India’s first deluxe train is older than you think, was launched in…; not Rajdhani Express, Vande Bharat, Deccan Odyssey, the train is…

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Named after Pune’s sobriquet, ‘Queen of Deccan’ or Dakkan Ki Rani, the Deccan Queen, India’s first deluxe train, embarked on its first journey nearly 95 years ago on June 1, 1930

The iconic Deccan Queen Express is regarded as India’s first deluxe train. (File)

While luxury trains like the Maharajas’ Express, the Palace on Wheels, the Deccan Odyssey, and the Golden Chariot, have set the standard for luxury train travel in India, the country’s first deluxe train is nearly a century old. Yes, we are talking about the iconic Deccan Queen, which was launched way back on June 1, 1930 during the British colonial era.

India’s first deluxe train

Named after Pune’s sobriquet, ‘Queen of Deccan’ or Dakkan Ki Rani, the Deccan Queen, India’s first deluxe train, embarked on its first journey nearly 95 years ago on June 1, 1930, marking a major milestone for the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the predecessor of the central railways.

The deluxe train, which initially had only seven coaches, offering first and second class compartments, set a new bar in luxury train travel for passengers. A third class compartment was added to the train in 1955 to accommodate more passengers.

Notably, the Deccan Queen underwent a major transformation and modernization in 1966 as the Indian Railways upgraded the iconic train with anti-telescopic, steel-bodied coaches. Additionally, the train’s interiors also received a much-needed upgrade for enhanced passenger comfort.

A history of many firsts

The Deccan Queen, which runs between Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Pune Junction (PUNE), holds many firsts to its name in Indian Railway history.

It was the first superfast train in India, the first long-distance electric-hauled train, and the first vestibuled train. It was also the first train in the country to feature a women-only car, as well as a separate dining car.

With its iconic cream and Oxford blue exterior with a red band above the windows, the Deccan Queen continues to be a symbol of luxury train travel in India, and completed 94 years of service on June 1, 2024.

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