Revenues from luxury trains like Palace on Wheels has decreased by 24%. | Photo Credit: Indiatimes

New Delhi: Travel in luxury trains like Maharaja Express, Palace on Wheels, the Golden Chariot, Deccan Odyssey and Royal Orient may soon become affordable for the common man as the Indian Railways has decided to slash fares of these luxury trains by 50 per cent, according to a report in The Pioneer. Per night tariff on luxury trains like Maharaja Express range up to Rs 52,000 in peak season while for the lean season it ranges up to Rs 39,000.

According to the report, the Railway Ministry has decided to slash the haulage charges borne by the State Tourism Departments, partners or stakeholders like IRCTC which run the trains in coordination with the network of Indian Railways. The report further said that the Indian Railways is going for the move in view of a sharp decline in the interest of foreign travellers in such trains.

According to the report, revenue from the Royal Rajasthan has come down by massive 63.18 per cent while for Palace on Wheels' it has decreased by 24.08 per cent.

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Taking a serious note of the declining trends in revenue from these luxury trains, the Railway Board on March 1 reviewed the policy on luxury trains and decided to reduce the existing haulage charges by 50 per cent, the report further said. Haulage charges were borne by the State Governments.

Meanwhile, the flexi-fare system prevailing in premium trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto are likely to be tweaked soon to benefit passengers.

"There will be some tweaking in some areas which will be beneficial to both passengers and the railways," Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani said.

Under the flexi-fare system applicable currently, only 10 per cent of the seats in premium trains are sold at normal fare. Thereafter, fares go up by 10 per cent with every 10 per cent of berths sold with a ceiling of 50 per cent.