Agra train booking

qwertyjjj

Is it possible to turn up at the train station in the morning and book a ticket to Jaipur? I'm not sure how long I will spend in Agra but I don't want to waste money on a rickshaw going to the booking office and back to my hotel the evening before...

steven_ber

Yes it is, a train ticket is easy, it's a reservation that's hard.

I'll tell you what I'd do, and I'm fairly confident it will work, especially if you're getting the morning train from Agra Fort to Jaipur (the train that is the overnighter from Varanasi to Agra Fort, the Murudhhar Exp or whatever it's called).

Go to Agra Fort station and buy a 2nd class EXPRESS ticket to Jaipur, ask for exactly that ticket, a 2nd class Express to Jaipur.

This ticket is fine for 2nd class unreserved travel, however, find the TTE when the train is in the platform and ask him if you can upgrade to Sleeper Class (or any of the air con classes), if there is a space, he will allow you to take that space and upgrade (on payment of additional fare).

This isn't guarenteed to work, but there should be a lot of people getting off at Agra, and some of those seats may not be booked to Jaipur.

If you can find the reservation chart, and can understand it, your chances improve a lot, I always find a berth via the reservation chart, then just sit in that seat, understanding the reservation chart is all about understanding station codes and travel habits.

BSB = Varanasi Jn
LKO = Lucknow
AF = Agra Fort
IDH = Idgah Agra (also in Agra)
BTE = Bharatpur
GADJ & JP are 2 stations in Jaipur
FL, SBR, NAC, KMNC, MKN, DNA, MTD, GOTN and JU are all stations after Jaipur.

So you look at the reservation chart and find out where people are traveling from and to, if seat 17 is traveling from BSB to AF, have a look below and see if there is another number 17 traveling from AF to JP, if not, seat 17 is free from AF.

Have a look at the RAC & Waitlist thread (link below), I've scanned a bit of a reservation chart so you can see how it works.

If for some reason the above doesn't work, you can sit on the floor in Sleeper Class (better than you'd imagine), or try for a seat in an unreserved carriage (not recommended), or go and get a bus.

Good luck.

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How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions.


Train information.


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qwertyjjj

So, a reservation gives you a guaranteed seat?
Are you suggesting sleeper class here because it's more comfy for 5 hours to Jaipur?
What's a TTE?
you make it sound so easy

Aishah

qwertyjjj - have a read of the links at the bottom of Steven's post especially train information. You will find all the answers there! And the forum where Train Information is, also has a thread re Sleeper Class.

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qwertyjjj

Great reads but I am going to have to go through them a few times and not much time before I need to get the train at Agra.
I'm still not clear on whether sleeper is different to 2nd class sleeper or not. And during the day it sounds like sleeper isn't sleeper at all but seated so when I get on at Agra maybe all will become crystal clear
What/Who is the TTC again?

Swapnil

TTE = Train/Traveling Ticket Examiner/Checker

steven_ber

If you look at the Sleeper Class thread, and in particular the carriage layout and the photos, 3-tier air con is the same as Sleeper Class, but it has 1 less section, and has air con and sealed windows, 2-tier air con is the same as 3-tier air con, but there are no middle berths in 2-tier air con.

In all those classes, the berths are kept as seats during the day.

Once you get to understand the reservation chart, you can look for vacant side berth seats in Sleeper Class (7, 8, 15, 16, 23, 24, 31, 32, 39, 40, 47, 48, 55, 56, 63, 64, 71 and 72)*, a side berth seat in Sleeper class for a shortish daytime journey is one of the best seats on the train.

*this doesn't work if the train is uding side middle berths as the numbering is different.

qwertyjjj

So sleeper class is just padded seats that you fit 3 people along during the day? Sounds fine even for a 5 hour journey.
So, why do people use 2AC at 5 times the price?

AC3 seems ok too for day travel especially if on a side berth?

What is second class sitting? Seems different from chair or sleeper classes.

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...sort/1/cat/500

steven_ber

Sleeper Class can have 5 people sitting in those 3-person seats, that's why the side berths are so attractive for daytime use. (I mention this in the Sleeper Class thread)

2A and 3A allow a person to avoid the 'riff-raff' in Sleeper Class (that's what makes SL class so attractive to me), but also, when the weather is too hot or cold SL class can be a bit uncomfortable.

2A is a complete waste of time for suck a short daytime journey.

qwertyjjj

Have just looked up Agra Fort to Jaipur on the 1820 and there are no available seats in 2AC or 3AC and about 15 people on the WL in both.
Sleeper has about 75 on the WL.
Maybe I could take the longer train from Agra Cantt ?

steven_ber

Its the same train.

Give me a date to play with.

qwertyjjj

28 Feb

steven_ber

Book train 2985, Agra Fort 18.50, Jaipur 23.30

Sleeper Class is RAC (Thats OK, take it if you want Sleeper Class)
3-tier air con has 5 available.

qwertyjjj

Ok - thanks, now I presume I'll be in the reservation chart but what about this:
E-ticket passenger is permitted in the train against a berth/seat only when his name appears in the reservation chart failing which he can be treated as a passenger travelling without ticket

Swapnil

Waitlist E-ticket will automatically get cancelled while chart preparation & money will be refunded back into your account hence that warning .... however if you are booking RAC/Confirmed E-ticket then your name (most likely) will appear in chart & then you can board train safely.