Indian Travel Travel: Were we ready for the experience?
March 2014
The Indian rail network is world famous. It is India’s largest employer, traverses the entire country, and carries thousands of passengers every day. You can’t help but have preconceptions of what travelling on India’s trains will be like. Though our experience so far isn't quite like the picture, people do ride the trains on the roof and hanging off the sides!
Have we found the experience to be exciting? Yes. Dirty? Often. Crowded? Sometimes. Cheap? Absolutely. It can sometimes be a bit unnerving since stations can be a confusing mess of activity but in general, train travel is comfortable, safe, and reliable. We often meet very nice locals who are extremely helpful and kind. Best of all, train travel in India is entertaining and often affords good views out the windows.
Have we found the experience to be exciting? Yes. Dirty? Often. Crowded? Sometimes. Cheap? Absolutely. It can sometimes be a bit unnerving since stations can be a confusing mess of activity but in general, train travel is comfortable, safe, and reliable. We often meet very nice locals who are extremely helpful and kind. Best of all, train travel in India is entertaining and often affords good views out the windows.
You can reserve tickets in person at the station counters 24 hours in advance or online through websites like makemytrip.com and yatra.in. (It should be noted that you'll need to register to use these websites which will require an Indian mobile number). By reserving in advance, the benefit is being able to choose the class of seat you prefer giving you the option of air conditioned compartments. If you do not make a reservation, you can purchase same day tickets, usually issued in "sleeper class" which is no frills, no air conditioning, triple bunk cubicles. This is the type of class we have used for our recent trips and its been an interesting insight into the daily lives of locals.
Were we ready for our experience? We think having been exposed to crowded and chaotic public transportation in other developing countries has taught us to let go of things we cannot control which helps us to experience the moments more fully for what they are; giving us more patience and a better ability to adapt (most days!).
Were we ready for our experience? We think having been exposed to crowded and chaotic public transportation in other developing countries has taught us to let go of things we cannot control which helps us to experience the moments more fully for what they are; giving us more patience and a better ability to adapt (most days!).