Indian train journeys are truly a unique experience. For me, it's an important part of experiencing the authentic India. Why? The country is vast, and families are often spread out across it, making train travel still the most affordable way to get from A to B. That's why many Indians rely on this form of transport – some journeys even last several days. The Indian railway is a cornerstone of the country; nothing functions without it. This is reflected in the numbers: it's the largest employer in the world, with around 1.2 million people on the payroll. In this post, I'd like to share a few special aspects with you and give you a glimpse into what I find to be an endlessly fascinating experience!
There is not too much luggage
The first thing you'll notice: Indians travel with a lot of luggage. And I mean a lot. Once, I was in a compartment where the entire floor was covered with suitcases and boxes. As I mentioned, families aren't necessarily travelling for holidays but more often to visit each other, so naturally, they bring a lot along. A big part of that is food. Many travelling families bring their own food for the long train journey, packed in boxes, thermos flasks, and containers. Along with that, they also bring plates and cups – all of which needs to be stored somewhere, of course... So, it can get a bit cramped, but at the same time, it's really interesting to observe. And if you're lucky, you might even get to try some. ;)
Rock yourself gently to sleep
Since the trains often run for such long distances, most routes offer beds. It works similarly to European night trains, and I’m always amazed by the incredible organisation. When you consider that 23 million people travel on 12,800 trains in India every day, it's incredible to see how smoothly everything runs. In the evenings, fresh blankets, pillows, and bed sheets are handed out so you can sleep comfortably. There are several classes on Indian trains – with or without air conditioning, and with different seating capacities. I usually travel in “3 AC,” which means there’s air conditioning and six beds per compartment – three on each side. The middle bed serves as the backrest for the bench (the lower bed) during the day and is folded up at night. By 11 pm, it’s “lights out,” and even the chattering families start to quiet down, allowing you to gently rock yourself to sleep in your berth…
Chai for waking up
In the morning, it all starts again. On the train, there are vendors selling all sorts of things. Of course, the obligatory chai, which is a must in the morning. But you can also get all kinds of dishes. Feel free to listen to my podcast if you want to hear some original sounds as well. And yes, there are toilets, which are actually pretty decent. They’re Indian-style toilets, which makes it a bit more comfortable for me. I’ve seen the floors get mopped regularly, there’s soap, and just outside the toilets, there’s a sink where you can at least brush your teeth and wash your face in the morning and evening.
On the impossibility of getting tickets
When I first went to India in 2006, I simply bought a ticket at the counter for the next day. By the time Marcus and I were there again in 2017, that wasn’t possible anymore—everything was booked out. Som has since explained the situation to me: there’s now an online booking system, but it’s visited by around 1.2 million people per minute (!), which often causes the system to crash. On top of that, trains with an average capacity of about 1,750 seats are almost always fully booked, so you have to plan and book several weeks or even months in advance. Even then, getting tickets isn’t guaranteed. In the worst-case scenario, you can try your luck with a last-minute portal the day before departure, but that’s really just a gamble.
Overall, it’s just an incredibly fascinating experience that I can only highly recommend to everyone. Feel free to join one of our "Yoga & Explore" trips, where everything is conveniently organised for you, so you can fully immerse yourself in the adventure. :)
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