[RM Motorsports]

IRCTC’s First Super Luxury Train. The deluxe AC tourist train boasts of several luxury features including fine dining restaurants, a modern kitchen, shower cubicles in coaches, sensor based washroom functions and foot massager.

While the AC-II class configuration is priced at Rs 82,950 per person, the first AC would cost a whopping Rs 1,02,095. Both the classes together can accommodate 156 persons.

Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, shared the first glimpses of the ‘Shri Ramayan Yatra,’ a rail circuit specifically designed to promote religious tourism in places associated with the Ramayana.

The deluxe AC tourist train departed from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station on November 07 for 16 nights and 17 days with as many as 132 tourists on board.

The rail circuit is set to cover every destination that has Shri Ram’s footprints including Ayodhya, Nandigram, Janakpur, Sitamarhi, Kashi, Prayag, Shringverpur, Chitrakoot, Nashik, Hampi and Rameshwaram.

To ensure safety, the passengers have also been provided with separate lockers with CCTVs installed in the train for security. Additionally, the train has two separate coaches for dining.

Source - Twitter

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by RM Motorsports

IRCTC’s First Super Luxury Train.

First? Nopes. Quite far from it.

Luxury trains have been running in India since ages with most if not all of the above features (and more)
- Palace on Wheels (offered since early '80s)
- Royal Rajasthan on Wheels
- Deccan Odyssey
- Golden Chariot

and a few more if my memory serves me right. These were extremely popular from an tourism perspective with two customer segments - the international tourists primarily and the upper segments of the Indian diaspora.

What the Ramayana Yatra seems to focus is on one set of religious destinations. Only time will tell how successful it is. Hopefully there's focus on others too taking a leaf from this initiative.

[GJ01]

I don't see very many "Domestic" Indian public taking this up. Foreigners and NRI / OCI tourists - sure.

I have not travelled on any of these trains, but if anyone else has can you help with a question. In other trains like the Rajdhanis and Shatabdis - there are
Government and Administrative personnel getting on with priority access to the seats (Getting the Tatkal seats allocated, getting seats at the last moment etc). Do these trains also provide such preferential treatment to these guys ?

[CliffHanger]

It is important we preserve, nurture and pass on our culture to next generations to avoid it being hijacked by the intruders.

This is a step in the right direction and look forward to more such initiatives which are sustainable, profitable and aide tourism development in respective places.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by GJ01

Foreigners and NRI / OCI tourists - sure.

An NRI acquiantance of mine took the Palace on Wheels with her family before Covid struck. She also described it to be expensive and a one time novelty experience.

I remember Palace on Wheels had a separate fare for NRIs mentioned in USD. Should be the same here too.

For residents on budget, the circular tour works. It does take effort to plan, book and is sensitive to train cancellations due to external factors.

[rjainv]

Originally Posted by RM Motorsports

IRCTC’s First Super Luxury Train. The deluxe AC tourist train boasts of several luxury features including fine dining restaurants, a modern kitchen, shower cubicles in coaches, sensor based washroom functions and foot massager.

While the AC-II class configuration is priced at Rs 82,950 per person, the first AC would cost a whopping Rs 1,02,095. Both the classes together can accommodate 156 persons.

The deluxe AC tourist train departed from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station on November 07 for 16 nights and 17 days with as many as 132 tourists on board.


Source - Twitter

How long does it take for railways to even break even for this kind of investment?

[GJ01]

Originally Posted by rjainv

How long does it take for railways to even break even for this kind of investment?

These are poster childs of someone high high above - no one asks for a RoI on these.
Though I must say that the quality / interiors is top notch, hope it gets maintained just as well with passing years.

[karanddd]

The fact that the clamps that hold the beds in place are metallic and that the underside of the seat (and maybe the whole thing) is pleather suggests that the IRCTC is not even remotely aware of what luxury or "super luxury" entails. These just look like normal coaches, only slightly dressed up with nicer bedding. Hardly worth 1 lakh for a ticket.

[PVS]

Originally Posted by GJ01

there are
Government and Administrative personnel getting on with priority access to the seats (Getting the Tatkal seats allocated, getting seats at the last moment etc). Do these trains also provide such preferential treatment to these guys ?

Nope, these are special trains and Privileged Ticket Order(PTO)/Railway Passes/Concession tickets are not allowed in this category of trains.

[sierrabravo98]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

First? Nopes. Quite far from it.

Luxury trains have been running in India since ages
.
.
.
.

What the Ramayana Yatra seems to focus is on one set of religious destinations. Only time will tell how successful it is. Hopefully there's focus on others too taking a leaf from this initiative.

I know its just semantics but the statement of Shri Ramayana Yatra Express being the first luxury train operated by IRCTC is indeed correct. I think the operative word here is IRCTC. IIRC, all other trains were run directly by the Indian Railways. IRCTC is a completely autonomous entity independent of the Indian Railways.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by sierrabravo98

I know its just semantics but the statement of Shri Ramayana Yatra Express being the first luxury train operated by IRCTC is indeed correct. I think the operative word here is IRCTC. IIRC, all other trains were run directly by the Indian Railways. IRCTC is a completely autonomous entity independent of the Indian Railways.

Not really - a bit of googling helps solve this misunderstanding of this being the first luxury train by IRCTC.

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited, a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Railway, is the tourism arm of Indian Railways. It provides a full range of hospitality, travel and tourism services to rail passengers. IRCTC is one of the world's largest e-commerce portal and catering service provider. While its website (www.irctc.co.in) receives over 5.5 million hits a month, the catering arm of IRCTC feeds millions who travel every day on Indian Railways.

IRCTC is also the proud owner of the Finest Luxury Train Maharajas' Express, "IRCTC Buddhist circuit tourist train and various other Rail Tourism Products.

Source: link

As for the other trains mentioned, for some of them, individual states also have a role to play (e.g. MH for Deccan Odyssey) while central government entities like irctc might be more involved from the backend.

[Anwesh]

Foreign tourists are not coming in since the pandemic hit. The rake of Deccan odessey is gathering dust in the yard outside Dadar station for more than a year. So IRCTC probably painted a new livery on one of the luxury rakes, gave it a new name and is trying to market it under a new guise. They must be hoping (or may be ordered) to cash in on the alleged flood of "bhaktirasa" in the nation.

Regards,

Anwesh

[drive_factor]

Originally Posted by GJ01

....no one asks for a RoI on these..

If ROI was the sole criteria, then probably 80% of Railways normal passengers trains would never have been introduced.

Lets hope this particular train is not subsidized, like most of our passengers routes, and the pilgrims/tourists pay the appropriate fare. These types of train circuits need to be promoted and they need ro be self sustained.

[SmartCat]

Going by the theme (religious tours), it is primarily targeted at the retired/elderly folks. But 50% of seats are not be easily accessible to them, because of bunk bed setup:



It would be tough for IRCTC to make money here.

[fordday]

Originally Posted by CliffHanger

It is important we preserve, nurture and pass on our culture to next generations to avoid it being hijacked by the intruders.

This is a step in the right direction and look forward to more such initiatives which are sustainable, profitable and aide tourism development in respective places.

On a trivial note, will an intruder be allowed in this train with proper tickets? Like someone who wants to enjoy the luxury train ride without wanting to attend any of rituals enroute.