India’s first saloon coach with air-conditioned rooms, attached bathrooms and valet services started it’s journey recently from Delhi to Katra with six passengers on board. Six customers of a private tour company availed of the services of the saloon car facility — initially reserved only for railway officials. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) officials told news agency PTI that the officials used the facility to reach remote areas not connected by road or air.
The saloons or inspection cars can accommodate two families and are adequately built to facilitate stay for up to five days.
The Ministry of Railways tweeted that India’s first Railway Saloon Coach started operating on 29th March 2018.
IRCTC is operating first Railway Saloon Coach tour departed yesterday from Old Delhi Railway Station. It is like a moving house having two exclusive bedrooms with attached bath, a large living cum dining room, kitchenette and rear window for watching the spectacular views. pic.twitter.com/T49lOHM6Tp
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) March 31, 2018
The coach is equipped with amenities like two exclusive air-conditioned bedrooms with attached bath, a large living cum dining room, kitchenette and rear window for unobstructed views. IRCTC has even called it a ‘moving house’. The privately-occupied saloon coach comes with valet service. Talk about a luxurious house, which is mobile and also comes with a view!
The cost of chartering this saloon coach is around Rs 2 lakh, IRCTC said. The luxury coach has a living room, two air-conditioned bedrooms – one twin bedroom and the other similar to a AC First Class coupe with attached baths, dining area and a kitchen. The valet service will be chargeable in future.
M/s Royal India Train Journeys booked the saloon coach for its premium customers travelling to Jammu via Jammu Mail. The entire journey will take four days following which the saloon will be back in Delhi. “This will be an all inclusive tour where the guests will be offered all the comfort of a hotel. Exclusive staff will be available for services on board. Railway also provides one AC attendant and one saloon attendant for ensuring hassle free travel,” IRCTC said.
The saloons are available for charter for the common people and the details are available on the IRCTC website. Railways has a total of 336 saloon cars across railway zones, among them 62 are air-conditioned.
The decision to make such saloons available to people was taken soon after a meeting of Chairman of the Railway Board, Ashwani Lohani, with travel and trade associations in Delhi in January this year.
The train travelled from Delhi to Katra with six passengers on board. This luxurious private coach was attached to the Jammu Mail train.
The Railway Saloon Coach was initially reserved only for railway officials to get to places which were not connected by air or road. But now, even you can get a ride in this high-end train coach!
