I need help: trains & buses planning a trip

adumim

OK, i've been trying to plan my trip in May for the past month and still I aint got a clue on how to plan my route.
I have used my LP, indiamike.com and various websites on indian railway.
Im flying into Delhi from there want to go to Agra, Corbett Tiger reserve, Rishikesh, Amritsar, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Varanasi and finally Mumbai from which I will fly home from.
SO.... any help is extremely appreciated.

Many thanks guys

steven_ber

How long have you got in India?

Whats your budget?

First time India?

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



Train information.

adumim

Have 5 weeks in india, Yeah i know its tight, but we can do it.
Not first time in India. Prefer to travel 2AC sleeper, budget not really a prob, have accom already so just need help with trains and or buses.
Prefer not to use a driver, too many bad experiences with them

thanks for quick reply

steven_ber

5 weeks should be plenty of time.

I think this would be the best route: -

Delhi,
Agra,
Varanasi,
Corbett Tiger reserve,
Rishikesh,
Amritsar,
Jaisalmer,
Jaipur,
Udaipur,
Mumbai.



Delhi to Agra.

Train 2002 departs New Delhi daily at 06:00 and gets to Agra Cant at 08:10

EC = Rs 720
CC = Rs 370

Or

Train 2180 departs Hazrat Nizamuddin daily at 07:15 and gets to Agra Cant at 10:07

CC = Rs 266


Agra to Varanasi.

Train 4864 departs Agra Fort (Tue, Wed, Fri & Sun.) at 21:15 and gets to Varanasi at 08:15

2A = Rs 1073
3A = Rs 690
SL = Rs 256

Train 4854 departs Agra Fort (Mon, Thu & Sat.) at 21:15 and gets to Varanasi at 09:30

2A = Rs 1119
3A = Rs 719
SL = Rs 266



Varanasi to Ramnagar. (for Corbett N. P.)

Train 4265A departs Varanasi daily at 08:30 and gets to Ramnagar at 06:20 the following morning.

2A = Rs 1085
SL = Rs 258


Corbett N. P. to Rishikesh.

You would be best to get a bus/taxi between Corbett N.P. and Haridwar/Rishikesh.


Haridwar to Amritsar.

Train 329 departs Haridwar daily at 21:25 and gets to Amritsar the following morning at 08:20.

FC = Rs 460 (recommended)
SL = Rs 118


1A = First Class air-conditioned (AC1)
2A = 2 Tier air-conditioned (AC2)
3A = 3 Tier air-conditioned (AC3)
FC = First Class NOT air-conditioned
EC = Executive chair class, air-conditioned
CC = Chair class, air-conditioned
SL = Sleeper Class, NOT air-conditioned

I will complete this post later.

steven_ber

The problems start with Amritsar to Jaisalmer, I’ll give a few options then you can decide for yourself.

You can get to Jaisalmer from Bikaner (long bus trip), Jodhpur (train), Jaipur (train) or Delhi (train).

A train (or bus) from Amritsar to Jalandhar will only take an hour or so.

Train 9112 departs Jalandhar daily at 13:40 and gets to Bikaner at 00:50 and Jodhpur at 05:40 (2A, SL)

I have edited the following to give more info

Amritsar - Jaipur

On Wednesdays & Sundays train 9772 departs Amritsar at 14:20 and gets to Jaipur at 09:30 the next morning.

3A = Rs 994
SL = Rs 365

Jaipur - Amritsar

On Tuesdays & Saturdays train 9771 departs Jaipur at 19:05 and gets to Amritsar at 13:45 the next day. (3A, SL)


The following thread has train info for Jaipur/Jodhpur to Jaisalmer, Jaipur/Jodhpur to Udaipur, Udaipur to Ahmedabad & Ahmedabad to Mumbai. (there are no direct trains between Udaipur & Mumbai).

Train Information.

adumim

Thanks steven

I have decided to do the following.

Amritsar to Jaipur

Jaipur to Jaisalmer (LP say there is a train for this, is it true?)

Jaisalmer to Bikaner, Bikaner to Udaipur

Udaipur to Ahmedabad, then Ahmedabad to Mumbai

what do ya reakon? Not going the long way round are we?

Cheers

steven_ber

Train 4059 departs Jaipur daily at 23:57 and gets to Jaisalmer at 13:30, (3A, CC, SL, II)

A very strange and difficult way to go, do you have a map?

I would suggest Amritsar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer (by bus from Bikaner), Jaipur, Udaipur.

There are other ways of getting from Amritsar to Bikaner if you do not like the suggested train, the other way involves getting from Amritsar to bhatinda (180 kms) by bus or trains (no well-timed direct train), then from Bhatinda you can get train 339, it departs daily at 21:30 and gets to Bikaner at 05:45, the train only has Sleeper class.

Train 4060 departs Jaisalmer daily at 15:30, and gets to Jaipur at 05:00, (3A, CC, SL, II)

adumim

I dont really want to go to Bikaner, it was just a route that seemed easier. But after reading your original post then looking at oiur itinary, i dont even need to go on a bus, gonna go amritsar to jaipur, jaipur to jaisalmer, jailsalmer back to jaipur and then jaipur to udaipur.

Thanks a lot

Bengal Tiger

talk about roundabout circuitous routes lol

better would be... jaisalmer - jodhpur and then after seeng jodhpur... head to udaipur

kathyrula

Hi, I have been searching everywhere for the answer to this question and can't find it: Can I travel from Delhi to Agra at night (my plane arrives in Delhi at 10Pm on a Tuesday) and return the next day (Wednesday) around noon or 1pm? I want to be back in Delhi around 3 or 4PM. Is there an overnight bus or train that would arrive in Agra very early in the morning? We are only interested in seeing the Taj Mahal and I know it opens at 6AM. I will be traveling in May, and we are 2 passengers, both young. Any suggestions? Thank you!!!

snonymous

You can travel at night, but should you? It is not particularly safe especially for young women. Assuming you do go ahead with your travel plans, hire a private car from a very reputable travel agency. Your trip will be rushed but it is do able. Please consider the safety factor w.r.t. night travel, as there have been a lot of recent unpleasant incidents especially in North India.
All the best.

reneeautumn

wow, steven, that's a ton of specific information! i think that'll be useful for my trip as well; i'm going to a lot of the same places.

snonymous, do you think it's dangerous traveling at night, like, on a sleeper car on a train? i've done that just in europe (prague to krakow, supposedly one of the worst trains for theft) with no problem. i'm a woman and i typically travel alone just through personal preference.

steven_ber

This is an old thread from 2004, so many of the train times may have changed, though only slightly.

Bikaner-Jaisalmer now have a daytime and (short) overnight train connecting them in both directions.

reneeautumn

Great, thanks! I forgot how old some of the threads are at their start.

snonymous

snonymous, do you think it's dangerous traveling at night, like, on a sleeper car on a train? i've done that just in europe (prague to krakow, supposedly one of the worst trains for theft) with no problem. i'm a woman and i typically travel alone just through personal preference.[/quote]

I live in India and I definitely would not advice a woman to travel alone on a train at night, and most definitely not in North India, where at the best of [day] times, a woman alone is fair game for all sorts of harassment. If you can avoid solitary night travel, do so. Why invite trouble? Oh, and theft would be the least of your problems.