India's new super luxury train flagged off from New Delhi

India's new super luxury train 'Royal Rajasthan on Wheels' was flagged off from New Delhi on Sunday.

It has several new destinations added to the itinerary as compared to the previous luxury train 'Palace on Wheels'.

The new luxury train is a joint venture of Rajasthan Tourism and Development Corporation and the Indian Railways.

The government decided to launch a new train with improvised provisions for tourists keeping into mind the 'Palace on Wheels' concept that has been a hit with the tourists.

"See, firstly, our itinerary is very different. None of the trains has a similar itinerary as ours. In this, we cover Rajasthan, we cover Madhya Pradesh and Khajurao and we cover Agra and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh as well," said B. K. Sharma, general manager of the luxury train.

"The itinerary of none of the trains covers all this. The theme of the interiors is entirely different from the other trains. We have super deluxe suites, which are not there in any other train. There are saloons, cubical showers, satellite TV, and also there are spa and gym, which are not present in any other train," he added.

The 22-coach train has the capacity of carrying 82 passengers in a journey with one Super Deluxe saloon, 13 Deluxe Saloons and two restro-lounges.

Special discounts are being offered for the upcoming 2010 Commonwealth Games.

"Regarding Commonwealth Games, we have made some extra efforts. We have given a 10 percent discount on the fares of the train. We know that this is a very good moment for our country that tourists from across the world would come here," said G. N. Bhatt, Joint Director, Public Relations Department of the Government of Rajasthan.

"When a foreign tourist comes to Delhi he definitely visits the Golden Triangle, - Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. This train covers all the three destinations. So, the tourists coming here for the Commonwealth Games would also take the advantage of this train," he added.

The passengers on the 'Royal Rajasthan on Wheels' are taken around the rich cultural heritages, including architecturally renowned palaces in various towns of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh besides Rajasthan.

Around 33 tourists including ten Indian passengers travelled in the first trip of this luxurious train on Sunday.

"It will be a festival. Everyone is happy, having fun. They are all friends from Portugal and they are from Brazil. Everything is nice and fine. We are all very happy," said a tourist from Portugal.

"Well, it's not cheap, but being expensive depends on what they offer us, what will be their treatment, and at the end, I will tell you if it's expensive or if it does not meet our expectations," he added.

While the 'Palace on Wheels' starts its journey every Wednesday between the months of August and April, the 'Royal Rajasthan on Wheels' is scheduled to run every Sunday between September and April.