Trains in India

[ceba]

Anyone tried the trains in India? Primarily in the Golden Triangle area?

What did you think? Do the trains have different levels of service? Thanks for your info and opinions!

[OzKiwiJJ]

Local intercity trains or upmarket tour trains?

 

We did a seven night trip on the Maharajah's Express three years ago. It started and finished in Delhi and looped around through Jaipur, Ranthambore, Agra (Taj Mahal), several other stops that I can't recall right now, across to Varanasi (Ganges River) and finally Lucknow. It was an excellent trip, very interesting. The train was very comfortable and we were treated like Maharajahs at every stop.

 

One downside to train travel in India, especially when travelling overnight, is that the trains are required to toot their horns for every crossing, village, station etc that they pass. This means constant horn tooting all night. Ear plus are mandatory if you wish to sleep.

[ceba]

Local intercity trains or upmarket tour trains?

 

We did a seven night trip on the Maharajah's Express three years ago. It started and finished in Delhi and looped around through Jaipur, Ranthambore, Agra (Taj Mahal), several other stops that I can't recall right now, across to Varanasi (Ganges River) and finally Lucknow. It was an excellent trip, very interesting. The train was very comfortable and we were treated like Maharajahs at every stop.

 

One downside to train travel in India, especially when travelling overnight, is that the trains are required to toot their horns for every crossing, village, station etc that they pass. This means constant horn tooting all night. Ear plus are mandatory if you wish to sleep.

I've just started my research and am not that familiar with the upmarket trains. I'll look those up. I do know that if we try the intercity trains I need to be aware of what fare class each train offers. I see lots of "executive" class, but don't really know what that means. I guess that's why we research early!

[4774Papa]

I read an article on the trains in India some years ago. I wonder if they still have fourth class, which is when the people climb on the top of the train?

[ceba]

I read an article on the trains in India some years ago. I wonder if they still have fourth class, which is when the people climb on the top of the train?

Really? :D:D:D (there is a part of me that's afraid to believe you...)

Edited January 22, 2017 by ceba

[4774Papa]

Really? :D:D:D (there is a part of me that's afraid to believe you...)

 

ceba,

I think that I read this article in National Geographic Magazine over ten years ago. There were photos of people riding on the top of the trains.

 

I don't know if this is still a practice.

 

I did find this article on the internet about rail travel classes.

http://goindia.about.com/od/rail/tp/Indian-Train-Accommodations.htm

[ceba]

ceba,

I think that I read this article in National Geographic Magazine over ten years ago. There were photos of people riding on the top of the trains.

 

I don't know if this is still a practice.

 

I did find this article on the internet about rail travel classes.

http://goindia.about.com/od/rail/tp/Indian-Train-Accommodations.htm

Thank you! It's an interesting read. There is a lot to be aware of if we decide to take the India trains.

[rkaratsu]

Hi Ceba. I have traveled a bit by train in India and if you want to get a nice feel for the "real" India, traveling by train (and experiencing the rail stations) will definitely give it to you (in I believe a very positive way!)

 

One thing I would definitely recommend is if you can afford it, travel in AC1 (basically first class.) You will get an assigned cabin (and should meet some very interesting travel companions.) There are the luxury trains (like the Palace on Wheels or the previously-mentioned Maharaj Express) but they are *very* expensive (starts around $500 p/p per day. But I would say they are the equivalent of the Orient Express or the Blue Train.) I'd say that the AC1 trains in India are fairly comparable to a sleeper car on Amtrak; if anything the service might be a little better (although no wifi or movie cars AFAIK in India.) And keep in mind that even an AC1 train fare is a fraction of the cost of what it would cost to fly.

 

For more info on traveling by train in India (or anywhere by train actually), I like this web site: http://www.seat61.com/India.htm#times Booking your trains will definitely take some planning but if you like doing this kind of stuff, it can be fun.

 

Good luck!

 

RK

[ceba]

Hi Ceba. I have traveled a bit by train in India and if you want to get a nice feel for the "real" India, traveling by train (and experiencing the rail stations) will definitely give it to you (in I believe a very positive way!)

 

One thing I would definitely recommend is if you can afford it, travel in AC1 (basically first class.) You will get an assigned cabin (and should meet some very interesting travel companions.) There are the luxury trains (like the Palace on Wheels or the previously-mentioned Maharaj Express) but they are *very* expensive (starts around $500 p/p per day. But I would say they are the equivalent of the Orient Express or the Blue Train.) I'd say that the AC1 trains in India are fairly comparable to a sleeper car on Amtrak; if anything the service might be a little better (although no wifi or movie cars AFAIK in India.) And keep in mind that even an AC1 train fare is a fraction of the cost of what it would cost to fly.

 

For more info on traveling by train in India (or anywhere by train actually), I like this web site: http://www.seat61.com/India.htm#times Booking your trains will definitely take some planning but if you like doing this kind of stuff, it can be fun.

 

Good luck!

 

RK

 

Thank you so much for this! 4774Papa also suggested this link. I think I'm getting a better feel about the trains the more I research, and I think it would be fun. My concern right now is how easy is it for tourist (who've never been there) to navigate the train station? When I look at the schedules it looks like another language!!! I'll take any info you've got!

Edited January 23, 2017 by ceba

[soccerref]

My husband and I have done 2 guided land tours in India and love the country but it is a very different experience from travelling in the US and Europe.

Both our tours involved a train journey. The first was in 2011 and was from Mysore to Chennai in southern India. The second was in 2012 and was part of a ‘Golden Triangle’ tour. We had been transported by coach for our tour of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur but finished the journey with a 7.5-hour trip on the ‘Shatabdi Express’ service from Ajmer to Delhi.

Both trips were experiences but well worth doing as long as you are open to things being different from home.

Below are photographs of our 2012 trip. Although quite crowded, the seats were relatively comfortable and the food was included in the ticket price. The curries were, for me, extremely hot and spicy but our tour guide added extra chillies to his!!!! The toilets were a bit of a challenge but manageable for the amount of time we were on the train.

IMG_0818 by

The station at Ajmer.

 

DSCN2308 by

Our cases being taken to the train.

 

IMG_0817 by

Our carriage......not all classes of carriage have seats!!!

 

DSCN2307 by

Inside the carriage.

 

img002 by

The menu......we boarded in the afternoon so had the evening tea and the dinner.

 

DSCN2306 by

This was evening tea.

 

I was very glad that we had done guided tours in India as, although we are experienced travellers, the ‘Indian way’ is very different from most countries that we have visited. It is very busy, noisy and a bit hap-hazard so it was comforting to have our tour guide to sort out problems.

 

Enjoy you trip.

[ceba]

My husband and I have done 2 guided land tours in India and love the country but it is a very different experience from travelling in the US and Europe.

Both our tours involved a train journey. The first was in 2011 and was from Mysore to Chennai in southern India. The second was in 2012 and was part of a ‘Golden Triangle’ tour. We had been transported by coach for our tour of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur but finished the journey with a 7.5-hour trip on the ‘Shatabdi Express’ service from Ajmer to Delhi.

Both trips were experiences but well worth doing as long as you are open to things being different from home.

Below are photographs of our 2012 trip. Although quite crowded, the seats were relatively comfortable and the food was included in the ticket price. The curries were, for me, extremely hot and spicy but our tour guide added extra chillies to his!!!! The toilets were a bit of a challenge but manageable for the amount of time we were on the train.

IMG_0818 by

The station at Ajmer.

 

DSCN2308 by

Our cases being taken to the train.

 

IMG_0817 by

Our carriage......not all classes of carriage have seats!!!

 

DSCN2307 by

Inside the carriage.

 

img002 by

The menu......we boarded in the afternoon so had the evening tea and the dinner.

 

DSCN2306 by

This was evening tea.

 

I was very glad that we had done guided tours in India as, although we are experienced travellers, the ‘Indian way’ is very different from most countries that we have visited. It is very busy, noisy and a bit hap-hazard so it was comforting to have our tour guide to sort out problems.

 

Enjoy you trip.

Thank you so much for this. Your pictures tell quite a story! They are amazing. We are also experienced travelers but as we've gotten older we're happy to be guided around. I'm trying to decide how adventurous I want to be! Thank you again.

[Gwendy]

I am an experienced traveller with many countries and years of travelling, BUT India is very confronting, think China, Bangkok, Vietnam, multiply by 10. Crowds, poverty, rubbish everywhere, heat, humidity, etc.

I was there in September and while it was confronting I enjoyed my time there, I had a guide and would not recommend you go without one. Good value for money. The people in the markets, driving tuk tuks are very poor, please don't bargain with them, just pay them, we have so much more than they will ever have. Be prepared for high security in hotels, scanned bags and body scan every time you enter.

[ceba]

I am an experienced traveller with many countries and years of travelling, BUT India is very confronting, think China, Bangkok, Vietnam, multiply by 10. Crowds, poverty, rubbish everywhere, heat, humidity, etc.

I was there in September and while it was confronting I enjoyed my time there, I had a guide and would not recommend you go without one. Good value for money. The people in the markets, driving tuk tuks are very poor, please don't bargain with them, just pay them, we have so much more than they will ever have. Be prepared for high security in hotels, scanned bags and body scan every time you enter.

Thank you. The more I read the more I'm convinced that we would spend a lot of time spinning our wheels without a guide. It seems to me that if one plan crumbled it would be really hard to get the trip back on track.