We have spoken to people and read comments from people who have traveled on the Palace on Wheels but those comments are generally more than a year and a half old and travel is dynamic.

Would anyone who has taken this trip in the past twelve months please be so kind as to share their impressions with us? For example, a friend who traveled on it two years ago said that the train was in need of refurbishing and thought it was being done soon.

Many thanks,
BigBlue

Do a search on the Asia forum. recently there was a TR about the POW which summed it up quite well.

I'd looked previously at the entries on the thread suggested by Jacketwatch. What I'm looking for is first-hand experience from someone who has done this trip recently.

Thanks,
BigBlue

There is a post on 11-6-05 by drjlh
who did this trip recently. Do a search for POW
J

Big Blue - I did the trip January 2005. You can read my report in the post above. I can tell you after doing this trip that dynamic is not a word I would associate with the POW. This is a well oiled machine - many of the stewards have been doing this trip for years and years. It is run by the Rajasthan government and maybe for that reason it seemed to resemble most of our national park accomodations - OK but a little tired and no real efforts on regular improvements. I do want to add though that when you are on the POW you know you are in India. I found the luxury hotels to be fabulous but too removed from the real life of India to be a complete experience - like seeing India through a glittering bubble.