My growing affection for Indian trains

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29th July 2010

'You will love the trains in India!' exclaimed one of the travellers Aaron and I met on the benches in front of the tourist kiosk at Mumbai train station (CST). When Aaron and I boarded our first train from Mumbai to Jalgoan, I'm not sure that I would use the word 'love' to describe my first impression, however I soon discovered the comforts and value. Aaron and I had made reservations in an AC two tier carriage, apparently the choice of middle class Indians. Two tier, as opposed to three tier, meant that there was one lower berth and one fold down upper berth on each wall, therefore the main compartments contain four beds and side compartments two. Aaron and I had a lower berth each in one of the main compartments. The window was grimy, the benches where covered in a blue plastic fabric and the area had a grubby feel to it. Aaron and I were exhausted from our flights from Istanbul and hardly any sleep for the last two days, so we pushed our bags under the lower berths and stretched out. Thankfully we had the whole compartment to ourselves. There was a faded curtain dangling across the end of the compartment for privacy, which however did not block the noise of the endless chi (tea), coffee and snack sellers who patrolled up and down the train hollering their trade. We soon discovered electrical sockets, reading lights and sheets, blankets and pillows free of charge. After purchasing a tasty dinner, I was feeling more revived. With the gentle rocking of the train I drifted off to sleep thinking how comfortable it was to lay completely horizontal, much better than any of our flights or buses so far. After a couple of overnight trains I soon realised what a joy it is to fall asleep in one town and wake-up refreshed several hundred miles away! The trains are very inexpense and even on fully booked trains there are usually spaces reserved for tourists, so we never had a problem getting a ticket. I'm looking forward to using the trains again when Aaron and I go back to India.

Comments

sly said…
I agree that horizontal is the ONLY way to sleep...were the beds long enough to stretch out your full length? Ask Aaron about my disastrous purchase of 3-person tents--they were 6' x 6'4"!
17 September 2010 at 07:48
TomY. said…
We can only hope that high spreed rail travel will find it's way to America. Meredith raves about the magnetic lift train in China and what do we have here at home, rush hour.
17 September 2010 at 13:59
Unknown said…
Glad that train travle is working so well. Is the 'tourist ' price for tickets highter than for locals?
M
19 September 2010 at 02:19
Jean said…
Train beds are long enough for me and Aaron too apparently, thanks!

Yes, trains like this in USA would be great too!

The guide book said there's a extra charge for tourist ticket, but it's not much and worth being able to get it last minute. The transport is good value, when we travelled 200 miles Mumbai to Jalgoan I think it was about $15 each for AC2.

The train we got last week the AC section was full so we tried sleeper class (about a quarter of the price). It was not too hot, but more cockroaches and more people.
21 September 2010 at 05:04
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