Ex Nihilo launched Chandigarh Express in 2024, a leathery, woody scent named after the modernist city in northern India. At Liberty the 50ml costs £245 (checked 15 October 2026). That is £4.90 a millilitre. Harrods sell the 100ml for £350.
The oil for Night Rail arrived on 15 October 2026, and this page went live the same day. We called it Night Rail because Chandigarh Express is a train name, and Fragrantica voters wear the original more at night than by day. So: a night train.
Night Rail is our take on Chandigarh Express by Ex Nihilo. A 50ml Extrait de Parfum, made at up to 35%, with a 60-day money-back. 80p a millilitre. Get the 50ml for £40, or any three 50ml bottles for £80 (buy 2, get 1 free). Want to test it first? The 5ml is £6.99.
Quick verdict: 50ml of Chandigarh Express is £245. 50ml of Night Rail is £40.
Ex Nihilo Chandigarh Express vs Aromara Night Rail
| Ex Nihilo Chandigarh Express | Aromara Night Rail | |
|---|---|---|
| Price in the UK | £245 for 50ml at Liberty, £350 for 100ml at Harrods (checked 15 October 2026) | £40 for 50ml, £6.99 for 5ml |
| Price per millilitre | £4.90 | 80p |
| Concentration | Eau de parfum | Extrait de Parfum, up to 35% |
| Notes | Full pyramid published by Ex Nihilo | Built on the same pyramid |
| If you do not love it | Check the retailer's returns policy | 60-day money-back |
What Chandigarh Express smells like
It opens green and spiced. Cardamom leads, with mandarin and bergamot keeping it bright.
Then the leather comes in, soft rather than smoky, with jasmine and davana around it. Davana is a herb with a warm, slightly fruity, almost boozy smell, and it takes the edge off the leather.
The base is vetiver, patchouli, benzoin and tonka. Dry, earthy woods with a resin sweetness on top.
Ex Nihilo frame it as a trip between old traditions and modern concrete, with leathery facets. Fragrantica voters file it as oriental woody, with aromatic, woody and leather accords up front, then warm spicy and green. They wear it most in autumn and winter, and more at night than by day. When we checked, it held 4.11 out of 5 from 400 votes there.
Ex Nihilo credit the perfumer Gaël Montero.
The notes
This is the pyramid Ex Nihilo publish:
- Top: Cardamom, Mandarin, Bergamot
- Heart: Leather Accord, Jasmine, Davana, Mahonial
- Base: Vetiver, Patchouli, Benzoin, Tonka Bean
Night Rail is built on the same structure. Some UK retailers also list fir balsam in the heart. Ex Nihilo's own page does not, so we have left it out.
From our own shop
Over the last 90 days (to 15 October 2026), the best seller in our Ex Nihilo-inspired line was Blue Essence, our take on Blue Talisman, with 68 sold, 5ml and 50ml together, before counting bundle picks. Fleur Narco (Fleur Narcotique) came next with 46. The woodier takes sell in smaller numbers so far: Redline (Speed Legends) 8 and Hedonia (The Hedonist) 7.
Redline and Chandigarh Express share mandarin and bergamot up top and vetiver and tonka underneath. If you already like Redline, Night Rail is the leather and jasmine side of the same house. We make both.
Who it suits and when to wear it
Anyone who wants leather without the heavy smoke. Fragrantica lists Chandigarh Express for women and men. It is at its best on cooler days and in the evening: dinner, a night out, a long train home.
Two to three sprays, on the chest and neck.
What is in the bottle
One number. We publish our concentration. Night Rail is an Extrait de Parfum, the strongest grade of perfume, made at up to 35%. Ex Nihilo sell Chandigarh Express as an eau de parfum.
Some cheap dupes use cheaper oils and stretch them with DPG, Ambroxan and other fillers. We never add DPG. Our oils are built by specialist fragrance houses, every batch is rested more than once, and we smell every batch against the original.
What we do not claim is that it is the same liquid. It is not. It is the same scent family, at a strength you can check.
The 60-day dare
Buy it. Wear it for a proper week. If you have a Chandigarh Express sample, put them side by side.
Not for you? You have 60 days from delivery to decide. Send the bottle back lightly tested, with at least 90% left, and we refund the product price. You pay the return postage. The full terms are in our refund policy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Ex Nihilo Chandigarh Express dupe in the UK?
Aromara Night Rail is our pick. It is an Extrait de Parfum made at up to 35%, built on the pyramid Ex Nihilo publish, £40 for 50ml, with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
How much is Ex Nihilo Chandigarh Express in the UK?
£245 for 50ml at Liberty and £350 for 100ml at Harrods, when we checked on 15 October 2026.
What are the notes in Chandigarh Express?
Top: cardamom, mandarin, bergamot. Heart: leather accord, jasmine, davana, Mahonial. Base: vetiver, patchouli, benzoin, tonka bean.
Is Chandigarh Express unisex?
Yes. Fragrantica lists it for women and men. Voters there wear it most in autumn and winter, and more at night than in the day.
How long does Night Rail last?
Night Rail is an Extrait de Parfum, made at up to 35%. How long any scent stays depends on its notes, your skin and the weather: fresh, citrus and aquatic scents lift off sooner, while woods, amber, musk and vanilla stay with you for longer. Spray onto moisturised skin at your pulse points and let it dry without rubbing.
PS. £245 for 50ml of the original, or £40 for 50ml of Night Rail. Get Night Rail here.
Keep reading: the best Ex Nihilo dupes in the UK, the Ex Nihilo Demon Dancer dupe, what leather means in perfume and the best aftershave dupes in the UK. Browse all Ex Nihilo-inspired scents or shop all fragrances.
Aromara is not affiliated with Ex Nihilo. Brand names are used only to describe scent families.
