Odisha to get a luxury train such as Palace on Wheels

The Indian Railways is devising a plan with Odisha state government to introduce a luxury train on the lines of Palace on Wheels to lure more high-end, and foreign tourists. The luxury train will operate in Odisha, which has a large number of tourist destinations and a vibrant culture.
Reportedly, Sanjiv Garg, Additional Member (tourism and catering) Railway Board, and Aditya Prasad Padhi, State Chief Secretary, have already carried out a discussion over this proposal. The railways board has dispatched a letter to the Odisha government to initiate the aforementioned luxury train service in the state.

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“We got the first proposal today. We will go through it properly and inform the Railways after proper government’s order,” told Padhi to the press.


The luxury train project will be a joint venture between the Odisha government and the railways. “Railways will operate rakes and take the haulage charges. But the interior furnishings will be done by the state. Even the state will decide the route of the train,” a senior railway official was quoted as saying.

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The Indian Railways have five luxury trains operating under its wings - Palace on Wheels, Maharaja Express, Golden Chariot Deccan Odyssey, and Heritage Palace on Wheels that are running in the Indian states of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.

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A luxury train in India is ideally fitted with nine coaches for various facilities, and twelve or thirteen coaches for tourists. Each coach has berth for 88 passengers. It takes about INR 2.5 crore to make each and every coach. Such trains are also known as ‘Train Cruise’ which link famous destinations such as Bhaitarkanika, Chandipur, Konark, Puri, Similipal, Chilika, Balugaon, Debrigarh, and Sambalpur.