The Golden Chariot train may become more accessible to ordinary travellers in Karnataka, with the state government considering lower fares during periods outside the peak tourist season. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced the proposal on October 25 while launching a Golden Chariot tour under the Karnataka Darshan programme.
The launch event was held at Kengeri and Bengaluru’s Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna railway station. Shivakumar said the government wanted people from Karnataka to have an opportunity to travel on the luxury train instead of leaving the experience limited to wealthy passengers and tourists from outside the state.
“Luxury train travel should not be limited to the rich and tourists from other states. Ordinary tourists from the state should also get an opportunity,” Shivakumar said, according to Prajavani. He added that discussions had also been held with the Railway Department on the issue.
The proposal, as described by the chief minister, is to make lower-priced travel available during periods when the train is not operating at peak tourist demand. The announcement did not specify the proposed fare, the dates of the off-season period, the number of seats that could be offered or when the revised pricing could be introduced.
The Golden Chariot tour is being presented as part of a broader effort to revive and redesign the Karnataka Darshan programme. Shivakumar said the tourism programme had been discontinued earlier and had received a new form after Tourism Minister K.J. George took responsibility for it. The state has prepared new tourist routes and added luxury facilities, he said.
The government’s stated objectives include introducing Karnataka’s tourist destinations to more visitors and creating employment. Shivakumar said the programme did not necessarily need to generate profits, but should be managed so that it did not incur losses.
The train described at the launch includes two restaurants, a spa, a gym, comfortable sleeping rooms and both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. It can accommodate 80 passengers and has 60 staff members for guest services. The service is therefore structured as a high-capacity luxury tourism product rather than a regular passenger train.
The state also announced two other tourism concepts. The “Jewels of South” itinerary is intended to connect destinations across southern India, including Hampi, Mahabalipuram, Mysuru, Bengaluru, Kochi and Chettinad. A separate four-day “Dreams of Karnataka” tour has also been prepared, although the announcement did not provide its fare, operating dates or detailed itinerary.
The proposed off-season pricing will now depend on discussions with the Railway Department and the final operating framework for the tours. The government has not yet announced when ordinary travellers could begin booking discounted Golden Chariot journeys or how the eligibility and fare structure would work.
