The Golden Chariot - Pride of The South

The Golden Chariot - Pride of The South

The Golden Chariot, a luxury train appointed with the finest facilities that takes you on a journey truly unique and memorable. The Golden Chariot is a luxury tourist train that connects the important tourist spots in the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa. The train, along with the Deccan Odyssey, is designed on the lines of the more popular Palace on Wheels with accommodations, spa treatments and dining. The train offers a 7-day/8-night tour of Bangalore, Kabini, Mysore, Hassan, Hospet, Badami and Goa, before returning to Bangalore. The tourist attractions visited include the Nagarhole National Park, Mysore Palace, Srirangapatna forts, Hoysaleswara Temple, Gomateshwara and the Badami Cave Temples.[6] Passengers have the option to start their trips from either Bangalore or Goa.

The fascinating charm of the South India attracts millions of tourists not just from India but from around the world. There are many ways in which a traveler could choose to explore the picturesque locations and the natural beauty of this part of the Indian subcontinent and traveling on board the luxury train, the Golden Chariot is one such option. Golden Chariot is one of the luxury trains in India which offers a royal ride across the breathtaking terrains of south. The luxury trains have certain qualities which make them different from ordinary travelling trains. They reflect royalty, elegance and sophistication in the supreme order and come equipped with amenities at par with five star hotels.

The Golden Chariot is named after the legendary Stone Chariot of Hampi and is operated by Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC). Started on the cues of the Palace on Wheels to promote tourism in South India, Golden Chariot train also gives a peek into the culture and rich heritage of Dravidian legacy of the South. A ride on board this plush tourist train does come at a price but the journey certainly worth the price.

The 7 nights and 8 days onboard the Golden Chariot completely assure you a never before experience and you will not forget this journey for times to come. The train offers two different tour packages. One is ‘Pride of the South’ and the other is ‘Splendor of the South’. The only difference in these two packages is a slight change in destinations. Otherwise, the facilities provided by the train are same in both the packages.

Accommodation

The coaches of the train are artistically designed keeping in mind the comfort of the guests. There are total 19-cabin coaches, which are named after the royal dynasties of Karnataka, Hoysala, Rastrakota, Chalukya, Ganga and Kadamba. The facilities which make it a luxury train include: Air conditioned room, LCD Television, Vanity, Wi-Fi System, DVD with Satellite Television, 26 twin beds with architecture depicting the designing sentiments of the state and much more.

Dinning Facilities

The Dinning facilities of the train are the highlight that is mostly liked by almost all tourists from around the world. There are two restaurants in the train, Nala and Ruchi, which offer food to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian guests. The quality of food is like that of a five star hotel and the interiors of the restaurants complement the interior of the train.

The Golden Chariot Restaurant

Apart from these restaurants, one can also enjoy the drinks in the Madira Bar. Almost every brand of liquor is available in the bar.

Recreational Facilities

The recreational facilities provided by this train are unmatchable. The facility of a gym and an Ayurveda Spa center will ensure you to keep a proper check on your health related issues. These will make your holidaysmore interesting, exciting and also rejuvenate you. 

Business Facilities

This is the most unique facility provided by this train. There is a separate conference coach available for the business meetings that can accommodate up to 30 people at a time.

All in all, the Golden Chariot train offers hi-tech facilities to its guests and ensures them that a travel by this train is definitely their best sojourn and they will remember this journey for many years. An itinerary on board this tourist train will leave you mesmerized and will give you a unique perspective of the destinations dotted across South India. The varied experience of the journey which include heritage structure, magnificent monuments, wildlife sojourns and city ride is worth cherishing forever.

                                       SEHEDULE OF THE GOLDEN CHARIOT

The schedule of the Golden Chariot offers services to the guests all though the year subjected to minimum passengers booking. The schedule has been carefully designed keeping in mind the fact that a complete essence of the place is offered to the guest during the sojourn.

Schedule of The Golden Chariot - Pride of the South tour for the Season 2011 - 2012:

Month	Departure Dates
September 2011	19
October 2011	10, 24
November 2011	7, 28
December 2011	12, 26
January 2012	9, 23
February 2012	6, 27
March 2012	12, 26
April 2012	9, 23

Schedule of The Golden Chariot - Splendor of the South tour for the Season 2011 - 2012:

Month	Departure Dates
September 2011	-
October 2011	17
November 2011	14
December 2011	5
January 2012	2, 30
February 2012	13
March 2012	5
April 2012	2, 30

Tariff for The Golden Chariot - Pride of the South

April 2011 - March 2012 (For Indian nationals only)

Occupancy Type	Prices (Per person per night)	Total (7 Nights)
Single occupancy	INR 20000	INR 140000
Double occupancy	INR 15000	INR 105000
Triple occupancy	INR 12000	INR 84000

April 2011 - March 2012 (For International travellers)

Occupancy Type	Prices (Per person per night)	Total(7 Nights)
Single occupancy	USD 685	USD 4795
Double occupancy	USD 495	USD 3465
Triple occupancy	USD 400	USD 2800

Tariff for The Golden Chariot - Southern Splender

April 2011 - March 2012 (For Indian nationals only)

Occupancy Type	Prices (Per person per night)	Total (7 Nights)
Single occupancy	INR 24000	INR 168000
Double occupancy	INR 18000	INR 126000
Triple occupancy	INR 15000	INR 105000

April 2011 - March 2012 (For International travellers)

Occupancy Type	Prices (Per person per night)	Total(7 Nights)
Single occupancy	USD 755	USD 5285
Double occupancy	USD 570	USD 3990
Triple occupancy	USD 495	USD 3465

To Cancel

• 5% of the ticket value will be deducted if cancellation is made until 60 days prior to departure.
• 20% of the ticket value will be deducted if cancellation is made between 59 and 30 days prior to departure.
• 50% of the ticket value will be deducted if cancellation is made between 29 and 15 days prior to departure.
• 100% of the ticket value will be deducted if the cancellation is made 14 days prior to departure.

The entire amount will be treated as forfeited incase of non-arrival of the guest. Incase the tour is terminated by the guest, the amount for the untraveled portion would be considered as forfeited without any scope for further refunds and adjustments. Incase of natural disasters or serious health issues, amendment maybe possible subject to availability as well as merit.

The Golden Chariot Tariff also mentions a few more details that can be handy information for you. They have been mentioned below:

• Half fare for children between 5 and 12 years.
• The tariff includes accommodation on board, the meals, the sightseeing trips, the entrance fees (while entering monuments, parks, palaces and other sightseeing locations)
• It does not comprise of tips, phone calls, camera fees in the sightseeing locations, SPA car and Business car facilities, liquor as well as laundry
• Christmas and New Year being the peak holiday season calls for a 10% surcharge levied on all departures.
• As per the Govt. of India norms, Service Tax @ 2.575% is levied on the prevalent tariff.

The reservation as well as cancellation policies as mentioned in the Golden Chariot tariff are as follows:

To Reserve

• Pay 20% of ticket value at the time of confirming the booking.
• Pay the remaining 80% of ticket value 30 days prior to departure.

*The above Tariff of the Golden Chariot is subject to change without notice

The Golden Chariot train to woo golfers in Karnataka

There is some good news for golfers touring India. The Golden Chariot train which offers luxury rail journeys through major attractions and destinations in South India will now offer an option of playing golf during the tour. The move come as the Karnataka State Tourism Department is trying to target high end travelers to achieve the desired occupancy level of the train.  Department of Tourism Director K Viswanath Reddy said, "We have a set target to achieve, 55 per cent occupancy rates in the Golden Chariot this year and we are making plans to give an option of playing golf during the course of their trip.”

Golden Chariot takes the guest across some of the most popular and significant tourist sites across the state. Destinations include an array of World Heritage Sites and medieval forts and palaces. Since there are many top class golf courses in the state of Karnataka, department of tourism is trying to woo the golf players to discover and explore the heritages and attractions of Karnataka on board the luxury cruise train in sheer opulence to increase the occupancy level of the train. In its efforts to increase the occupancy levels and to provide different options to the tourists, the tourism department had recently extended the Golden Chariot to whole of South India with a new itinerary package called Southern Splendor.