South India’s Golden Chariot luxury train

Stuart Forster takes a journey on the Golden Chariot luxury train in south India, from Bengaluru to Goa.

Disclosure: Some of the links below and banners are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

The Golden Chariot is south India’s answer to the Palace on Wheels; this is a luxury train transporting tourists in five-star comfort between sites of cultural and historic interest. Every Monday of the season, the purple train pulls out of Bengaluru’s Yeshwanthpur railway station to tour regional highlights.

If you thought luxury train travel belonged to the world of Agatha Christie and went out of fashion with the Charleston, think again. The concept of exploring India’s heritage sites from the opulent surroundings of a train with dining carriages, a lounge bar and comfortable sleeping quarters is proving increasingly popular.

Statue of a snarling tiger stands in the grounds of Mysore's Amba Vilas Palace, one of the points of interest on the route of the Golden Chariot
Statue of a snarling tiger stands in the grounds of Mysore’s Amba Vilas Palace, one of the points of interest on the route of the Golden Chariot.



Luxury rail travel in India

The acclaimed Palace on Wheels – which tours attractions in the ‘golden triangle’ of Delhi, Rajasthan and Agra – rolled into service back in 1982. It remained India’s only train of its kind until Maharashtra’s Deccan Odyssey entered commission in 2004.

The Golden Chariot’s inaugural journey took place in March 2008. The idea of establishing a luxury train service in Karnataka was long in the offing.

“This was considered for the last ten years…primarily we felt that the interior parts of Karnataka were very difficult to access. The accessibility was an issue. We did not have good roads, we did not have good airports or even good tourism infrastructure, like hotels, in places like Hampi, Badami and Hassan,” explained Vinay Luthra, the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Tourism Development Commission, shortly after the service began.

“So that was one reason we felt an up-end traveller would not be able to see and access these beautiful places. So we thought, after seeing the success of the Palace on Wheels in Rajasthan, why not have a similar kind of a train that overcomes this problem until we can get good infrastructure in place,” he added.

Air-conditioned coach that transports passengers from the Golden Chariot to heritage sites and places of interest along the route of the luxury train service
An air-conditioned coach that transports passengers from the Golden Chariot to heritage sites and places of interest along the route of the luxury train service.



Exploring Karnataka’s heritage sites

Compared to neighbouring Kerala and Goa, Karnataka is only slowly entering the mass consciousness of international travellers, despite having much to offer. The slogan ‘One State, Many Worlds’, emblazoned on Golden Chariot’s flank, is used in Karnataka’s ongoing promotional campaign.

This journey showcases a subset of the cultural diversity and vibrancy for which India is renowned. Remarkably, 609 of the nation’s 3,600 centrally protected monuments are located in the state. The oldest monument you’ll see on this journey is approximately 1,600 years old.

Pinterest pin for Go Eat Do's blog post about the Golden Chariot luxury train service in south India
Use Pinterest? Pin this and return to read Go Eat Do’s blog post about the Golden Chariot luxury train service in southern India.

Two of the stops along the route, Hampi and Pattadakal, give you opportunities to explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Shravanabelagola, with its monolithic, thousand-year-old statue of the Jain ascetic Lord Bahubali, Mysore’s Indo-Saracenic style Amba Vilas Palace, and the intricately sculpted twelfth-century Hoysala temples of Belur and Halebid are also on the itinerary.

Sunset over Hampi, one of the destinations visited during a tour of southern India on the Golden Chariot
Sunset over Hampi, one of the destinations visited during a tour of southern India on the Golden Chariot luxury rail service.

Indian wildlife and Goa’s coast

Though none of the state’s coastal resorts are included on the journey, Goa, the train’s final stop, provides an opportunity to enjoy golden sands and the briny warmth of the Arabian Sea.

There’s also a chance to enjoy some of the region’s wildlife. An overnight stay at the Kabini River Lodge provides opportunities to take jeep and boat safaris within the Rajiv Gandhi National Park (also known as Nagarhole. I was fortunate enough to sight a tiger while there.

An air-conditioned coach follows the train throughout its journey, picking up the Golden Chariot’s passengers from the railway stations and providing transport to and from sights of interest.

Should you develop a case of ‘temple fatigue’ or feel the need for a break from the daily infusion of in-depth commentaries provided by guides, local specialists who join up with the group at each of the stations, you can always opt out of the excursions.

The state animal of Karnataka, the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) in the Nagarhole National Park
The state animal of Karnataka, the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) in Nagarhole National Park.



Wellness and fitness while travelling

The train’s Aragoya carriage houses an ayurvedic spa, a compact gym with cardiovascular fitness machines and a business centre with internet access. The spa treatments, administered by specialist staff, include aromatherapy and Swedish massages, plus de-tox and de-stress packages. Impressively, despite the obvious space constraints of a railway carriage, the spa is equipped with two steam rooms.

The train runs to a prodigious length, with a total of eighteen coaches, including engines on either end. Eleven of these carriages are given over to sleeping quarters named after the dynasties which formerly ruled over territories in Karnataka, such as Rashtrakuta, Vijayanagara and Chalukya.

Golden Chariot luxury train at Mysore railway station in Karnataka, India
The Golden Chariot luxury train at Mysore railway station in Karnataka, India.

Luxury train with butler service

Each of the carriages has a full-time coach attendant who provides an attentive, butler service. The four cabins have en suite bathroom facilities and are decorated with bedspreads made of hand-woven silk. The cabin designs are influenced by the Mysore and Belur-Halebidu schools of art and architecture but feature light-coloured wood and a television.

One of the highlights of travelling on the Golden Chariot is the outstanding food. The executive chef, Deepak Chaubey, does a great job of sourcing top-quality fresh and seasonal ingredients. His team creates their dishes using electric ovens and hot plates, as gas cooking is not permitted on the Indian Railways. Cooks work in two narrow galley-style kitchens, one for Indian cuisine and the other for Continental-style preparations.

A member of staff, a butler on the Golden Chariot luxury train service in southern India
A member of staff, a butler on the Golden Chariot luxury train.

Dining on the Golden Chariot

The on-board meals are served in two dining cars, named Ruchi (Sanskrit for ‘fine taste’) and Nalapaka (after a king and legendary chef from the Hindu epic, The Mahabharata), by attentive waiters who aren’t afraid of chatting about themselves during respectful, good-natured exchanges of small talk.

Presentation of the food is consistently of a high standard throughout the week-long journey. Desserts, with their glazed fruits and decorative strips of chocolate, stand out as being especially artistic. Yet the colour combinations of the Indian dishes, served as part of the traditional thalis (literally ‘plates’), are as noteworthy as their aromatic flavours. Even the shepherd’s pie – traditionally a no-nonsense blend of minced meat and mashed potato – is served to look aesthetically attractive and appetizing.

The executive chef aboard the Golden Chariot train in southern India
The executive chef aboard the Golden Chariot train in southern India.

Golden Chariot luxury train

The range of food is impressive. Continental and Indian options are served at every mealtime, with vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices in both. Karnataka is rich in regional cuisines, with Udupi, Kodava and Mangalorean cooking counting among the state’s varied and celebrated styles. Chef Chaubey does a great job of incorporating a range of Karnatakan dishes into his thalis.

After a good dinner, what is there left to do but retire to the bar for a nightcap? That’s precisely what many of the passengers do. They head to the lounge bar, situated in Madira, the carriage named after the nectar of the gods, to chat and unwind with a drink.

Knowing that you are trundling towards the next attraction while conversing over a drink, and can effortlessly retire to a comfortable bed, helps take the stress out of travel. That’s one of the chief attractions of travelling on the Golden Chariot.

Dusk over the Vittala (Vitthala) Temple in Hampi, one of the places visited during a tour of southern India on the Golden Chariot
Dusk over the Vittala (Vitthala) Temple in Hampi, one of the places visited during a tour of southern India on the Golden Chariot.

Travel to Bangalore

Air India and British Airways offer direct flights between London Heathrow and Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru.



Hotels in Bangalore

Search for hotels in Bangalore via Booking.com:



Booking.com

Books about Karnataka and India

Planning a trip to Karnataka? You may find the following books worth reading:

Karnataka’s Rich Heritage: Art and Architecture by Lalit Chugh:

Bangalore and Karnataka Footprint Focus Guide:

Lonely Planet India:


India: A History by John Keay:

 

Further information

See the Golden Chariot website for information about departures on the luxury train.

The Incredible India! site also has tourism information about Indian destinations and heritage.

Stuart Forster, the author of this post, lived in India for five years and travelled extensively. He is an award-winning travel writer and has travelled on some of the world’s best-regarded rail routes, including the Rocky Mountaineer in western Canada.


If you enjoyed this post why not sign up for the free Go Eat Do newsletter? It’s a hassle-free way of getting links to posts on a monthly basis.

Thank you for visiting Go Eat Do and reading this post about South India’s Golden Chariot luxury train. Thinking about a luxury train vacation in India? If you enjoyed this post about the Golden Chariot and want to experience a piece of India’s railway heritage take a look at my post about the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tamil Nadu.

‘Like’ the Go Eat Do Facebook page to see more photos and content.

A version of this post was first published on Go Eat Do in 2013.

Pinterest pin for Go Eat Do's blog post about riding the Golden Chariot, South India's luxury sightseeing train
Use Pinterest? Pin this and share Go Eat Do’s blog post about riding the Golden Chariot, South India’s luxury sightseeing train.

Post a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.