The millennium trains are being planned by the Union Ministries of Tourism and Railways and will leave Delhi on December 28. The trains will take only 90 passengers per special train and will cost Rs 20,000 per person for around five nights.

The three trains will ply on three special routes. Train one will go from Delhi to Jaipur, Khajuraho, Harpalpur and Agra. The trip will last till January 4.

Director, General Tourism, Ashok Pradhan told The Indian Express that since the trains were their showcase millennium event, they were going all out to make them special. ``We feel that it is a good deal since we have kept the price in check,'' he said.

The second train will ply between Calcutta, Puri, Bhubaneswar, Konark. It will have only two coaches andpassengers will also get to stay in the Benar Heritage Hotel as part of the package. The third train will leave from Chennai and go to Ooty and stop at the Madhumalai Game Sanctuary. Then it will go to Mysore via Bangalore. All the millennium trains will have special dining cars with select menus, chalked out with foodies. There will be a mix of cuisines which, according to Pradhan, will definitely not be normal rail fare.

Officials say their plan is to serve theme fare or area-specific cuisine. So, if you are on the Jaipur route, you will be served Rajasthani food, while on the Chennai circuit, South-Indian menus will be order of the day. A special multi-cuisine midnight feast is being planned for the big night and to ensure that spirits are high, the millennium train planners have decided to serve liquor. That, however, will come with a separate charge. A bartender will be on hand to serve up potent millennium cocktails.

The planners are also chalking out special events and entertainment for the bignight. While some events will take place on the train, passengers will also get to experience local entertainment. Pradhan says they are still in the process of planning events, but promises a night to remember.

To ensure that there are enough takers for the special trains, the Railways Ministry will make bookings against charters and Railways General Sales Agents all over the world have been told to make bookings for the millennium trains.

Officials say the special millennium coaches will be given extensive refurbishment. Tourism Ministry officials say they also want to include steam trains as part of the millennium package. The Fairy Queen, which was commissioned in 1855, will run between Delhi and Alwar on December 31. Some other steam engines will also run as part of the millennium heritage package.