How much does it cost?

From £9,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $13,507 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is the train travel included?

Yes. The package includes AC Executive Class rail travel on the Shatabdi Express (Delhi to Kalka), the narrow-gauge Himalayan Queen Toy Train (Kalka to Shimla), the Vande Bharat Express (Ambala to Amritsar), and six nights in deluxe cabins with butler service aboard the Maharajas' Express. All rail, coach, and boat travel is included.

Is this an escorted tour?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager from start to finish, and all guided tours and excursions are included. The group is escorted throughout.

Three nights at The Oberoi, Delhi; two nights at The Oberoi Cecil Hotel, Shimla; two nights at Taj Swarna, Amritsar; and six nights in deluxe cabins aboard the Maharajas' Express. All are five-star properties.

Great Rail Journeys offers 11 departures between October 2026 and April 2028, running in January, February, March, September, October, November, and April.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

The Maharajas' Express, Golden Temple & Shimla

Luxury train journey through India: Delhi, Shimla, Amritsar, Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi

Great Rail Journeys operates this 16-day escorted journey aboard the Maharajas' Express, one of the world's most luxurious trains, departing from and returning to London. The route unfolds across India's most celebrated destinations: from the Himalayan hill station of Shimla, reached by climbing aboard the UNESCO-listed Toy Train through the Shivalik Hills, to the spiritual city of Amritsar, where you witness the Palki ceremony at the Golden Temple and the Wagah Border Ceremony. Six nights are spent in deluxe cabins with butler service aboard the Maharajas' Express as it travels from Delhi through Jaipur and Ranthambore, where an early morning safari offers the chance to spot Bengal tigers, to Agra and the Taj Mahal, and finally Varanasi on the sacred Ganges. Hotel stays in five-star properties frame the journey in Delhi, Shimla, and Amritsar. A Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout, and all meals (breakfast and dinner daily, plus eight lunches), guided tours, and internal transport are included. The pace is relaxed, with two-night stays at most locations and time to explore independently. This tour suits luxury-seekers, history-lovers, and travellers who prefer guided comfort with the signature experience of sleeping and dining aboard a heritage luxury train.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £200 since 4 Jul, to £9,999.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

The single supplement is substantial: from GBP 16,799 compared to GBP 9,799 per person for a double, more than one and a half times the double rate.
Six nights are spent aboard the train and eight in hotels; this is not an all-train journey. The final two nights are in the same Delhi hotel you occupy at the start.
The group size reaches up to 30 people, which is the larger end of escorted touring; confirm the actual group composition for your preferred departure.

Day by day

Day 1
Overnight flight from London to Delhi
Meet the Tour Manager and travelling group at London Heathrow ahead of a direct overnight flight to Delhi.
Day 2overnight: Delhi (The Oberoi)
Time to unwind on arrival in Delhi
Land in Delhi and transfer to a five-star hotel overlooking the Delhi Golf Course, with a free afternoon before dinner together.
Day 3railovernight: Shimla (The Oberoi Cecil Hotel)
Into the Himalayas aboard the UNESCO-listed 'Toy Train'
Transfer to New Delhi station with a picnic breakfast, board the Shatabdi Express to Kalka, then the narrow-gauge Himalayan Queen 'Toy Train' with a picnic lunch through the Shivalik Hills to Shimla. Check in to the historic five-star hotel with dinner together.
Day 4overnight: Shimla
Exploring Shimla, the summer capital of the British Raj
A talk from historian Raaja Bhasin, followed by a tour of Shimla including the Viceregal Lodge, Him Chatterjee Art Gallery, the Gaiety Theatre and Scandal Point, with dinner at the hotel.
Day 5railovernight: Amritsar (Taj Swarna)
By rail to the Punjab city of Amritsar
Transfer down the Himalayan foothills with lunch in Dharampur, collect a picnic dinner at Chandigarh, then board the Vande Bharat Express from Ambala to Amritsar, arriving late evening for a two-night stay.
Day 6overnight: Amritsar
Wagah Border and Golden Temple Palki ceremonies
Travel by coach to the Wagah-Attari border to observe the Beating Retreat Ceremony, then return for dinner before visiting the Golden Temple for the evening Palki ceremony.
Day 7railovernight: Delhi
Discovering Old Amritsar
A sightseeing walk through Old Amritsar, visiting the Saragarhi Memorial, the Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh, before checking out and boarding the train for Delhi, arriving late evening for two nights.
Day 8overnight: Delhi
Encountering Delhi, India's bustling capital
Guided tour of New Delhi including the Gandhi Smriti Museum, India Gate and Sundar Nursery, then Old Delhi's Jama Masjid and a rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk bazaar, ending with a seven-course dinner at Haveli Dharampura.
Day 9railovernight: Maharajas' Express (Jaipur)
Boarding the Maharajas' Express with the red-carpet treatment
Board the Maharajas' Express with a red-carpet welcome and musicians, settle into deluxe cabins, and enjoy breakfast and lunch onboard en route to Jaipur, then explore the Amber Fort in the afternoon before dinner on the train.
Day 10railovernight: Maharajas' Express
Uncovering the 'Pink City' of Jaipur
Breakfast in the dining car, then explore Jaipur's City Palace and the Palace of the Winds. Return to the train for lunch and a free afternoon, followed by an exclusive dinner at the Rambagh Palace hotel.
Day 11railovernight: Maharajas' Express
Morning tiger safari and the deserted Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri
An early open-vehicle safari in Ranthambore National Park with a naturalist, hoping to spot a Bengal tiger. Return to the train for breakfast and lunch, then a guided tour of the red sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri.
Day 12railovernight: Maharajas' Express
Marvelling at the 'poetry in marble' of Agra's Taj Mahal
Visit the Taj Mahal in the morning light, with breakfast on a hotel roof terrace overlooking the monument. Return to the train for lunch and a free afternoon, with optional excursions to a spa or Agra Fort.
Day 13overnight: Maharajas' Express
Ancient temples at Orchha and Khajuraho
A morning tuk-tuk ride around the 16th-century temples and palaces of Orchha, with breakfast and lunch onboard, then a guided tour of Khajuraho's Hindu and Jain temple art, including the Kandariya Mahadeva temple.
Day 14railovernight: Maharajas' Express
Spiritual Varanasi on the sacred Ganges
Breakfast onboard en route to Varanasi. After lunch at a five-star hotel, visit the Buddhist site of Sarnath, then sail on the Ganges to witness daily life and the evening aarti ceremony, before dinner and a final night aboard the train.
Day 15railovernight: Delhi (The Oberoi)
Disembarking the Maharajas' Express in Delhi
The train arrives at Delhi Safdarjung station after breakfast; return to a nearby hotel with time to relax or explore independently (Humayun's Tomb, Purana Qila, Lodhi Gardens, Khan Market), followed by a final dinner together.
Day 16
Homeward bound
After an early breakfast, check out and transfer to Delhi airport for the direct flight to London Heathrow.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3Board the narrow-gauge Himalayan Queen Toy Train, a UNESCO-listed heritage railway, climbing through the Shivalik Hills to the hill station of Shimla.
Day 6Witness the evening Palki ceremony at Amritsar's Golden Temple, where the holy book is carried in a golden casket from the Akal Takht to the main shrine.
Day 9Board the Maharajas' Express with red-carpet welcome and local musicians, shown to deluxe cabins with butler service as the train departs for Jaipur.
Day 11Undertake an early morning tiger safari in Ranthambore National Park in open-topped vehicles with a naturalist guide, hoping to spot Bengal tigers and leopards.
Day 14Cruise the Ganges at sunset in Varanasi, witnessing daily life along the ghats and the evening aarti ceremony, your final night aboard the Maharajas' Express.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
8 nights' 5-Star hotel accommodation
6 nights in a deluxe cabin aboard the Maharajas' Express
AC Executive Class rail travel
All rail, boat and coach travel throughout your tour
Direct return flights from London Heathrow to Delhi
Breakfast and dinner each day, 9 lunches
Group luggage transfers between all hotels
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £9,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $13,507 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is the train travel included?: Yes. The package includes AC Executive Class rail travel on the Shatabdi Express (Delhi to Kalka), the narrow-gauge Himalayan Queen Toy Train (Kalka to Shimla), the Vande Bharat Express (Ambala to Amritsar), and six nights in deluxe cabins with butler service aboard the Maharajas' Express. All rail, coach, and boat travel is included.
Is this an escorted tour?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager from start to finish, and all guided tours and excursions are included. The group is escorted throughout.
What are the hotels?: Three nights at The Oberoi, Delhi; two nights at The Oberoi Cecil Hotel, Shimla; two nights at Taj Swarna, Amritsar; and six nights in deluxe cabins aboard the Maharajas' Express. All are five-star properties.
When does it depart?: Great Rail Journeys offers 11 departures between October 2026 and April 2028, running in January, February, March, September, October, November, and April.