IF your holiday destination is Matheran, you tend to feel tired even before reaching there. Often it is because of the tiring one-and-half hour walk from Dasturi (mid-point between Neral and Matheran). But things might soon change, if the proposed shuttle mini-train service between the Dasturi to Matheran is passed.

There is good news for devotees who want to reach Shirdi to attend the kaakad aarti of Sai Baba which takes place from 5.15am to 5.45am. Central Railway, (CR) will operate a train that will reach Shirdi in less than seven hours.

In a bid to attract more foreign tourists, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has tied up with Cox and Kings India Ltd (CKIL) to introduce the country’s first all-India state-of-the-art super luxury train. Termed as Maharajas’ Express, this 23-coach train will carry 82 passengers.

Here’s some good news: The inconvenience caused to large number of passengers travelling in long-distance in trains will be done away with. After receiving several complaints from passengers, the Indian Railways is contemplating reversing its earlier decision of introducing an additional berth in some of the AC III tier and sleeper coaches of mail and express trains.

With hospitality and discipline in one of the coaches as its key traits, the Panchavati Express has chugged straight into the Limca Book of Records for being the ‘adarsh coach’.

Mumbai: Come November, Deccan Odyssey, the super-luxury tourist train that till recently travelled within Maharashtra, will change track, cross state boundaries and chug along till Delhi via Rajasthan. The train’s extended journey will be under a new operator, Thomas Cook, with the Taj group taking care of on-board catering and some other related services.

Mumbai: Maharajas’ Express, one of the world’s most expensive luxury trains, is set to chug out early next year. Priced at Rs 1,29,700 or $2,500 per person per night, this will be the most expensive super luxury train in the country and among the top four luxury trains in the world.

Hydrerabad : The much-ambitious Southern Splendour tourism train project of Andhra Pradesh is dead on its tracks, and the state is now wooing Orissa government to bring it back on the rails.

Mumbai: Breaking news on television, a constant feature at home, may soon, be available on board trains too. The railway ministry has asked all its zones to invite tenders for on-board telecast of entertainment and information programmes to offer personalised services to passengers.