Train Travel in India: Everything You Need to Know

Train travel in India can be stressful or quite an interesting experience to say the least. However, it is one of the most affordable ways to get around India. This is everything you need to know before traveling by train in India – how and when to book tickets, the train classes, and train travel safety tips.

Things to Know About Traveling by Train in India

1. Book your tickets in advance online.

Trains in India tend to book up ahead of time so a last minute ticket when you arrive at the train station isn’t always guaranteed. For most trains you can book tickets about 4 months ahead of time. I would suggest booking tickets as soon as you know exactly when you’ll be traveling.

2. Seats aren’t guaranteed to be together.

If you’re booking tickets for multiple people, keep in mind that seats aren’t guaranteed to be together. Seats are allocated randomly so you won’t know for sure if you’ll actually get the seat that you want.

3. Reservations usually open 120 days before departure.

It’s best to book your train as soon as you know exactly when you will be traveling. A few train stations in India only sell tickets 30 days ahead of time but for most, bookings open 120 days before departure.

4. RAC and WL tickets.

When booking train tickets online you will have to first check the availability of tickets. The availability will be shown as ‘Available’, ‘RAC’, or ‘Waitlist’.

Available (pretty self explanatory) means that there are confirmed seats or berths available on that train. You will be able to select a seat or berth (though neither are guaranteed) before you travel.

RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) means that the train is technically full. However, you will still be able to board the train and be taken to a berth by the conductor. You won’t be able to choose your seat but you will still be able to travel.

WL (Waitlist) means that all available and RAC tickets have been sold. You will only be able to travel if someone else cancels their ticket and yours is upgraded to RAC or confirmed. If your waitlisted ticket is not upgraded, the train fare will be refunded.

5. Trains in India often run late.

Many times while we were at train stations waiting to board our train, we often would worry that we had somehow missed ours because it would be long past boarding time and we still hadn’t seen our train anywhere. Many of the train stations never made announcements for late trains or updated arrival times, either. The only one I remember actually making an announcement for an updated arrival time was at Delhi Cantonment Railway Station in New Delhi. Most times when we were traveling by train in India, our train would arrive at our destination hours after it was supposed to. Definitely avoid planning tight schedules if you’re traveling by train.

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Train Travel Safety Tips

For the most part, I believe that train travel in India is pretty safe. However, we do live in a crazy world and you truly never know what type of people you’ll come into contact with. I never had any issues while traveling on the trains in India, but, I will say that India is the only country I’ve traveled to that I ever felt at any point like I wasn’t safe. While this was mostly in the city (New Delhi, to be exact), you can never be too safe even on the trains. Continue reading for a few safety tips and things to look out for.

Don’t Leave Your Things Unattended

Theft is, unfortunately, very common in India. A crossbody bag can be useful for anything valuable that you will have (phone, passport, money, etc.) as long as you leave it on while you’re on the trains. I kept my luggage on the top bunk with me as I traveled as well (I only had one bag so it was fine). A small lock to put on your luggage can also be useful.

Always Be Aware of Scams

One of the most common scams at train stations would be someone telling you that your train has been cancelled and you need to purchase another ticket from their travel agency. Never trust this. Even if they look like they may work there, that’s not how it works. If a train is cancelled you will either hear an announcement or see it on the signs. Never go with a random person to purchase anything. Honestly, it’s best to just ignore anyone who approaches you at the stations. If you give them even a minute of your time they will not leave you alone. Trust me, I learned that the hard way!

Solo Train Travel in India

Though I know plenty of women who have traveled solo in India and had the time of their lives, I personally would not recommend it. I traveled through India with my husband but anytime that I was alone (even just long enough to buy a drink), the local men were relentless. They said some of the most inappropriate things to me and would not leave me alone. It was exhausting and almost ruined the trip for me. However, if you do travel solo in India (as a female) I would suggest always getting the top bunk on trains if possible as it offers a bit more privacy. Also, as stated above, it’s best to ignore anyone who approaches you. Many of the men in India will take even the slightest bit of attention (ex: a smile) as a window of opportunity and won’t leave you alone after that.

Don’t be Afraid to Find Help

There will always be police or guards on every train. If you’re having major issues, don’t be afraid to find them and ask for help. Don’t worry about hurting someone’s feelings, either. If someone is bothering you, touching you, or really just doing anything that makes you uncomfortable, feel free to tell them no. Be firm about it. Shout if needs be, whatever will get your point across. It’s always better to be safe than to spare someone’s feelings.

Booking Train Travel in India

Online

I always use IRCTC to book trains. It’s a very frustrating website to use (to say the least) but it’s not too bad once you get used to it. You first must register with the website in order to purchase tickets. This involves a small one-time processing fee of just over 1 USD (to confirm identity). Only one person needs to register and they can then purchase tickets for the rest of their party (up to 6 at a time). The process is pretty straightforward once you know when and where you will be traveling to and from.

In Person

As stated above, last-minute tickets aren’t always available once you arrive at the train station. If you decide to book your tickets at the station, I would suggest arriving pretty early to do so. You should have no problem finding someone who speaks English to help you with your purchase. Do keep in mind that if you buy tickets at the train station you must pay with cash.

Through a Local Travel Agent

If you don’t feel like going through the entire process of planning, choosing, and booking the right ticket (don’t blame you) then you can buy tickets through a local travel agent. However, keep in mind that travel agents in India will often tell you that cheaper train tickets are “sold out” or that certain trains aren’t available in order to get you to spend more money. If you go through a travel agent, make sure you check reviews first or choose an agent that was recommended to you by someone you trust.

Indian Train Classes

There are eight different classes for train travel in India. However, not all trains will have all eight classes of accommodation available. I’ll try to list all of the classes in order from highest to lowest level of comfort and standards (and for the most part, prices will coincide).

First Class, Air-Conditioned (AC1 / 1A)

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AC1 trains are probably the most comfortable way to travel by train in India but they are also the most expensive. AC1 coaches are divided into 4-berth and 2-berth sleeper compartments. Most of which are typically pretty spacious and have lockable doors and curtains on the windows. They are much less noisy and more private than other classes. Blankets and pillows are provided on each bunk for comfort. Unfortunately, you cannot choose whether you get a berth with two or four bunks when you book online.

2-Tier, Air-Conditioned (AC2 / 2A)

AC2 trains are relatively comfortable and uncrowded. It’s an open berth plan with bays of four (two upper and two lower bunks) on one side of the aisle and bays of two (one upper and one lower bunk) on the opposite side. Each bunk has a curtain for privacy. Most of the ones we traveled on had outlets so we were able to charge our phones as well.

3-Tier, Air-Conditioned (AC3 / 3A)

AC3 is basically the same as AC2 except the bunks have three tiers instead of two. The AC3 coaches are typically more crowded and may not have the curtains for privacy like the AC2. During the day, most of the middle bunks will be folded down as most people prefer to just sit together on the bottom bunk. If you have the bottom bunk, don’t be surprised if random people sit on yours during the ride.

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We had 2 or 3-tier tickets on most trains that we traveled on throughout India. AC2 was obviously a bit more private but both were pretty decent and relatively comfortable. Most of the 3-tier trains that we were on had outlets but none of them seemed to actually work. Maybe bring a power bank with you if you’ll be needing to charge your phone.

First Class (FC)

Most trains in India no longer have First Class seats and have more AC2 cars instead. For the most part, FC cars are the same as the AC2 without all of the upgrades. No air-conditioning, no bedding, and not nearly as clean or comfortable.

AC Executive Chair Class (EC)

EC is only found on a few trains in India. There are two seats on each side of the aisle and food and drinks are included in your fare. It’s a good way to travel if you prefer an actual seat instead of a bunk.

AC Chair Class (CC)

CC is another class that is only found on certain trains in India. The train has two and three seats seats on each side of the aisle, they are air-conditioned, and for the most part it is a pretty comfortable way to travel.

Sleeper Class (SL)

Most long-distance trains in India will consist mostly of sleeper cars as this is how the majority of people in India travel. Bedding is not provided, there are no curtains or air-conditioning, and sleeper cars can get quite crowded. It’s not the most comfortable way to travel but it will definitely save you some money.

Second Class Seats (2S)

On 2S cars you will not have your own seat but rather you will be sharing a bench (picture bench seats on buses). Sometimes the seats are padded and other times they are just wooden. These trains can get extremely crowded, it’s not the most comfortable, and I wouldn’t recommend it for overnight travel. Avoid these unless you’re just making a short trip.

Finding Your Coach

Finding your coach when your train arrives at the platform can be tricky at some train stations. When you arrive at your platform at the train station, look for the abbreviation of your class (the letters in parenthesis above) on the signs hanging from the ceiling along the tracks. This is where your coach will be when the train arrives. The signs change for each train so wait until you know your train is next. The platforms are very long so getting to your spot ahead of time will insure that you won’t be rushing to get to the correct coach when your train arrives. Not all train stations have these signs so ask a train station official for help if needed (we did many times with no problem).

Train Travel in India – Tips

1. Have a rough idea what your itinerary will look like before booking anything. You’ll want to figure out what days you’ll be traveling and you may have to adjust plans based on what trains are available. Do this before booking any hotels.
2. You will be stared at a lot at train stations. Traveling through India, I had never been stared at so much in my life. Especially at the train stations! The lighter your skin and hair, the more they will stare. It’s honestly just part of the experience (staring isn’t considered rude in India) so try not to take offense even though it may be extremely uncomfortable.
3. Make sure you arrive early! It can often be a bit confusing trying to figure out exactly where your train will be. Some train stations have everything clearly labeled and are easy to figure out but, others, not so much. Leave yourself enough time to figure everything out before your train arrives and make sure you pay attention to the announcements.
4. If you plan on sleeping on the train, set an alarm! No one will wake you up or let you know that it’s your stop. Make sure you keep an eye on the time (or the map).
5. As soon as you get off of your train and exit the station, you‘ll likely be surrounded by tuk tuk drivers offering a ride. Always confirm a price before you agree to go anywhere and know that prices are always negotiable.

Have you ever traveled by train in India? Share in a comment below!

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Don’t forget to check out these other India posts:

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• Indira Gandhi Airport in New Delhi
• The Golden Triangle in India: An Itinerary and Guide
• India Travel Tips
• Things to Do in New Delhi, India
• Agra, India Travel Guide