities) Jaipur, Udaipur, Bharatpur, |
| see food vendors offering snacks like deep thought | | | | and Agra before returning to Delhi. The fare includes |
| pride whole wheat bread and hard-boiled eggs as | | | | meals, accommodations, and all sightseeing. The Fairy |
| borders with massive piles of luggage balanced on | | | | Queen, which began operating in 1855, is the world's |
| their heads guard in and around the crowds. You | | | | oldest steam locomotive. |
| should always stay close to your own luggage when | | | | The most legendary of all Indian train journeys, |
| traveling by train in India, to the point of chaining it to the | | | | however, is the the 15 day trip taken by the private |
| rack in your sleeping compartment. Chains are | | | | train the Viceroy of India, which runs between Mumbai |
| available for sale on the platforms at urban railway | | | | to Calcutta four times each year. Tickets on the |
| stations. | | | | Viceroy of India run $9995 for Viceroy Class, or |
| While larger railway lines include meals in the cost of a | | | | $14,995 for the Maharaja Suite. |
| ticket, if you are traveling a smaller line to be much | | | | |