Karnataka’s luxury train Golden Chariot takes the chartered trip route to earn more revenue and increase its utility

Golden Chariot luxury train in Karnataka offers chartered trips, revamped packages, and aims to increase revenue through marketing strategies.

While 30 passengers embarked on the first trip of Karnataka’s luxury train Golden Chariot after its re-inauguration on December 21, 2024, as many as 65 people went on a chartered trip on December 29 that will end on February 12, 2025.

The revamped train provides two packages: Pride of Karnataka (five nights/six days) and Jewels of South (five nights/six days). Apart from this, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is offering chartered trips, under which an individual or a company can book the entire train and the tour will be customised accordingly.  

While continuing its marketing strategies for Golden Chariot, IRCTC is taking the chartered trip route to earn more revenue and increase the train’s utility.

A package named Sojourn of the South had been customised for the chartered trip which began on December 29. A senior IRCTC official said: “A third party can book the train for chartered trips, and they will have to take the responsibility of marketing and getting bookings for that package. While the option of chartererd trips has been there since the beginning of the Golden Chariot, this time around we have gotten a very good response,” the official said, adding that another chartered trip has been scheduled for February 13.  

The Golden Chariot was inaugurated in 2020 and was revamped and rolled out again in November 2022. The train had done only one trip after the relaunch as it did not receive enough bookings and keeping operations going with limited occupancy proved to be tough owing to hefty haulage charges. This time around, the train was relaunched with renovated rooms and bathrooms, newly upholstered furniture and upgraded linen etc.  

The senior official said that IRCTC has been receiving a good number of bookings from international passengers for the upcoming tours. “We have been receiving bookings from the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Australia as well as different parts of India,” they said.