Bangkok--Feb 15--eTurboNews
Indian Railways (IR)is planning to offer tailor-made 'personalized' service train rides, and 'value added tour packages' targeted at different segment of tourists.
The trains will offer special services, priced differently basing on demand. "Depending on the demand, a tourist train will have different proportion of sleeper and air-conditioned coaches, priced accordingly," a spokesperson for Indian Railway said.
It is planning to offer a 'tourist car' service, in the form of a specially designed train bogie for tour groups, equipped with a kitchen and having lesser but more spacious berths. The 'tourist car' will be attached to a train going to the desired destination.
Elaborating further on the proposed service, an IR spokesman said, "We are offering the service to tour groups, families and office workers with high disposable incomes, willing to pay more for quality service."
Under its 'value added tour packages' but at a lower cost, tour groups can instead book berths within a bogie of a train going to a tourist destination.
Additionally, the package comes with a combination of special menu, 'greet and meet' at stations, car rentals, and domestic tourist trains.
To serve domestic tourists going to destinations with heavy demand, passengers on domestic tourist trains will be offered special services within the trains, priced differently basing on demand.
Its best-known train journey is still the world-renowned 'Palace on Wheels', a luxury service segment, aimed at international tourists.
Currently run in partnership with state governments, it has received proposals to run similar luxury service from the Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh state governments, in addition to the present service run by Rajasthan state.
The 'Heritage on Wheels' train, scheduled to run on February 17 will cover the Shekhawati circuit,including Bikaner and Jaipur. The train, with a capacity of 104 passengers is targeted at corporate clients and high-end domestic and international tourists.
Bookings for the proposed services can be made through its own Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website, tour agents and associated ticketing agents.
For more information, please contact
TravelPress.biz, eTurboNews, P.O.Box 208, Haleiwa, HI 96712-0208 USA,
PH: +1-808-521-2800 FAX: +1-310-362-8973
www.travelpress.biz [email protected] End.