Worldwide Rail Journeys (WRJ)

	Worldwide Rail Journeys
Abbreviation	WRJ
Industry	Luxury travel, Rail tourism
Founded	2013
Founder	Manish S. Saini
Headquarters	India
Area served	India, International
Specialisation	Luxury rail journeys, rail-based experiential travel
Years active	2013–present

Worldwide Rail Journeys (WRJ) is an Indian company operating in the luxury rail tourism sector. Founded in 2013, the company is involved in the development and promotion of premium rail travel programmes within India and in selected international markets.

The organisation focuses on heritage-oriented rail experiences, treating luxury train journeys as complete travel products rather than solely as transportation services.

Worldwide Rail Journeys has engaged with public-sector tourism bodies, government agencies, and international rail operators during the course of its operations.

History

Formation and intent (2013)

Travel gains meaning through how it is experienced.

Worldwide Rail Journeys was formed to address the growing interest in experiential rail travel by combining luxury services with cultural and historical narratives. At the time of its establishment, India’s luxury rail tourism segment was gradually expanding.

The company was founded by Manish S. Saini, with an objective to create structured rail tourism offerings aligned with international travel expectations.

Operational groundwork (2013–2018)

In its initial years, Worldwide Rail Journeys focused on gaining operational familiarity with rail tourism systems and building institutional relationships.

The company worked alongside Indian Railways, IRCTC, and state-run luxury train corporations during this period.

Key aspects of this phase included:

Facilitation and promotion of established luxury trains such as Palace on Wheels, Maharajas’ Express, Deccan Odyssey, and Golden Chariot
Organisation of chartered luxury rail movements
Development of a focused operating model centred on rail tourism services

Network expansion (2014–2019)

As the company’s presence within the sector increased, Worldwide Rail Journeys expanded its engagement with international travel markets.

During this period, the company:

Served in excess of 9,500 passengers
Built professional relationships with 350+ travel partners globally
Established itself within the niche luxury rail tourism segment

Awards and recognition

Worldwide Rail Journeys has received recognition from tourism and travel industry organisations for its involvement in rail tourism promotion.

Recognitions include:

National Tourism Award (2016) – Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
Best Rail Tour Operator – India Travel Awards (2015, 2016)
Travel & Tourism Business of the Year (2017) – New Delhi
Best Brochure – Tour Operator (2014) – Indian Association of Tour Operators
Entrepreneur Trophy (2016) – Awarded to Manish S. Saini

Disruption due to COVID-19 (2020–2021)

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the suspension of passenger rail tourism and international travel, affecting luxury rail operations worldwide.

Worldwide Rail Journeys utilised this period for internal assessment and coordination with domestic and international partners.

Post-pandemic operations (2022–present)

Following the resumption of travel activity, Worldwide Rail Journeys expanded its international rail tourism associations.

International collaborations include:

Rovos Rail – South Africa
SJourney Luxury Train – Vietnam
Train Suite SHIKI-SHIMA – Japan
Australian luxury rail services including The Ghan, Indian Pacific, Great Southern, and The Overland

Within India, the company remains associated with principal luxury rail products and serves as the Exclusive Marketing Partner for the Palace on Wheels.

Activities

Worldwide Rail Journeys operates as a specialised rail tourism company, coordinating institutional approvals, operational logistics, and international partnerships.

Guiding view

The company’s guiding view places emphasis on the experiential dimension of rail travel, where the journey itself forms a core part of the travel experience.

External links