About Palace on Wheels
The
passenger coaches which were originally meant to be the personal railway coaches
of t he erstwhile rulers of princely states of Rajputana, Gujarat, the Nizam
of Hyderabad and the Viceroy of British India. These coaches were not being
used by the Indian Railways after independence in normal passenger trains on
account of very rich and traditional interiors.
The name "Palace-on-Wheels" (POW) was derived from its royal back-ground
of the coaches. A new meter gauge air conditioned Palace-on-Wheels was introduced
in 1984 & had 13 Saloons, 2 Restaurant cum Kitchen car, one Bar cum Lounge
and 4 Service Cars. In order to further increase the amenities on the train
and due to over all gauge conversion in the state, a new broad gauge Palace-on-Wheels
has been constructed. & has been running since 1996. It's 14 Saloons are
inter-connected, the interior matching the aesthetics of the royal states. The
cabins of each saloon name attached with showers.The train also has a well appointed
lounge, library, bar & dining cars.
In the past 20 years of operations, the Palace-on-Wheels has been rated as one
of the best ten luxurious rail journeys in the world.
Saloons
The names of the saloons are based on the princely states of Rajasthan - Alwar,
Bharatpur, Bikaner, Bundi, Dholpur, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jhalawar,
Jodhpur, Kishangarh, Kota, Sirohi, and Udaipur.
The decor of each saloon has highlighted the cultural ethos of the state, represented
through the use of furniture, handicrafts, paintings and furnishings.The ceiling
in the lounge is of particular interest. Each coupe is different but the overall
ambience of the decor of the saloons has been taken care of to provide continuity.
Each saloon has cream yellow color on its exterior walls and bear the Coat of
Arms (logo) of the erstwhile princely states, along with the name.
Interior Layout
Each saloon has 4 coupes (sleeping rooms) with attached toilet. In every saloon,
there is one saloon captain valet and one attendant to look after the personal
needs of its tourists. Each saloon has a mini pantry properly equipped to provide
ready tea/coffee and snacks.
