Tag Archives: Golden Chariot

The Golden Chariot, to be run by IRCTC, will restart operations from January 2021 in a new avatar. The train was handed over to the IRCTC for operational and marketing purposes by the Karnataka Tourism Department in January 2020. IRCTC has said that the tours will commence from Bengaluru and cover places in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala before returning to Bengaluru. The IRCTC has introduced three packages for tourists.

The Golden Chariot is all set to restart its operations from 22nd March, after almost a two-year break. The train completed a decade’s run in 2018. The marketing and operations of the luxury train was given to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) in November 2019 after the KSTDC signed an agreement. The train was discontinued temporarily in 2018 after the Government took note of the ₹41 crore losses the train had incurred. The train would run three tours – two existing routes, and a third one – a short trip of three nights. The next season onwards from October, the train will start running all three – Pride of Karnataka, Southern Splendour, and a third new route of four days and three nights that covers Bengaluru, Mysuru, Bandipur, Chikkamagaluru, Hampi and back. Badami and Goa have been excluded. This tour is aimed at giving the chariot experience to more people at a reduced cost. The train has gone through a refurbishment both in external design as well as in interiors. IRCTC will be launching publicity of the train in the upcoming ITB Berlin.

The Karnataka tourism department has agreed to share the profit with the Railway Board instead of collecting the huge haulage charges for running the Golden Chariot, the only luxury train of peninsular India. The train was running in loss as the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) was paying more as haulage charges to the Railways than the revenue generated. With the decision, the KSTDC will not only make  revenue from the luxury train but also generate profit for the railways. “The Railways has decided not to go for the haulage charge. They  will be sharing the revenue…whatever revenue we get will be shared between the Railways and KSTDC,” said Kumar Pushkar, Managing Director, KSTDC. He explained that earlier the Corporation made losses for many years due to very high haulage charges to Railways. Pushkar said, “The haulage charges used to be higher  than what the total revenue we were getting from the sale of  the ticket. With this arrangement, running train will be  sustainable. It can be done to promote tourism in future years  also.” Pushkar said Karnataka tourism minister Priyank Kharge had met the Railway Board chairman recently and apprised him of the challenges KSTDC was facing to continue the train. Source: PTI

The Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, reportedly plans to promote tourism in the state through special tour packages for the Dussehra festival. The department, through its arm Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC), intends to launch the ‘Dasara Special Tour Package’ in the Golden Chariot, the only luxury tourist train in South India, run by KSTDC, to promote this state festival. The first trip will run from September 23 to 25, and the second from September 29 to October 1. The train will depart from and arrive at the Yeshwantpur railway station in Bengaluru. Priyank Kharge, Minister for Information Technology, Bio-Technology, Science and Technology and Tourism, Government of Karnataka, reportedly said, “This initiative of KSTDC provides an excellent opportunity to people to experience royalty on board, which would showcase the Nadahabba, the Mysuru Dasara and its grandeur.” KSTDC has also planned curated royal walks to allow guests to explore the heritage-rich city of Mysuru. Guests will be offered a gold pass to witness the Dasara and cultural programmes in front of an illuminated Mysuru Palace. Source: Hindu Business Line