The Fairy Queen Train in Rajasthan

The Fairy Queen herself is as much a legend as the destinations she will cover on a two-day trip. Two days is not much for a luxury train journey, if you were to go by the itinerary of other Rajasthan luxury trains – the Palace on Wheels and the Royal Orient. Two days on Fairy Queen, however, is two days in the past. The Fair Queen’s engine was first flagged off by its British builders in 1855. The engine was decommissioned in the early twentieth century, and was brought back to life by Indian Railways in 1997. The Fairy Queen is the world’s oldest train engine that is still running.

While the queue for those wishing to travel on this train is long, passage is offered only to 50 people at a time. Therefore, you should book yourself as early as possible if you want a slice of history aboard the old Fairy Queen.

The train has comfortable arrangements for passengers. Its pantry provides scrumptious Rajasthani meals to passengers. The train starts from New Delhi’s Cantonment Railway Station and journeys to Alwar and Sariska in Rajasthan. So your journey is a wonderful balance between the air-conditioned comfort and delectable snacks on board the Fairy Queen, and a jeep or walking tour to the tourist attractions of Alwar and Sariska.

At the Sariska, you will be put up for the night at a hotel near the famous Tiger Sanctuary. The day will be spent looking for the elusive tigers at the sanctuary. If not tigers, you can always spot deer, monkeys, and a variety of birds. Your evening at the hotel will be one of fun and excitement, where you will be treated to some foot tapping folksongs and folk dance numbers.

At Alwar, you can disembark to visit the Bala Fort and the Jai Samand Lake. Alwar is a quiet town today, not often listed on the tourist itinerary. However, if you are fond of history, and have a fascination for brigands and the days of pirates and robbers, perhaps Alwar should be the first place to tour. A few centuries back, Alwar was unfortunately, notorious for its dacoits and lawlessness. While that may not be a thing to celebrate, it is something that fascinates many people.

The Fairy Queen, herself a refurbished relic of history, takes you on an amazing journey through Rajasthan’s history.