This walk is supported by National Academy of Indian Railway (NAIR).

The city of Vadodara has an interesting connection with the Indian Railways. During the British Rule in India, one of the railway companies was known as Bombay Baroda & Central India Railway (BB&CIR). The princely state of Baroda had its own bullock driven railway as early as in 1863. The Geakwad Baroda State Railway (GBSR) was functional even before independence and in the year 1939 there was 723 miles of railway track in Baroda State. This makes a railway trail In Vadodara very interesting.

The National Academy of Indian Railway (NAIR) (earlier known as Railway Staff College) is an apex –level training and management development center of the Indian Railways. The college which was in Deharadun earlier was re-established on January 31, 1952 in Vadodara at Pratap Vilas Palace.

The palace was built by Maharaja Sayajirao Geakwad in renaissance style near Lalbag and was named after his grandson Pratapsinhrao Geakwad .The palace was designed by Mr. Charles Frederik Stevens. The construction of the palace started in the year 1908 and was completed in 1914.

The palace compound is spread over 55 acres of land with lush green lawns, wooded area and has natural habitat of peacocks and many other migratory birds.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE PRIOR PERMISSION FROM “NAIR” FOR THIS WALK