# India train tour 2016... a work in progress...



## caravanman (Sep 5, 2016)

Welcome to the story of my visit to India, September 1st 2016.

(Amtrak folk, please excuse the following few lines... this will be posted on other sites too)

My name is Eddie, I live in Nottingham, UK, and I am aged 64, so far as I can remember...
I was unsure about making this trip, as I have had a few health problems in the last year, and am feeling a tad less robust than before.
After some mental debate, I decided to take the plunge, after all, what is the worst that can happen? They do a rather nice funeral service at Varanasi, so I hear !

I flew from Birmingham to Trivandrum, via Dubai, same as last year's visit. The flight from Dubai to Trivandrum was full, a big surprise, as it was half empty last year. I did not sleep very well the night before I left home, and I was rather tired on arrival in India.
The idea behind arriving in the south, Trivandrum was to see the monsoon greenery, and maybe a little of the monsoon deluge itself.

Very quick immigration check, I had a regular visa rather than an e-visa, as I expect to stay longer than 1 month.
Quite surprised to find that India requires scanning of hand luggage after Immigration control, before you exit to the baggage claim area. A long wait for my bag to come through and then I was free to go.
A quick visit to the "pre-pay" taxi window, a pre-pay system where you pay the driver??

I had thought to try the Chaithram hotel where I stayed last year, as it is near the train station, and cheap, but instead splashed out on a little luxury for my first night in India instead.
Very nice hotel, clean and modern, with good wifi connection too.
I had just reached my room when the phone rang, it was reception to tell me that a general strike had been called for next day, September 2nd, and there would be no taxi or bus transport operating, and shops and businesses would be closed too...
Not feeling too chuffed with the prospect of walking to the station with my luggage, I was also concerned about whether my train would even be running. In India it is best to go with the flow, so I had a sleep and put off worrying about things that I would not be able to change, and left events in the laps of the multitude of Indian gods!

I did not venture out on my first day here, simply due to fatigue. I slept and relaxed in air-conditioned comfort.

Friday 2nd. September.

I awoke to an eerie calm, and thought for a moment that I had gone deaf! No, old chap, just the strange lack of constant honking and hooting of traffic that is the norm in India, which was due to the strike taking place.
Looking out, I could see folk walking, a few private cars and motorbikes, but no taxis, auto rickshaws, buses or lorries.
This area has a left-leaning electorate, so the strike call was upheld much more than in some parts of India.
I had a very nice breakfast and took a walk to the station to scout out the train situation, as well as to check the walking distance. It was not far after all, so that was good news. I bought a few bottles of water at the station, as most shops were closed, and the rail staff confirmed that the trains were not affected by the strike, which was more good news.
(Left alone, these Indian gods do help out, it seems... )
Saw quite a few hammer and sickle red flags flying, and a well organised demo of workers marching for better wages.
With no transport and everything shut, it was not a day for going out and about, so back to the hotel again.
I arranged a late check out, and set about re-packing. Despite wishing to travel light, I seem to have even more junk with me than last year!

Leaving the hotel with my wheelie cases, I had only walked 200 yards when an auto rickshaw pulled up with an offer I could not refuse. I was pleased to see others beginning to buzz around as evening came, I don't condone blackleg strikebreaking!

Sitting on the station platform, supping a masala chai, I was surprised to see my train being shunted in so early.
This is my first 1st class air-con Indian train ride, and although I have a ticket, the seat/berth number is not announced for 1st class until a few hours before departure.
I found the ticket inspector, and after he and several employees went into a huddle, I was given a two person room, lower berth. Best of all, the upper berth is not occupied, so I have the whole room to myself, a real luxury on Indian trains!
I was expecting the berth charts to be pasted beside the train doors, as in the past, but this was not done today.

My coach is the first on the train, just behind the engine and generator car. I put my luggage into the room and with half an hour before departure, stepped down to take a few photos of the platform and engine. I noticed the signal change to green, and with a blast of the horn, my train started to move! I was lucky to be near a door and got back aboard without trouble. Yes, dummy, the phone time display was set a half hour slow! Probably I messed it up changing time zones yesterday when I was tired, or maybe it was those Indian gods again, annoyed that I had not thanked them for smoothing my path thus far!

One drawback to being in this position on the train is that there is a strong smell of exhaust fumes in the coach from either the generator or engine. I gather that the engine changes from diesel to electric further into the journey, so that will narrow down where the fumes come from... they are most unpleasant!

Food is served soon after we set off, a slightly posh version of the second class fare, presented in china bowels rather than foil containers. I was very happy with the food, I chose the vegetarian option for all meals. The evening meal starts with soup and bread sticks, followed by a main protein item, such as paneer curry, with dahl, rice, chappaties,
curd, and finishing with ice cream, which I did not have.

Breakfast is cornflakes with hot milk, and some vegetable cutlets with diced cooked veg on the side.
The second day breakfast had some rice mounds with nuts in, and some rather sweet bright orange mounds of unknown ingredients, together with the cornflakes.
Each meal was similar, although there were minor variations to the ingredients. Lunch on the last day was great, with a dry brinjal "ladies fingers" curry.

Rather an odd experience for me to be alone on a train in India, they are often quite sold out. I did enjoy the experience, a slightly gentler introduction to India I guess!

Outside the land was very damp, green and lush in the south, clouds and mist hung over the mountains, many waterfalls seen, rivers in full flow.
I did not get to see the monsoon downpours I was hoping for, maybe it was just as well!
Moving northwards, there is a change in the climate, but still very green and fertile looking at this time. I did see a small amount of standing water in some fields, but nothing that could be described as a major flood.

I am becoming accepting of things that were startling to me on my last visit... the huge amount of rubbish lying everywhere, the train catering crew throwing bags of rubbish from the train.
I often stood at the open train door as we sped along, and found that although I could clearly see the rubbish, I was somehow blotting it out, it didn't upset me so much... maybe that is what Indians do?

It seems important to remember that no mater how colourful, exotic, challenging, strange, and fantastic India is, it is real, it is a land where folk live out their daily lives... somehow, to "try to understand India" is a pointless thing, better to just observe and enjoy, I think.

Those fumes stayed for the whole journey, and rather spoiled the 1st class experience for me. Although they probably helped me to sleep soundly, I can't afford to loose many more brain cells!

Up Next... "How to pay taxi prices for an auto rickshaw, without even trying" !

Thanks for reading, more to follow !

Ed.








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## oregon pioneer (Sep 5, 2016)

Glad to follow along for the journey! Your reporting takes me there...


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 5, 2016)

As always great reporting Eddie, you should have been a travel writer back when that was an important proffesion!


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## caravanman (Sep 5, 2016)

I do enjoy reading travel writing, so it is nice to get positive feedback on my own efforts. 

Cheers,

Ed.


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## greatcats (Sep 5, 2016)

Thanks for the report, Ed. I enjoyed it, except for those fumes. Watch those time zones - history repeated itself! My kitties send their regards to you!


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## Mystic River Dragon (Sep 6, 2016)

Very enjoyable reading, Ed. Hope you continue to have a good trip, and I will look forward to your next installment.


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## jis (Sep 6, 2016)

Ed, Hammer and sickle (and a star which sometimes is omitted), is the symbol of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), as opposed to hammer and paddy stalk, which is the unadorned Communist Party of India. The split happened reflecting the falling out between the Soviet and the Chinese Communist Parties in the '60s.There are two other variants of Communist Parties which are more "revolutionary" in nature and do not participate in elections. They like to kill government officials and blow up railroad tracks instead. Now they are in wane, but in the past they have caused some serious train accidents, and even forced change in timetable to ensure that trains travel through their areas only in the daytime and with a pilot engine running ahead of the train. It can sometimes be wild out there.

BTW, don't be surprised if you get this just outside of Howrah Station in Kolkata:

https://www.facebook.com/395401100567144/videos/1074825012624746/

Though I suspect since you are coming from the Eastern Railway side your route may be a little less prone to this, but by no means immune to it after a good Monsoon deluge.


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## caravanman (Sep 6, 2016)

I would like to see a bit of a monsoon downpour, but at the same time, I don't want it to affect my train rides! 

I was not aware of the hammer and rice stalk, but did know of the Maoist attacks.

Cheers,

Ed.


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## Metra Electric Rider (Sep 6, 2016)

The food sounds quite good (and probably full of ghee too!). Are there tables in one's compartment to eat on?


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## jis (Sep 6, 2016)

They bring in portable tables during meal time. See for example:


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## Metra Electric Rider (Sep 6, 2016)

I'm loving the tv tables for non-tv diner food!


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## oregon pioneer (Sep 6, 2016)

My, that looks so much better than Amtrak food!


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 6, 2016)

Yep, this is the way to travel in style and eat well at reasonable prices!

Too bad the flight is so long and expensive to get there!


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## caravanman (Sep 7, 2016)

I would take the Rajdhani food over Amtrak any day... The other trains maybe not so much. Only 1st class has the portable tables, otherwise there is one small table affixed to the wall near the window in A/C 2 class, similar to the amtrak roomette table, but fixed, not fold down. Non 1st class food is served in foil containers on trays, so quite convenient to eat at your berth in any case.

Cheers,

Ed.


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 7, 2016)

How much difference is there in the Fares between A/C First and A/C Second Class Eddie and is FC worth the difference on Long Dista nceTrains?


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## jis (Sep 8, 2016)

Bob Dylan said:


> How much difference is there in the Fares between A/C First and A/C Second Class Eddie and is FC worth the difference on Long Dista nceTrains?


The answer is - effective just about today - it depends. Indian Railways just instituted their version of yield management on AC 2, 3 and AC Chair Car on premium trains, which includes Rajdhanis, Shatabdis, Durontos and a few others I forget. AC 1 is already so high that it is left untouched. Rough rule of thumb used to be that AC 1 would be about double of AC 2. but now AC 2 fares can vary by upto 50% in some cases subject to an absolute top cutoff which is probably about .7 of AC 1 - just guessing. What they are doing with AC 1 is basically removing all concession/discount fares. So no more senior discount on AC 1. Everyone pays full fare. They are really serious about all premium service paying for their keep. Trains that do not, will probably see the axe, which means either some political entity will come up with the difference to keep them running as a social project, or they won't run.

This does not affect ordinary trains. For providing some perspective, a vast vast majority of Indians travel by non-airconditioned Sleeper Class and General Second Class. Those are not affected by any of this. It just affects those that already are in the top 20% or better. Basically upper end of middle class and above.


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 8, 2016)

Thanks jis, this is similar to how it used to be in Mexico when there still were Passenger Trains.


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## jis (Sep 8, 2016)

I might parenthetically add that there are very few, if any at all that are not expected to meet the financial performance goals. The few that are known were all political creations with no business case, and they will probably go away and won;t be a huge loss to anyone, since the normal trains will still ply those routes with the normal consists which is like 15 Second Class and Sleeper Class, one AC 2, and 3 AC 3 and no AC 1. So in effect, no expects to lose service as a result of all this. There are just a lot of ticked of borderline upper middle class folks who will find themselves in a pinch. No one else apparently losing sleep over this.


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## bobnjulie (Nov 21, 2016)

Love going along with you on your travels Eddie..... I can hear your voice. Glad you have been treating yourself so you can still travel.

Julie


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## jis (Dec 5, 2016)

Here is a nice article on food not to be missed at various Indian rail stations:

http://www.fireflydaily.com/indian-railway-station-food-you-must-try/


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## Texan Eagle (Dec 6, 2016)

Bob Dylan said:


> How much difference is there in the Fares between A/C First and A/C Second Class Eddie and is FC worth the difference on Long Dista nceTrains?


Like jis mentioned, Indian Railways is doing "buckets" of fares like Amtrak on all premium trains that has meals included (not all trains have meals included, even in AC 1 Class).

To give an idea of fares, for Delhi to Kolkata on the train shown in that food video, these are the current high-bucket fares for Christmas weekend (and all classes are sold-out and in "Waitlist" stage currently which means you get to travel only if enough passengers who booked before you cancel their tickets, else you get full refund and are left on your own to figure out your travel plans):

AC 1 Class: Rs 4875 ($72)

AC 2 Class: Rs 3425 ($50)

AC 3 Class: Rs 2805 ($41)

Just for comparison, for the same route on an ordinary train (no food included, no air-conditioning, takes twice the time) between the same stations for the same day, the fares are:

Non AC reserved Sleeper: Rs 625 ($9)

Non AC unreserved 2nd Class with no guarantee of seat: Rs 355 ($5)

These are prices for a 900 mile journey, so you can see how Indian Railways manages to cater to all economic sections of the society with available options.


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## caravanman (Dec 7, 2016)

One bonus for us foreign tourists is that as of today, 7 Dec, there are still berths available over Xmas in A/c 2 for the above train even though the general quota is full. These will be released to waitlisted passengers if not taken by foreign tourists nearer departure.

Sadly, the "over 60" fare reduction has been stopped for overseas visitors, which is fair enough given the reasonable full fare tariff.

I like to travel A/c 2, it seems a good mix between ordinary folk and wealthier people, where as in 1st class, the main feel is that you are paying to be "insulated" from contact with more ordinary folk, rather than it being an out and out "luxury" experience.

( If anyone has not read my full trip report, it is available here: http://www.indiamike.com/india/journal.php?do=showentry&e=1405 )

Cheers,

Ed.


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