Indian train journeys...
Discussion
I am starting to think seriously about a trip to India later this year, I gather the monsoon season lasts until Sept/Oct so probably after then. I have been inspired by the slightly geeky but very watchable series on BBC 4 "Indian Hill Railways" and want to go and have a look for myself. Particularly love the thought of visiting the various hill stations around Darjeeling/Himalayas.
Probably looking at about 2-3 weeks, from what I can see direct flights LHR-Delhi are about £400, and a 3-week rail pass is a bargainous £150.
Has anyone done similar? Looking for input on the best time of year to visit, and general thoughts about itinerary. This is very much NOT OH's idea of a decent holiday so I imagine I will be going alone!
And no posting pictures of trains covered with commuters
Probably looking at about 2-3 weeks, from what I can see direct flights LHR-Delhi are about £400, and a 3-week rail pass is a bargainous £150.
Has anyone done similar? Looking for input on the best time of year to visit, and general thoughts about itinerary. This is very much NOT OH's idea of a decent holiday so I imagine I will be going alone!
And no posting pictures of trains covered with commuters
I know, I'm starting to get quite excited about the idea! 
I've done a few long train journeys in the past, like Tanzania-Zambia-Zimbabwe-Botswana and a couple in Thailand and it's a wonderful way to see the country and meet the locals. As I'll be travelling alone I need to find the most sociable way to get around!
It does look to be quite do-able, but need to fine-tune the plans now...
There is a lot of information here: http://www.seat61.com/India.htm however I would welcome some personal thoughts.
I've done a few long train journeys in the past, like Tanzania-Zambia-Zimbabwe-Botswana and a couple in Thailand and it's a wonderful way to see the country and meet the locals. As I'll be travelling alone I need to find the most sociable way to get around!It does look to be quite do-able, but need to fine-tune the plans now...
There is a lot of information here: http://www.seat61.com/India.htm however I would welcome some personal thoughts.
Wish I could come too.
On my definate list of things to do.
This is the guy who produced 'Indian Hill Railways' and the 'Lifline Express'. Worth a shout in his direction as he knows everything there is to know about Indian railways.
www.gerrytroyna.com
Cheers and happy planning.
Nick
ps BBC 4 Tuesday night 21.00. John Sergeant's programme on Indian railways....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t3dbd
On my definate list of things to do.
This is the guy who produced 'Indian Hill Railways' and the 'Lifline Express'. Worth a shout in his direction as he knows everything there is to know about Indian railways.
www.gerrytroyna.com
Cheers and happy planning.
Nick
ps BBC 4 Tuesday night 21.00. John Sergeant's programme on Indian railways....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t3dbd
Edited by Nicholas Blair on Sunday 11th July 18:35
Yep, i'm a bit worried about Delhi belly, I generally manage to eat something dodgy overseas 
however did manage to avoid any nastiness last year in Singapore/Thailand despite massive amounts of dodgy street food.
I think a small supply of Ciproflaxin and a flexible itinerary may be the way forward. Do have a gucci water filter somewhere too which may be pressed into use.
however did manage to avoid any nastiness last year in Singapore/Thailand despite massive amounts of dodgy street food. I think a small supply of Ciproflaxin and a flexible itinerary may be the way forward. Do have a gucci water filter somewhere too which may be pressed into use.
I did a few train journeys in India, way safer than the overnight bus, your not held hostage to listening to bollywood films played through broken speakers at full chat all night either!!
You will not forget the cry of the Chai vendor, and the Thali meal is also well worthwile, however, beware the toilet, hole in the floor that for some reason most people seem to miss
They can be late however, I arrived in Calcutta 24hours late, which is very confusing when your traveling and cant keep up with what day of the week it is as it is....
You will not forget the cry of the Chai vendor, and the Thali meal is also well worthwile, however, beware the toilet, hole in the floor that for some reason most people seem to miss
They can be late however, I arrived in Calcutta 24hours late, which is very confusing when your traveling and cant keep up with what day of the week it is as it is....
Is your ticket for cattle class, bunk or cabin?
I caught a train in Kazakhstan, we were on it for almost 3 days
Once on your bunk you couldnt really get down because so many people were rammed in below, you cant sit up on the bunk because there's no room above you, roasting hot, stinking.
The toilet... again a seat with a hole to the track below which is always covered in yuk.
Thank god I was so dehydrated that I could only pee twice a day!
Noone spoke to us, we'd paid a huge bribe for our tickets and had anxiety that we'd be thrown into a Kaz jail... but I guess our money paid for their Xmas party
I'd still do it all again though!
I caught a train in Kazakhstan, we were on it for almost 3 days
Once on your bunk you couldnt really get down because so many people were rammed in below, you cant sit up on the bunk because there's no room above you, roasting hot, stinking.
The toilet... again a seat with a hole to the track below which is always covered in yuk.
Thank god I was so dehydrated that I could only pee twice a day!
Noone spoke to us, we'd paid a huge bribe for our tickets and had anxiety that we'd be thrown into a Kaz jail... but I guess our money paid for their Xmas party
I'd still do it all again though!
carreauchompeur said:
The ticket above appears to buy 2nd class aircon, according to the website it's actually pretty decent and the berths are all allocated so it wouldn't be overcrowded.
Good luck with that! people will pile in regardless and claim your bunk, you have to be mean and strong to keep it! never used air con, trains in india never had any glass so just open/barred windows, was fine, if you have sealed windows you better hope it works!
Have done a couple of journeys by rail in india - one Mumbai to Udipur IIRC, supposed to be about 6 hrs - took about 12 (we had to wait for the tide to go down twice!). This was June and monsoon season. Other was an overnight sleeper Agra to Varanasi.
Get decent class tickets, they are not to bad, fairly comfortable. Ours were evidently quite posh - we had an acutally western style toilet with no seat IIRC! The lack of doors were you get on / off is a bit scary when you go over some of the big bridges!
Meals seemed okay to me.
Would definately get a pacsafe for yuour rucksack - there is no security. Unlike other sleeper trains, where each carriage is split into lots of cabins, the sleeper we were in just had nos of bunks, no cabins. Hence 57 people (mainly fat old blokes) sleeping in one room. Noisy and smelly. But main thing is that anyone on the train could have your bag away when you were sleeping without even having to open a door.
And someone will be in your seat/bunk. Either becuuse they are not used to the train and the whole concept of seat numbers, or beacause that were trying it on. In my case someone had the same seat number, but for a lower class carriage, and I'm sure it wasn't a mistake.
Take lots of alcohol.
Get decent class tickets, they are not to bad, fairly comfortable. Ours were evidently quite posh - we had an acutally western style toilet with no seat IIRC! The lack of doors were you get on / off is a bit scary when you go over some of the big bridges!
Meals seemed okay to me.
Would definately get a pacsafe for yuour rucksack - there is no security. Unlike other sleeper trains, where each carriage is split into lots of cabins, the sleeper we were in just had nos of bunks, no cabins. Hence 57 people (mainly fat old blokes) sleeping in one room. Noisy and smelly. But main thing is that anyone on the train could have your bag away when you were sleeping without even having to open a door.
And someone will be in your seat/bunk. Either becuuse they are not used to the train and the whole concept of seat numbers, or beacause that were trying it on. In my case someone had the same seat number, but for a lower class carriage, and I'm sure it wasn't a mistake.
Take lots of alcohol.
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