Deccan Odyssey Explained

Deccan Odyssey
Service:2004–present
Manufacturer:Integral Coach Factory
Assembly:Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Yearconstruction:2002–2003
Yearservice:2004
Capacity:88 passengers
Operator:Indian Railways
MTDC
Trainlength:700m (2,300feet)
Art-Sections:21

The Deccan Odyssey is an Indian luxury train modeled on the Palace on Wheels luxury train and put into service to boost tourism on the Maharashtra route of the Indian Railways.[1] The train, owned by travel company Cox & Kings since 2014, takes visitors on a variety of seven night, eight day trips across Maharashtra.[2]

History

The Deccan Odyssey was deployed and started by Indian Railways and the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corp in 2001 in an effort to increase tourism in Maharashtra.[3] [4] Integral Coach Factory started construction in 2002 and finished in 2003.[4] [5]

Its first trip departed on 16 January 2004 for a week-long maiden trip and was flagged off by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.[6] [2] [7] Due to lack of bookings, later journeys in 2004 were suspended by the state government of Maharashtra. However, its operations restarted after the monsoon season.[8]

The train was not in service for the majority of the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed services in September 2023.[9]

Design and amenities

Design

The train is 700m (2,300feet) long and painted in royal blue. It gets its name from the Deccan Plateau which is located in Maharashtra.[7] [10] The design is meant to emulate the luxuries enjoyed by 16th century Maharajas.[10] The train has 21 coaches, each named after places in Maharashtra and can accommodate up to 88 passengers.[11]

Amenities

Suite amenities include an en suite bathroom, Wi-Fi, a TV, and a cell phone "with all emergency numbers fed in." Guests are serviced by an onboard butler and each suite is marked with a custom nameplate. In addition to accommodation amenities, the train is fully air-conditioned and has a small gym, a spa, salon, library, foreign exchange services, a bar, and a conference room, which can be converted into a dance floor.[2] [10] [12]

There are two restaurants in the train, Waavar and Utsav, which are managed by Taj Hotels.[10] [13]

Journeys

The Deccan Odyssey offers six different seven day, Seven night trips around Maharashtra, Rajasthan & Northern India, typically starting and ending in Delhi or Mumbai at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus & Sajdarjung Railway Station, New Delhi.[14] [15] [10]

Guests can adhere to pre-arranged sightseeing tours or explore each stop on their own.[16] Trips typically run between October and May.[17] [18]

As of 2024, the journeys include: (New Itineraries added and Older ones modified)

Apart from the trip list, the Deccan Odyssey also goes on other shorter "special journeys". In 2010, the Spiritual Journey to the Guru's Abode explored Kiratpur Sahib, Anandpur Sahib (Keshgarh Sahib), Amritsar (Akal Takht Sahib), Bathinda (Damdama Sahib), Jaipur, Agra, Nanded (Hazur Sahib), Mumbai, Patna (Patna Sahib), and Delhi, with a focus on Sikh takhts.[26] In 2017, the Susegado Goa special journey explored the Konkan Coast through Mumbai, Goa, Thivim, Karmali, and Verna.[27] In 2022, an abbreviated Indian Odyssey journey—Delhi, Sawai Madhopur, Agra, Jaipur—was available.[28]

Most passengers are international travellers and are charged US$8,330 per single occupancy deluxe cabin for a seven night, eight day trip.[19] [29] [10] [17] [16]

Awards

The Deccan Odyssey has won the title of Asia's Leading Luxury Train at the World Travel Awards in 2010–2012, 2014, and 2015–2019. In 2018, the train earned recognition for being the first to win the Asia's Leading Luxury Train award five consecutive times.[30] [31] [32]

The train was also named World's Leading Luxury Train in 2019. Previous nominations include World's Leading Travel Experience by Train (2009-2012), World's Leading Luxury Train (2010-2018, 2020), and Asia's Leading Luxury Train (2013, 2020–2021).[33] [11] [34] [3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Maha Cabinet will meet on Deccan Odyssey. 2021-09-28. The Free Press Journal. Jog. Sanjay. 2022-06-08.
  2. Web site: Cox & Kings gets five year sales and marketing contract for luxury train Deccan Odyssey. 2014-08-27. Chowdhury. Anirban. Economic Times. 2022-06-07.
  3. Web site: Deccan Odyssey becomes Asia's leading luxury train. 2016-10-21. Financial Express. 2022-06-07.
  4. Web site: Deccan Odyssey: India by Luxury Train. 2022-02-10. Indian Luxury Trains. 2022-06-08.
  5. Web site: Deccan Odyssey: All decked up and nowhere to go. 2003-10-30. Pate. Neil. Times of India. 2022-06-09.
  6. Web site: Deccan Odyssey to start on Jan. 16. Pate. Neil. 2004-01-09. Times of India. 2022-06-08.
  7. Web site: In PICTURES: 10 Points About Indian Railways Premium Luxurious 'Deccan Odyssey' Trains. 2018-04-16. NDTV. 2022-06-08.
  8. Web site: Deccan Odyssey. n.d.. Discover India. 2022-06-08.
  9. Web site: IN PHOTOS: India’s Deccan Odyssey to restart operations from September 23 . 2024-02-23 . Mid-day . en.
  10. Web site: The Decadent Odyssey: A train in blue and gold livery of unparalleled luxury. 2022-01-05. Pinnock. Don. Daily Maverick. 2022-06-07.
  11. Web site: Deccan Odyssey, India's premium luxury train. 2017-07-19. Media India Group. 2022-06-07.
  12. Web site: Deccan Odyssey. n.d.. The Society of International Railway Travelers. 2022-06-08.
  13. News: Take a luxury train ride on the Deccan Odyssey . 21 February 2023 . The Economic Times.
  14. Web site: Welcome Aboard The Deccan Odyssey. Chakraborty. Subhasish. 2022-04-19. Salon Privé Magazine. 2022-06-07.
  15. Web site: Take a luxury train ride on the Deccan Odyssey. 2016-10-06. The Economic Times. 2022-06-07.
  16. Web site: India's best train trips are a journey to the soul of the subcontinent. Rajesh. Monisha. 2022-03-11. Lonely Planet. 2022-06-07.
  17. Web site: Deccan Odyssey arrives in Vijayapura. 2016-12-05. The Hindu. 2022-06-07.
  18. News: Want to experience royalty? Here are five luxurious Indian trains to hop on . . 1 April 2018 . en.
  19. Web site: Maharashtra Splendor Journey. n.d.. Deccan Odyssey. 2022-06-08.
  20. Web site: Spending seven nights in the luxurious train 'Deccan Odyssey'. Goyal. Anudradha. 2016-07-14. Times Travel. 2022-06-07.
  21. Web site: Indian Odyssey Journey. n.d.. Deccan Odyssey. 2022-06-08.
  22. Web site: Jewels of the Deccan Journey. n.d.. Deccan Odyssey. 2022-06-08.
  23. Web site: Maharashtra Wild Trail Journey. n.d.. Deccan Odyssey. 2022-06-08.
  24. Web site: Hidden Treasures of Gujarat. n.d.. Deccan Odyssey. 2022-06-08.
  25. Web site: Indian Sojurn Journey. n.d.. Deccan Odyssey. 2022-06-08.
  26. Web site: A luxury train trip across Sikh Takhts. 2010-12-14. SikhNet. Bajwa. Harpreet. 2022-06-09.
  27. Web site: Ideas for NYE: Mumbai-Goa on the Deccan Odyssey. 2017-11-18. Traveller. 2022-06-07.
  28. Web site: Indian Odyssey Special Journey. n.d.. Deccan Odyssey. 2022-06-08.
  29. Web site: One ticket for Rs 38 lakhs! Take a look at India's most luxurious trains. 2021-06-26. DNA. 2022-06-07.
  30. Web site: Deccan Odyssey wins the title of Asia's Leading Luxury Train 5 Times Consecutively. 2018-09-04. Chakraborty. Debasree. Indian Luxury Trains. 2022-06-08.
  31. News: Five luxury trains that redefine happy journeys . 19 February 2023 . . 17 July 2022 . en.
  32. News: Do You Want To Ride On Asia's Most Luxurious Train? Hint: It's In India . 19 February 2023 . . en.
  33. Web site: Deccan Odyssey. 2021. World Travel Awards. 2022-06-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20210506102519/https://www.worldtravelawards.com/profile-29440-deccan-odyssey. 2021-05-06.
  34. Web site: Do You Want To Ride On Asia's Most Luxurious Train? Hint: It's In India. 2018-09-06. Outlook India. 2022-06-07.

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