Short answer: Palace on Wheels is the most affordable full-length luxury train in India, starting from $864 per person, per night ($6,048 total for the 7-night journey) — well under Maharajas' Express (from roughly $2,900) and Deccan Odyssey (from $8,330). It's also the original, running continuously since 1982. Golden Chariot is cheaper still, but covers a shorter, unrelated South India route.
| Train | Starts From | Duration | Route | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palace on Wheels | $864/person/night ($6,048 total) | 7 nights, 8 days | Delhi – Jaipur – Sawai Madhopur – Chittorgarh – Udaipur – Jaisalmer – Jodhpur – Bharatpur – Agra – Delhi | Best value, most historic, full Rajasthan circuit |
| Maharajas' Express | ~$2,900–$4,900+ per person | Varies by itinerary (e.g. 6 nights) | Several rotating routes across North & Central India | Contemporary top-tier luxury, higher budget |
| Royal Rajasthan on Wheels | Not publicly listed | 7 nights | Delhi – Jodhpur – Udaipur – Chittorgarh – Sawai Madhopur – Jaipur – Khajuraho – Varanasi – Agra – Delhi | Rajasthan plus Khajuraho and Varanasi in one trip |
| Deccan Odyssey | From $8,330 per person | 7 nights, 8 days | Six rotating itineraries — Maharashtra, Goa, and parts of North India | Maharashtra and Goa focus, highest price point |
| Golden Chariot | From ~$3,160 per person | 5–6 nights, route-dependent | South India — Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu circuits | South India instead of Rajasthan |
India has five operating luxury trains, and they get compared constantly — but they're not interchangeable. Three run through Rajasthan and overlap heavily (Palace on Wheels, Maharajas' Express, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels), one covers Maharashtra and Goa (Deccan Odyssey), and one is dedicated entirely to South India (Golden Chariot). Here's what actually separates them.
Palace on Wheels: The Original, and the Best Value
Palace on Wheels has been running since 1982, longer than any other train on this list, and it remains the most historically significant luxury train in India — built from the personal railway saloons of Rajasthan's former princely states. At $864 per person, per night in lean season ($6,048 total for the full 7-night, 8-day journey), it's also the most accessible entry point into Indian luxury rail travel, covering the deepest single-train circuit through Rajasthan: Delhi, Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur, and Agra. See our full price guide for every cabin class.
Maharajas' Express: The Contemporary Premium Option
Launched in 2010 and operated by IRCTC, Maharajas' Express runs several rotating itineraries rather than one fixed route, with fares starting from roughly $2,900 and climbing past $4,900 depending on the journey and cabin class. It's positioned as a more modern, higher-end alternative to Palace on Wheels, with a correspondingly higher price point. We've covered the full comparison in Palace on Wheels vs Maharajas' Express.
Royal Rajasthan on Wheels: A Wider North India Route
Running since 2009, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels covers a longer, more varied 7-night route that extends beyond Rajasthan into Khajuraho and Varanasi — a genuinely different itinerary from Palace on Wheels, not just a rebrand of the same route. Its operator doesn't publish tariffs as consistently as RTDC does for Palace on Wheels, so pricing is best confirmed directly before booking. Full breakdown in Palace on Wheels vs Royal Rajasthan on Wheels.
Deccan Odyssey: Maharashtra and Goa, at a Higher Price
Source: Starting price drawn from the Deccan Odyssey official tariff.
Operating since 2004 under Maharashtra Tourism, Deccan Odyssey runs six different 7-night, 8-day itineraries through Maharashtra, Goa, and parts of North India — a genuinely different region from the Rajasthan-focused trains. It's also the most expensive train on this list, with Deluxe fares starting from $8,330 per person for the full journey, roughly nine times the Palace on Wheels starting rate for a comparable trip length. Choose it for the Maharashtra and Goa route specifically, not as a Rajasthan alternative.
Golden Chariot: The South India Option
Source: Starting price drawn from the Golden Chariot official fare page for its "Glimpses of Karnataka" package.
Golden Chariot is the only luxury train on this list that doesn't touch Rajasthan at all — it runs shorter 5- to 6-night circuits through Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, departing from Bengaluru rather than Delhi. Its "Glimpses of Karnataka" package starts from roughly $3,160 per person on twin sharing, making it the cheapest package price on this list in absolute terms — though it's also the shortest journey and covers an entirely different part of the country. It's the right choice if South India, not Rajasthan, is the actual destination.
Which Is the Cheapest Luxury Train in India?
By starting price per person for a comparable multi-night journey, Palace on Wheels is the most affordable of the full-length trains, at roughly a third of Maharajas' Express and a tenth of Deccan Odyssey. Golden Chariot's package price is lower still, but it's also roughly half the journey length and covers a completely different region — comparing it directly on price alone isn't really an apples-to-apples comparison.
Which Luxury Train Should You Choose?
If Rajasthan is the destination and value matters, Palace on Wheels is the clear starting point — the lowest price, the deepest Rajasthan-only itinerary, and the longest operating history. If budget is less of a constraint and you want the newest onboard experience, Maharajas' Express is the contemporary alternative. If you want Rajasthan plus Khajuraho and Varanasi in a single trip, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels covers ground the others don't. Deccan Odyssey and Golden Chariot are worth considering only if Maharashtra/Goa or South India, respectively, are actually where you want to go — neither substitutes for a Rajasthan itinerary.
See our full Palace on Wheels price list for every cabin class and season, or our departure dates to check availability.
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