Playing it by ear in the tourist season?

TulsaisntFar

I've been reading a lot on booking your train tickets early on the internet from home because during december and january its hard to get a lot of train tickets. Well ill be in south india during that time but i want to be able to play everything by ear, just travel as i go. It just seems from all the forums that this isnt an option.
Well help me here, is it like everything is just booked solid, what about if say for example i was in Mysore and I booked a ticket a few days before to get down to Kerela during the season on any reservable class.

Tell me how these options sound
If everythings full just traveling short distances (an hour or two) by unreserved class. (Because ive heard long journeys on unreserved are too stressful)

Or travelling mostly by car (way way more expensive) in the places we cant get tickets.

Thanks.

cyberhippie

With thousands of trains a day moving massive amounts of people you'll realize what a big question this is. Never mind I'll do my best!!

First up, its not the entire months of December and January that are extremely busy it's mainly either end the festive period.

Will o the wisp travel is perfectly possible if you just a little flexible with your itinerary. I've five years of India travel under my belt traveling in exactly this manner sometimes I've come unstuck and had to hang around for a few days, waiting on a reservation or had to take the bus!
Though the trains are getting busier these days if you are willing to wait a day or two you will generally get on a train, if not just pick another destination.
For short journeys just get a general class ticket and either sit with the massed humanity packed into general class or scout the train fro some empty seats in second class and upgrade when the ticket inspector turns up!!
Don't do this on night journeys you'll end up on the floor sleeping or playing musical berths all night as you get shunted around when passengers turn up for their berth which you are occupying!!
Could be that you'll get a bed for the night but I wouldn't bet on it and I've spent 14 hours on my rucksack it wasn't pleasant!!

Anyway it is perfectly viable, try booking when you arrive at a destination

claurianta

I would say here the indian rails website is a godsend. Basically make sure your itinerary is flexible, and then go to the website and plug in destinations and dates and see what's available. Almost always you'll find something going to an interesting place.

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