Golden Chariot Train: Tourists in India will now have a big reason to rejoice! One of the most enchanting and luxurious trains for tourists – the Golden Chariot train is all set to commence operations from March 2020. The tourism arm of Indian Railways – the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), has joined hands with the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) to market and operate the only luxury train in South India – the Golden Chariot train. The KSTDC will hand over the reins of the train to IRCTC soon, following which the corporation will carry out the internal refurbishment work of the Golden Chariot and begin regular operations from the month of March.

The luxurious Golden Chariot train first commenced operations in the year 2008. The train is an initiative of the state government of Karnataka in a joint venture with the Railway Ministry. The train consists of 18 coaches with as many as 44 guest rooms having a capacity of 84 guests in total. Each cabin is equipped with various features including a small wardrobe, vanity desk, LCD TV, electric sockets for recharging batteries, private washroom, etc.

The Golden Chariot train covers many prominent tourist attractions in the state of Karnataka along with other south Indian states. According to details shared by IRCTC, the new itineraries of Golden Chariot train shall be a mix of culture, history, nature, and wildlife. Other places like Mysore, Chikmagalur, Halebid, Bandipur, Bijapur, Hampi and Goa have been proposed to be included in the itinerary.

The agreement between IRCTC and KSTDC was signed at a ceremony at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi, recently. The event was attended by Minister of State of Railways, Suresh C. Angadi, Minister of Tourism, Karnataka government, C. T. Ravi and other senior officials from both organizations. Besides the Golden Chariot train, IRCTC also operates the widely popular Maharajas’ Express luxury train.