LOUISVILLE, Ky.: The Society of International Railway Travelers® today welcomed India's Maharajas' Express into its pantheon of the World's Top 25 Trains™.

The luxury train began service in March 2010 and boasts 19 cars (excluding staff and generator cars). The train's four itineraries begin and end in Delhi or Mumbai and include visits to such iconic locales as Agra, Varanasi, Jaipur and Jodhpur.

The Maharajas' Express brings to four the number of Indian trains on the Society's list of the World's Top 25 Trains, a remarkable feat, said Society CEO Owen C. Hardy. "India has proven time and again its incredible commitment to rail -- not just with luxury services but also with service for everyday travelers. Congratulations to the builders, owners and operators of the Maharajas' Express."

Other Indian trains on the World's Top 25 list, returning this year, are the Deccan Odyssey luxury train, which offers touring from as far afield as Mumbai to New Jalpaiguri; the Palace on Wheels, a first-class touring train in royal Rajasthan; and the tiny Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in W. Bengal, which runs up to the hill station of Darjeeling, and whose remarkable engineering and history earned it UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999.

Meanwhile, the Society's Angela Walker, Vice President for Operations, recently returned from India and issued a glowing report about the Maharajas' Express. Find her report at http://irtsociety.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/the-maharajas-express-live-like-indian-royalty/.

The trains on the Society's World's Top 25 Trains list come from all over the world and just about every continent. The list is based on extensive, first-hand experience by owners, staff, writers and members of the Society, who evaluate the trains they've ridden. "These trains are the best of the best," said Hardy. "We salute them for providing amazing and adventurous experiences for those lucky enough to take them."

The World's Top 25 Trains-2011

(Note: Trains are listed by region and are not ranked within the list. * signifies luxury train; + denotes a train providing a luxury service option on board.)

Africa

• Pride of Africa*
• Blue Train*

Asia

• Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
• Deccan Odyssey*
• Eastern & Oriental Express*
• Maharajas' Express*
• Palace on Wheels
• Shangri-La Express

Europe

• Bernina Express
• British Pullman*
• Danube Express
• El Transcantabrico*
• Flam Railway
• Glacier Express
• Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express
• Royal Scotsman*
• Venice Simplon-Orient-Express*

North America

• Royal Canadian Pacific*
• The Canadian
• Rocky Mountaineer

South America

• Andean Explorer
• Hiram Bingham*

Australia

• Ghan+
• Indian Pacific+
• Sunlander+

The Society of International Railway Travelers® is an award-winning publishing company and full-service travel agency and tour operator based in the U.S. serving clients from around the world. To order a complimentary emailed PDF of the IRT Society's Best-Loved Railway Journeys 2010, please register on the company web site: http://www.irtsociety.com/. To order the printed version, please contact the company for payment details. The Society specializes in luxury, deluxe and steam/adventure railway journeys around the world.

For more information, contact Eleanor Flagler Hardy, Society president; phone: +1-502-454-0277; email: ehardy@irtsociety.com.

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SOURCE The Society of International Railway Travelers