Rail travel in India

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This article is a travel topic.

Although distances in India are long and Indian trains aren't the world's best, travelling in these can add a fascinating new dimension to a visitor's experience of the country. There is virtually no better way to get to make friends with the people and see the spectacular and diverse Indian countryside.

Indian Railways (IR) is the third largest rail network in the world, and the third most dense network as well. Tracks running well over a 100,000 kilometers help connect about 7500 stations, ferrying nearly 20 million people every day.

Indian Railways is famously the world's largest employer with over a million employees, and at first sight it also looks like the world's largest bureaucracy, with hair-splitting divisions and designations that look quite obscure to the uninitiated. The following will help you crack the code.

A South Eastern Railway train
A South Eastern Railway train

[edit] Zones

Indian Railways is divided into 17 zones, each headquartered in a major city station.

Each train in IR's fleet is run by a zone. Intra-zonal trains are run by the zone in which they run in, while Inter-zonal trains are run by one of the terminating zones. The first digit in train numbers refer to the zones, with the Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Jana Shatabdi trains being the only exceptions. But if the first digit is 2, that means that this is a suprfast train. Trains that begin with 2 run all over the country.

Although the Kolkata Metro is given the status of a zonal railway, it is not considered an IR zone for practical purposes.

A schematic map of India's rail network, color-coded by gauge
A schematic map of India's rail network, color-coded by gauge

[edit] Hierarchy of trains

All trains in India are either super-fast, express/mail, suburban or luxury tourist trains. Tourist trains are not included in this list.

  1. Rajdhani Express
  2. Shatabdi Express
  3. Jana Shatabdi Express
  4. Sampark Kranti Express
  5. Super-fast express trains
  6. Mail trains
  7. Express trains
  8. Fast Passenger trains
  9. Passenger trains

[edit] Fares

Despite the numerous types of trains and classes, the fare system is quite logical.

  • Shatabdi, Rajdhani and Jana Shatabdi trains have fixed point-to-point fares. The fare one-way may be slightly more or less than the reverse-fare, due to different catering charges.
  • Super-fast trains are charged the same base fare as other mail/express trains, but a super-fast surcharge is added to it.
  • Express and mail trains have standardized fares based on the distance travelled.
  • Fast-passenger trains as well as Passenger trains are extremely cheap. The fare is the same for both.

Credit cards are accepted at most important stations. Note that in smaller stations, only Visa will be accepted. However, stations in the metros and other important cities accept Mastercard, AmEx and Diners Card as well. There are generally 1 to 3 counters where credit card payment is allowed, depending on the station.

Typical fares
Distance Class Total Fare in Rs
100 kms Executive Chair Car Rs 520
100 kms AC First Rs 550
100 kms AC 2 Tier Rs 320
100 kms First Class Rs 190
100 kms Sleeper Class Rs 90
500 kms Executive Chair Car Rs 1090
500 kms AC First Rs 1610
500 kms AC 2 Tier Rs Rs 830
500 kms First Class Rs 610
500 kms Sleeper Class Rs 190
1500 kms AC First Rs 4200
1500 kms AC 2 Tier Rs 2200
1500 kms First Class Rs 1700
1500 kms Sleeper Class Rs 290

[edit] IndRail Pass

The IndRail Pass is valid for all visitors. It is a pass which allows unlimited travel on all of IR's trains except

  • Konkan Railway
  • Kolkata Metro
  • Suburban Trains
  • Hill Railways
  • Luxury Tourist Trains
  • MRTS Chennai

IndRail passes automatically expire 1 year from the date of issue. However, prior reservations are necessary. The IndRail Pass is generally not good value for money if you are staying for a month or more. However, if you choose to travel in Executive Chair Car for 2 or 3 journeys over a couple of days, it is indeed worth purchasing.

IndRail passes are available for sale in railway offices at the following stations - Agra City, Agra Cantt, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Aurangabad, Bangalore City, Howrah, Chandigarh, Chennai Central, Gorakhpur, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Mumbai Central, Mumbai CST, Mumbai Churchgate, New Delhi, Puttapurthi Town, Rameswaram, Secundarabad, Trivandrum Central, Vadodara, Varanasi, Vasco da Gama and Vijaywada. General Sales Agents are authorised to sell the IndRail pass at a 3-5% surcharge in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangkok, Dhaka, Durban, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Kuala Lumpur, London, Muscat, New York, Paris, Port Louis, Sharjah, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto.

IndRail Pass rates in US $
Period of Validity AC First/Executive Chair Car First Class/AC 2 Tier/AC 3 Tier/AC Chair Car Sleeper Class/Second Class
12 hours $57 $26 $11
1 day $95 $43 $19
2 days $160 $70 $30
4 days $220 $110 $50
1 week $270 $135 $80
15 days $370 $185 $90
3 weeks $396 $198 $100
1 month $495 $248 $ 125
2 months $800 $400 $185
3 months $ 1060 $530 $235
  • A month refers to 30 continuous days
  • Discounts for children below 13 are available
    • For the 1/2/3 months pass, the rate for children is half of the adult fare rounded up to the nearest 5 dollars.
    • For all other passes, the discount is 50% rounded off to the nearest 1 dollar.
  • Fares have to be paid in US $ or Indian Rs. However, the dollar rate is fixed and the Rupee rate changes according to the exchange rate.

[edit] Classes

[edit] Long-distance

  • AC First, the most comfortable class to travel in, includes lockable four-berth and two-berth (coupe) compartments. The carriages are clean (and carpeted) and the toilets are much cleaner than any other toilets you get to see on Indian trains. Sheets, pillows and blankets are provided (an attendant makes the beds at night). AC First Class carriages are usually found only on important overnight trains and are very expensive - often more than a flight on a scheduled airline.
  • AC 2 Tier is easily the most cost-effective way to travel on Indian Railways. Passengers sleep on four berths in an open cabin or on two berths that are positioned lengthwise along the side of the carriage. Each cabin has a curtain for privacy and each side berth has its own curtain for privacy. There are four toilets, two at each end of the carriage, and usually include a mix of western and eastern style loos, spottily provided with toilet paper. An attendant brings around blankets, sheets and pillows.
  • AC 3 Tier is similar to 2 Tier, the significant difference being the additional middle-bunk in the cabins (but not on the sides). This can make it uncomfortable to sit up straight during the morning if the person in the middle-bunk is a heavy sleeper and lying on the middle and bottom berths can be quite claustrophobic! An attendant brings around sheets, blankets, and pillows in the evening. Because there are more people around, AC 3 Tier tends to be noisier and not as safe as AC 2 Tier.
  • First Class, the way the Raj traveled, has mostly disappeared from Indian Railways in favor of Air Conditioned carriages. Like AC First Class, berths are arranged in four-berth and two-berth (coupe) lockable cabins but the similarity ends there. No bedding is provided unless booked in advance (there is an extra fee for bedding), and the carriages, not sealed from the heat and dust of India, can be quite grubby.
  • Sleeper Class is the way most Indians travel and is an inexpensive way to get around the country. Berths are arranged in the same pattern as AC 3 Tier, six berths in a cabin and two along the side of the carriage, but there is no air-conditioning. The upside is that the traveler gets to see India without the tinted shield of glass in AC carriages but the downside is that it can be hot, sweaty, and uncomfortable inside. The toilets are usually dirty (if not filthy), and, in some parts of India, you'll find yourself sharing your cabin with many passengers without a reservation. Still, for the adventurous, this is the way see India. Chai-wallahs and hawkers selling all kinds of food (with the accent on local) roam the carriages and you'll find yourself sharing food and life-stories with the lower middle class families that travel on this Class.

[edit] Short-distance

  • AC Executive Chair Car is only available on some Shatabdis. It is extremely comfortable, and is the preferred class for businessmen.
  • AC Chair Car is also quite decent, but the seats are not particularly wide.
  • Second Class Chair Car, available in a few intercity trains, is reserved seating in carriages without an AC. In most cases (but not always), chair car seats are comfortably padded, but the heat and dust outside can make it an uncomfortable ride in summer.

[edit] Unreserved

  • General compartments have uncomfortable wooden bench seats and the carriages are often packed with people sitting on the aisles and luggage racks. They are so crowded that it is often easier to enter and exit from a window! Not an advisable way to travel, even for short distances, except for the exceptionally tough and the curious travelers that are in it for the experience alone.

[edit] Ticketing

Tickets are available from travel agents as well as directly from Indian Railways' online reservation service. From abroad, the easiest is to use the online service and print e-tickets at home. Paper tickets can also be sent by local courier to addresses in India (not abroad) and most hotels willingly accept delivery if notified in advance. It is better not to buy tickets from a travel agent, as they mark up the price, and with the advent of internet booking, offer no real advantage. Train tickets are in high demand, especially during the summer and winter breaks. This means that without careful planning, it may be next to impossible to get tickets for long distance travel (for example from New Delhi to Mumbai). You can book up to 90 days in advance, but during the busy season, the tickets may get sold out quickly. However foreigners can get tickets from a quota reserved for them. In big cities, you have a specific counter or even a special office for them. If you plan to travel in 1st Class A/C tickets should be easier to get - they are in less demand.

If you do not get a confirmed ticket, you may get one that is Waitlisted (WL) or in the Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) status. If you've booked your ticket in advance, it will probably move from "Waitlisted" to "RAC" status or even to "Reserved" status as time goes by, because of cancellations, so it is a good idea to check it periodically and keep your plans dynamic.

You cannot get on to a reserved compartment if your ticket is waitlisted (you can only enter a General Compartment). But if you have an RAC ticket, you are allotted 'sitting' berths - i.e. in a Sleeper Coach, you and a fellow RAC ticket-holder share a berth so that both of you can travel sitting instead of sleeping. The Ticket Examiner then allots you a Confirmed (CNF) sleeping berth as and when one is available due to last minute cancellations, no-shows etc. Depending on the train, the route and the season you are travelling in, the RAC ticket may get upgraded to CNF either as soon as the journey begins, mid-way through the journey or not at all.

Many trains keep a small quota of seats known as Tatkal (meaning immediate in Sanskrit or regional languages) for sale five days before the departure date. There is an extra charge for these seats. Some agents don't advertise these tickets, so you may have to ask. Even with this extra quota (about 4% of the seats on a train) it can sometimes be difficult to get the train you want when you want it.

Many important trains also have a tourist quota available for foreign travelers and holders of an INDRAIL pass. Payment must be in foreign currency, usually US Dollars or Pound Sterling, or in Indian Rupees backed with adequate proof of foreign exchange conversion (an ATM receipt is usually acceptable). A passport may also be required. There are very few seats available on this quota and, with tourism to India on an upswing, it is best to try for a seat at least two or three days in advance.

Even if you have an IndRail pass, reservations are compulsory.

[edit] Schedules

Before booking a ticket pick up a copy of Trains At A Glance, the national rail timetable, from any railway station. This is updated every June and remains valid until July next year. It allows you to choose the best train for your needs, and find the name and number of the train for your destination. However, this is a general guide and does not contain detailed list of all stations, neither does it contain all the trains that ply. A more specific guide depending on the "rail zone" is available at important stations on that zone. For example, a detailed guide on trains plying in West India can be avaialbe at all major railway stations in West India. You can also get the whole schedule online www.irctc.co.in or www.indianrail.gov.in. Neither option will find connecting trains for you, so some knowledge of important stations is necessary if you are going to a remote location.

[edit] Stations in the metros

The larger cities in India are generally served by more than one railway station. Most trains might halt at only one station, while others may stop at two to three.

MMTS in Hyderabad
MMTS in Hyderabad
  • Delhi
    • Delhi Jn (Metro Chandni Chowk/Old Delhi)
    • New Delhi RS (Metro New Delhi)
    • Hazrat Nizammudin (Ring Railway Nizamuddin)
    • Delhi Sarai Rohilla
    • Delhi Shahdara (Metro Shahdara}
    • Delhi Cantt
  • Mumbai
    • Mumbai CST (Local Stn. CST)
    • Bandra T (Local Stn. Bandra}
    • Mumbai Central (Local Stn. Mumbai Central)
    • Dadar T (Local Stn. Dadar)
    • Lokmanya Tilak T (Local Stn. Kurla)
    • Borivali (Local Stn. Borivali)
    • Belapur (Local Stn. Belapur CBD)
    • Panvel (Local Stn. Panvel)
  • Kolkata
    • Sealdah (Circular Rail Sealdah South, Suburban Rail Sealdah Main)
    • Howrah (Local Stn. Howrah)
  • Bangalore
    • Yeshvanthpur
    • Bangalore City
    • Bangalore Cantt
  • Hyderabad
    • Secunderabad (MMTS Secunderabad)
    • Hyderabad (MMTS Nampally)
  • Chennai
    • Chennai Central (MRTS Park)
    • Chennai Egmore (Suburban Rail Egmore)

[edit] Local rail network in cities

The dense network of the Mumbai locals
The dense network of the Mumbai locals

IR runs suburban railways in the four main metros, Pune and Hyderabad. Calcutta has a circular railway and a subway as well. Delhi's subway system is a hub-and-spoke 60 km network of three lines. "Delhi Metro" as called is very neat & clean and fastest option for travelling in Delhi in Air Conditioned atmosphere. Persons who wants to visit famous old Delhi area of Chandni Chowk, Red Fort or Jama Masjid , can use `Delhi Metro' to reach old delhi area without travelling through narrow & crowed lanes.

Mumbai's local trains are the most efficient out of all these. In other cities, it does not make sense to use the suburban rails, although the subway / metro systems are both very good.

The Delhi and Calcutta suburban trains are not so well maintained. Peeling paint and rusting door-handles are an all-too-common sight though IR is introducing new carriages/coaches to improve service. Suburban trains are not air conditioned and often runs overcrowded and is very uncomfortable.Those who are not accustomed to it are advised not to travel in local trains as it might be quite troublesome for them to alight the train at proper station after pushing a large crowd mostly vegetable vendors and office goers.

[edit] Trams

Tram systems in India were built by the British in Kanpur, Calcutta, Mumbai and Chennai. Only the Calcutta trams remain. Although appreciated for being smoke-free, they are not very popular due to the painstakingly slow speeds. A project going on to renovate all the tram tracks in Kolkata and when the upgradation will be complete, tram travel will become at par with all the other modes of public transport.

[edit] Monorails

The BMC in Mumbai is planning to set up a light rail system which will connect the western suburbs to the airport. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2007.

The Noida Monorail Project has been finalized, and the 65 km circular route is scheduled to be completed just before the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

[edit] Famous Stations

A few stations in India are worth a visit.

The Gothic facade of Victoria Terminus
The Gothic facade of Victoria Terminus
  • Victoria Terminus, Mumbai was built in 1888 to celebrate the Victoria Jubilee Year. Its red-brick facade, large Victorian clock and brass grills are all excellent examples of Victorian Railway architecture. At first glance, it may seem similar to St Pancras in London.
  • Trivandrum Central has been beautifully restored and is definitely one of the best historical buildings in Kerala. It offers excellent facilities, and is entirely wi-fi accessable.
  • Kharagpur Station has the world's longest platform, 1024 m in length. Although the platform itself is filthy, it is a unique experience to walk the entire length.
  • Madurai Station is well-known for its Italian marble platforms.
  • Chennai Central and Chennai Egmore are both nearby stations in the southern city of Madras. The brick-red buildings were built by the British. Although not as grand as VT in Bombay, both the stations are worth a visit and are iconic symbols of the city.

[edit] Famous trains

The Indian Railways timetable is littered with trains that have been in existence for over a hundred, and in some cases a hundred and fifty, years. The Kalka Mail, numbered 1up/2dn because of its importance, has been running since 1866, first between Howrah and Delhi and then, about 20 years later, between Kalka and Howrah. The historic trains tend to be Mail trains because of their important role in carrying mail (one could post a letter on the Kalka Mail as recently as 10 years ago!) but their importance has declined with the advent of air and road transport. Today the Kalka Mail is renumbered a more information packed but less glamorous 2311/2312. The 3up/4dn Assam Mail which took 48 hours and a ferry crossing to get from Barauni Junction in Central Bihar to Dibrugarh Town near India's border with China and Myanmar no longer runs, a victim of the Broad Gauge. The Frontier Mail, perhaps the most famous of Indian trains, that ran from Bombay to Peshawar is now called the Golden Temple Mail and runs only as far as Amritsar - Peshawar, Lahore, and Rawalpindi having become a part of a new country. The Calcutta Mail meandered across Central India from Bombay to Howrah via Bhopal and Allahabad, synchronizing its schedule with the arrival of ships from England - so that the Viceroy could get his mail as quickly as possible.

Some of the journeys that are a must for any train travel enthusiast are:

  • The train to Darjeeling. Winding its way over steep and torturous hills, the 'toy train' takes six hours to cover the 83km distance from Siliguri to Darjeeling. Completed in 1883, the railway follows the road (and mostly shares the same bed) and uses an interesting system of reverses (the trains climbs into a sliding and then goes into reverse to climb up the next section of the hill, sort of like a sideways V) and loops (the track loops around and crosses itself) to navigate the steep climb. Batasia Loop, at a tor point near Darjeeling just beyond the town of Ghoom, is the most famous because of its great views. Passengers can easily get off the train as it slowly approaches the loop, take photographs, and climb on again when the train returns from its trip around the loop. (Note: The train now runs from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling). The Darjeeling railway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • The Kalka Simla Railway. The railway from Kalka Simla railroad was completed in 1903, the final stage in the connection of Calcutta, then the capital of British India, with Simla, the summer capital. The 95.65km railroad runs through the magnificent scenery of the Shivalik Hills, up valleys ringed by high mountains, across stone bridges (864) built like Roman viaducts, and through 107 tunnels, the longest over a kilometer (1144m) in length.

[edit] Food

Hot food is available at mealtimes in almost every train in India. The food is mostly prepared in kitchens at railway stations and then loaded onto the train, either onto a pantry carriage attached to the train (on most important trains), or just brought on board by waiters and distributed directly to passengers. In most cases, a waiter collects orders an hour or two before mealtimes, sometimes well before, and, if you don't place an order, you may be left out in the cold. Choices are mostly limited to vegetarian or non-vegetarian thali style meals, though it may be possible to get a 'Western' meal (often an insipid breaded chicken cutlet with boiled vegetables) if you let the waiter know well in advance. The quality of food varies, with the fare being better in the South and West. Note that while pantry cars mostly re-distribute food, they do have a small kitchen and, if you're sick of the daal/bhaat/tarkari/chappati that shows up in the thali, it doesn't hurt to visit the pantry car and see if they can rustle up an omlet or some fresh chicken curry with parathas.Its advisable to take your own food unless it is a long overnight journey as proper hygene is not maintained in most places. Moreover, concepts of hygene, taste, cuisine changes from region to region. Even Indians often find it difficult to adopt the difference.IRCTC(Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) in these days provide satisfactory hygenic and quality food aboard trains, stations. IRCTC kiosks are ubiquitous where one can find snacks/breakfast/packed foods/ biscuits/ cookies/ mineral water etc and they have also opened world class restaurants at important stations. IRCTC also provide snacks/ tea/ coffee/ mineral water/ bevereges on board so that those unwilling can avoid buying from private vendors whose quality of food may be questionable. IRCTC provide food in silver foiled packets, water in pouches,and pickle/salt also in sealed packets with their meal. To reduce usage of plastic to avoid health and pollution issue, IRCTC compulsorily supplies tea/coffee in paper cups or khullarhs(earthen cups) which are bio-degradable.

On the Rajdhanis and Shatabdis, all meals are included in the fare and are served at your seat at mealtimes.

Snacks and food are easily available off platform vendors for amazingly low prices (e.g., a filling meal of aloo puri for less than Rs. 10). Often, snacks and food reflect local specialities and, in the case of cooked food, are quite safe to eat.

The ubiquitous chai-wallahs (tea-sellers) are everywhere on Indian Railways selling tea at stations and on the train. In the South, where coffee is the beverage of choice, the chant of chai chai is replaced by caphee caphee.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Indian Railways runs two cheap hotels in Delhi and Howrah. Passengers can book independant rooms ar dormitories on production of tickets. Known as the Rail Yatri Niwas, bear in mind that the facilities are very basic and the rooms are quite shabby. There is a self-service restaurant. There are also two Railway Hotels in Puri, Orissa and Ranchi, Jharkhand, which offer far better service than the ones in Delhi and Howrah

  • Rail Yatri Niwas (''Metro:New Delhi - Line 2''), New Delhi Railway Station, ☎ +91 11 2323-3484. Dorm Rs 135/bed, Single Non A/C Rs 265, Double Non A/C Rs 385/450, Double A/C Rs 850.  edit
  • Rail Yatri Niwas, Howrah Railway Station (''outskirts of Kolkata''), ☎ +91 33 2660-1742. Dorm Rs 100/bed, Double Non A/C Rs 350, Double A/C Rs 550, Triple Non A/C Rs 400.  edit
  • Railway Hotel, Puri Railway Station, ☎ +91 6752 222-063 (fax: +91 6752 223-005). Single Rs 400/600, Double Non A/C 650/750/1000/1200, Double A/C Rs 900/1500, Triple Non A/C Rs 850/1700.  edit

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