IndianRail.com

When traveling throughout India, there is no reason to opt to fly when the real adventure and attractions must be seen at the ground level, and train travel in India is definitely the best way to get a real feel for the local culture. With comfortable, air-conditioned cars that must be reserved to ensure safety, train travel is the best, most affordable way to travel, especially with speedy routes that are quicker than travelling by air and overnight trains that save you the hotel costs.

For an accurate way to browse train times and fares visit www.indianrail.gov.in. The Indian Railways time table offers everything that a traveler needs in order to book train reservations, change times, or plan a travel itinerary. When booking travel to major cities, it is often important to remember that the city names may appear differently; for example:

•Bombay—Mumbai
•Madras—Chennai
•Calcutta—Kolkatta
•Delhi—Delhi/New Delhi

When searching for Indian railways seat availability, there are 8 different section classes on Indian Railways trains, depending on the travel type and ticket price. Be sure to check if there seat is air-conditioned, and, if traveling overnight, it might be worth upgrading to the AC1 class for increased safety and comfort. Between major cities, the Rajdhani Express is the quickest, most comfortable way to experience train travel in India.

Be aware of the average fares in order to experience train travel in India properly. An AC1 class ticket could cost anywhere from $50 (about 2,263 rupees) to $95 (about 4,250 rupees), depending on the travel destinations. Comparatively, tickets in the AC2 class average about half of these prices, with the AC3 seats being at about a third of the price. Economy classes are also extremely inexpensive, but travelers should be warned that these are usually taken by locals, and caution should be practiced when traveling under such circumstances.

Another confusing element of train travel in India is the “Reservation Against Cancellation” policy, which allows Indian Railways to overbook the number of tickets sold in case someone cancels. Passengers can therefore still purchase tickets for and ride a full train with an RAC ticket. It is important to check the Indian Railways PNR status at the upper part of the ticket to verify the seating arrangements, as changes are often made as late as a few hours before the departure.

Although occasionally confusing to new travelers in the country, train travel in India is very efficient, safe, and comfortable once experienced. There is a large selection of seat options and travel times, with varying degrees of cost, which can accommodate any passenger’s needs.