Please Advise - Rajasthan Route

My husband and I are planning to visit Rajaasthan. we will be going to Jaipur first, then we want to go to jaisalmer, then back to jodhpur and then to udaipur. This is what we have planned so far

Agra to Jaipur - travel by hired car

Jaipur to Jaisalmer - Take the Ranthambore Express (2465). We will arrive Jodhpur at 10.30pm. Then we hop into Ju Jsm Express (4810). This will drop us in Jaisalmer at 5am. The transfer time is a bit tight. By taking these options we dont have to take Dli Jsm Express (4059) which is a odd time to start off with.

Jaisalmer to Jodhpur - Take the Jsm Dli Express (4060). This will drop us in Jodhpur and we can go to our hotel.

Jodhpur to Udaipur - Hire a car with a driver who can take us to udaipur.

Can someone please advise if my idea is doable. Any tips/suggestions is most welcome. We are also flexible on taking bus or hiring car all the way. Comfort is a priority for us.

Thanks in advance

Jaipur/Jaisalmer is the only concern. Perhaps you can stay in Jodhpur for a day before Jaisalmer. Would rest you. Jodhpur/Udaipur can be done by rail, but road gives you the option to cross Aravalis, visit Rishabhdevji, Kankroli, Nathdwara, Eklingji (temples), and perhaps Kumbhalgarh Fort if you plan that way.

Is half an hour very less time to connect to a different train? i arrive in jodhpur at 10.30 and hoping to connect to jaisalmer train at 11 o clock. Do u guys think this will be a big risk?

I would not take the risk. If you can see at Jaippur Jodhpur the Mardhar express goes also every day (under a different number).
In Jodhpur drop your luggage in the cloak room, have dinner somewhere and then continue to Jaisalmer.

What I mean is that if you have time drop in Jodhpur for a day. See around, go to Jaisalmer in the night reaching there in the morning. While coming back also, spend a day in Jodhpur, before proceeding to Udaipur in the night. See the map, Jaisalmer is in a totally different direction (towards Pakistan). But surely it depends on how much time is available to you. I used to travel in that unhurried way.

I got the Ranthambhore Express a few years ago and it arrived on time, but in those days the train started from Sawai Madhoppur, now it comes all the way from Indore so could well be late.

The Muradhar express also has a poor reputation for being late.

You could get an overnight train from Agra to Jodhpur, then after Udaipur get an overnight train to Jaipur.

Or just get the Delhi - Jaisalmer train from Jaipur.

I think that is too risky too - trains into Jodhpur are notoriously late, generally up to one hour.

There are other options - Rajasthan Sampark Kranti, goes on Wednesday, Friday and Sundays, leaving Jaipur at 13.55 and arrives in Jodhpur at 19.40. Giving you time to have dinner and board the overnight train to Jaisalmer.

Consider the direct train Jaipur- Jaisalmer (Delhi-Jaisalmer Intercity) - I think the boarding time at Jaipur is now earlier than what it used to be (around midnight).

Trains are not that punctual in India. You'll be really lucky to change trains with just a 30 min gap. I'd suggest to have atleast 2hrs gap between two connecting trains to be on a safer side. Else book another backup ticket of a train coming later on. If things go as per schedule you can aways cancel the back up ticket, else atleast you'll not be stranded with no proper reservations.

Connecting trains wait for incoming trains to some extent.

But these train are not Connected Officially, so it is a risk.

Exactly - the only train that connects "officially" that I know of is the overnight one from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur and the Intercity terminating at Jaipur, (fast train) will wait for it. That overnight train from Jaisalmer is rarely late. As said by most of us on this thread, you are taking a risk, and I think the time difference is too narrow a margin.

Interesting, the 'Intercity' is actually the Ranthambhore Express in the other direction, and with the same time difference between arrival and departure.

Have you any idea if the 3A carriage is moved from the overnight train to the Intercity, it's strange (though not unknown) for a daytime Intercity to have a 3A carriage.

I've not got time to check if the Ranthambhore Express has lots of 'make-up' time, but if it has, it could suggest that the train has a booked connection with the overnight train.

A quick observation, both the Ranthambhore Express (22:13) and the Jodhpur-Jaisalmer overnight train (23:03) call at Raika Bagh station, with a 50 minute gap.

You are right Steven - I have just looked my Trains at a Glance, although it is an older version. I have no idea though if it's an official connection however, and if the Ranthambhore Express is running late whether the overnight to Jaisalmer will wait. This train is known to come in later than it's official time, so it makes me think maybe it does? Contacting railways with a question there might be the way to go - sorry I have no time to do this however.

The transfer window is too short, although I did do one with about 45 minutes and got that ok.

This sounds like a good option for you, depending on what you were planning to do after Udaipur I guess.

Many people stop at Jaipur for the shopping so if this is your thing it's wise to put it near the end of your itinerary. Saves having to lug all your newly acquired stuff around on trains and the like.

Thanks guys. i guess the general feeling is that switching train in a short time is a big risk so i will not proceed with that.

Might go with the overnight train from jaipur to jaisalmer direct as I am stopping in jodhpur on my way back from jaisalmer and then proceeding to udaipur by hiring a driver as i have been informed that the drive from jodhpur to udaipur is very nice.