Palace on Wheels, known as the Pride of Rajasthan will begin commercial operations from 12 October, 2022. The royal train, which had ceased operations due to the COVID pandemic, was supposed to begin in Januay 2021, but did not, due to limited reservations and the outbreak of Phase 2 of the pandemic.  Now that travel and tourism is in full flow, the wheels of the Palace will begin to move per routine.

On September 28, a trial run will be performed to examine whether all the facilities and services are in place. Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation’s President Dharmendra Rathod and the technical crew and other authorities would be present for the train's test run.

The concept for this opulent train is visible in the historical significance of the coaches. The coaches were designed to serve as the personal rail coaches for the former kings of Rajputana, Baroda (now Vadodra), the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Viceroy of British India.

The routes would depend on the bookings, which have been struck hard by the non-resumption of frequent international tourists, unlike the pre-Covid times when the train used to conduct a 7 days trip every Wednesday from Delhi.

The Palace on Wheels takes you through Rajasthan's historical and culturally significant locations. As a passenger, one takes in the visual splendor and the aesthetically pleasing lakes, palaces, forests, and sand dunes of Rajasthan.

As per sources, the per night fare is Rs. 55,000 per person, which can be discounted to Rs Rs. 43,000. For children aged between 5-10, the fare is 50 of the regular fare. For children below , the trip is free of cost.

Palace On Wheels comes under the list of 10 best luxurious trains of the world and was launched in the year 1982. The train that begins from Delhi covers Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary and Ranthambore National Park (Sawai Madhopur) in Rajasthan and Agra.

According to officials overseeing the operations of the Palace on Wheels, the ride break-even happens if at least 35 seats are booked. The agent, this time has assured RTDC 15 more passengers, which means the trip will be profitable. The train, however, will not run every week this time in the absence of foreign tourists, who are yet to travel like they used to during the pre-Covid days. 

The train, which has both modern and traditional essence in terms of architecture and food, also has some great facilities that do not compensate in terms of comfort. The two restaurants namely Maharaja and Maharani have a diverse selection of meals from Continental, Chinese, Indian and Rajasthani cuisine. A personal attendant is assigned to each cabin to individually attend to any needs or requests made by the visitors. Fully air-conditioned, luxurious salons with four twin-bedded rooms in each.

You may play indoor games including chess, cards, Chinese checkers, carrom, and crossword puzzles and other facilities like Spa and Bar are also provided.