Luxury on Train in Karnataka and Goa from March 2007

The proposed Luxury on Train, covering places of historical and tourist interest in Karnataka and neighbouring Goa, will become operational from March 2007.

Karnataka’s Minister for Tourism B Sriramulu told reporters in Bangalore that the train, modeled on the lines of the famed “Palace on Wheels” of Rajasthan, will have its first trail run in January or February next year.

The Luxury on Train will cover places like Mysore, Hassan, Hampi, Belgaum and Madgaon. The Karnataka Government and Railways had signed an agreement to run a luxury tourist train in Karnataka with the objective of tapping tourism potential in the State, he said.

The Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, was designing and building the coaches for the train. The Luxury on Train would run throughout the year and have eighteen coaches, including eleven air-conditioned saloon cars, an air-conditioned bar car, a conference car, besides an air-conditioned restaurant.

The tourists would be offered a week-long package and the train would traverse nearly 2,000 kms.