Advice - Mumbai - Ajanta/Ellora - Varanasi

Peat

Hoping some of you guys familiar with the area might be able to help me out.

I'm currently in Panaji and am travellin gup overnight tonight to Mumbai where i'll spend a day or two trying to get my Nikon SLR fixed (and recommends???). After Mumbai I want to take in Ajanta and Ellora caves before heading east to Varanasi. Herein lies my question. What is the easiest way of doing this? I understand that the Varanasi trainline does not go to Aurangabad so I'd have to travel up and meet the train somewhere. What are the buses like between places like Aurangabad and Varanasi or is that just a stupid question? My biggest issue is the amount of luggage I have, as I am doing a climbing expedition in Nepal I have about 35 Kgs of kit in 2 massive bags which makes sleeper trains very difficult due to the lack of luggage space.

Another option is to leave my stuff in a cheap room in Mumbai and do a few day excursion to the caves, return to Mumbai and then fly to Varanasi...

Thoughts would be appreciated.

First time in India, it rocks - Goa stinks - just my humble opinion though!

Thanks all, P

allaboutmumbai

for camera repairs you can try one of the photo shops very near CST Station, (Next to Sterling Book Depot).. These photo shops have been around for a while and maybe one of them is a nikon authorized service station.

From Mumbai, there are trains going to Aurangabad and even buses. You can take any of those.
It would be advisable to leave unwanted luggage at mumbai (cloak room/luggage storage at CST station or the international airport, (just outside arrivals, next to the parking lot).

Avoid Bussing from Aurangabad to Varanasi.

Trains (as per www.indianrail.gov.in ):
Couldnt find direct route.
http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/rai.../all_india.htm
maybe this map can help u trace your route. (no pun intended)

maybe go from aurangabad to Nagpur and catch a train going to Varanasi.
or aurangabad to jhansi and jhansi to baneras

or aurangabad to bhusaval junction and
bhusaval junction to Varanasi by Infinite trains
1031 GYAN GANGA EXP *BHUSAVAL JN 00:30 VARANASI JN 21:25 N Y N N N N N
1033 PUNE DBG EXPRES *BHUSAVAL JN 00:30 VARANASI JN 21:25 N N N Y N N N
1039 MAHARASHTRA EXP *BHUSAVAL JN 14:15 VARANASI JN 12:35 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
1061 LTT MFP EXPRESS *BHUSAVAL JN 19:30 VARANASI JN 14:45 Y N Y N Y Y N
1065 LTT DBG EXPRESS *BHUSAVAL JN 19:30 VARANASI JN 14:45 N Y N Y N N Y
1071 KAMAYANI EXPRES *BHUSAVAL JN 19:50 VARANASI JN 19:25 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
1093 MAHANAGARI EXP *BHUSAVAL JN 07:45 VARANASI JN 04:30 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
139 VARANASI H SPL *BHUSAVAL JN 08:15 VARANASI JN 04:45 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
143 VARANASI H SPL *BHUSAVAL JN 23:45 VARANASI JN 23:10 Y N N N N Y N
153 PUNE GKP SPECIA *BHUSAVAL JN 23:50 VARANASI JN 22:10 N Y N N N N N
2165 LTT BSB SUP EXP *BHUSAVAL JN 12:25 VARANASI JN 08:10 Y N N Y N Y N
5017 LTT GKP EXPRESS *BHUSAVAL JN 14:15 VARANASI JN 12:30 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
5217 LTT MFP EXPRESS *BHUSAVAL JN 19:30 VARANASI JN 14:45 Y N Y N Y Y N
5219 LTT DBG EXPRESS *BHUSAVAL JN 19:30 VARANASI JN 14:45 N Y N Y N N Y
8610 LTT RANCHI EXP *BHUSAVAL JN 00:30 VARANASI JN 21:25 N N N N Y N N
9045 TAPTI GANGA EXP *BHUSAVAL JN 15:30 VARANASI JN 11:10 Y N Y Y Y N Y

Peat

Thanks allaboutmumbai. I got the train to Aurangabad with all my bags, stayed here for a few days and am getting the train from Jalgaon to Varanasi tomorrow eve, all seems to be going according to plan -)

jarman_ah

While you're in Jalgaon, you have a chance to try one of the two best lassis I had in five weeks in India.

Walk out of the station and through the bike parking area. On the left, in the first block, is a tiny restaurant.... can't remember the name, but it's next door to a more-elaboarate (and modern) two-storey hotel which is on a corner. The restaurant is one-storey, and has a low entrance door.

That restaurant doesn't look like much, but their lassis (for about 12 rupees) are so thick and creamy, and with such a great variety of spices, that we haven't stopped thinking about them in five months.