booking on unreserved trains

Anita M.

I'm traveling with a friend to Kerala and I heard that this place is 100% literate, very decent and clean and I'm encouraged to do a 2 hour travel in an unreserved train .

from erail.in I see that the train is unreserved, what does this mean? and I how do I book on this train? The ticket is priced almost free!! But I want to explore this option for the sake of traveling and not for saving money .

please note that this is not second class i'm talking about that you get in long distance train, i'm referring to short distance completely unreserved trains like 334SR KYJ - ERS

If there is no booking limit, what if 200 people get into one wagon? aren't there any rules or restrictions and how do I book from another city?

vsp27759

What you are talking about is Unreserved Coach which means you CANNOT book the tickets in advance, irrespective of:

i) the distance travelled
ii)the journey time involved
iii)the time of travel

##The limit of 90 passengers presscribed for entry of passengers into such coaches, is NEVER observed in any part of the country, leave alone Kerala.

gaurav1441

Short distance trains are meant for the masses and they are much chepaer than even the buses therefore are usually overcrowded except the first class.

If you plan to travel by this train buy a First Class unreserved ticket at the ticketing counter.Or, if you are bording at originating station and can reach station 30-40 minutes before departure buy normal second seating unreserved ticket and can take Ladies Coach or any other coach where you can get a seat

Indizen

On an unreserved "passenger" train, you just show up a little prior to the expected time and try to grab a good seat for yourself. There is no limit as to the number of people who might pile on to you during the journey.

machadinha

As noted, Unreserved means just what it says: It's unreserved. You get a ticket; how you get on or manage once you do is your problem.

Unreserved class exists in most regular trains I know of (save for some high-scale ones I suppose). Distance doesn't really come into play.

It can get confusing to an outsider as I think this is technically known as second class*; the class above it, and the first one that you can (have to, rather) make reservations for, is then known as Second Class Sleeper.

* (I think it was once known as third class, but the term was probably phased out because of its connotations.)

Then you get roughly this effect: http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...hp?photo=18070 . Mind you, it doesn't have to be as bad. But it certainly can be.

This one I also like: http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...hp?photo=15582 . Again though, those carriages may as well be deserted (I'd say the chance is certainly a whole lot less than of them being jam-packed as depicted though); there are good pics of that in the galleries here too, however I have trouble finding a good one right now.

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namaste_cat

Yes, that is what we called it even when I left India in the early 1980s. Whether it was the official term or not, don't know. Made it less confusing though

Anita M - I suggest you take gaurav1441's advice b/c it is right on the money. And plan to travel during the day i.e. not around "rush hour" because it'll be enough of an experience even at less busy times for someone unused to that mode of travel. Trust me, as a woman you do not want to go into an unreserved crowded local train in 2nd class.

Indizen

Every hour is rush hour in 2S. Believe me, I once had to travel from Bangalore to Delhi, and every time I moved an inch, someone was there to grab that space.

machadinha

2S Ought to be technically booked though, no? I know that's not how it may work out in practice.

It's hardly unreserved though. (To the unsuspecting reader, 2S is a seating class, deployed only in the daytime, as it has just seats indeed, so it can't be slept in.)

edwardseco

On commuting runs there is an an unofficial system of reservations by the porters (eg. Deccan Express). I would leave it to Steven to explain the demise of 3rd classs. 3rd class & steam engines were an experience! I have done 2nd unreserved & if it isn't at rush hours it can be quite decent if minimal in comforts. Still, its not by choice but convenience (necessity)..

Wildhorse

I had to travel unreserved on two occasions. It was pure hell. It was hell getting on the train and it was hell getting off. You may want to go to a train station, buy a platform ticket and just WATCH what happens when such a train pulls in and people try to get on or off. You may then want to reconsider doing it...

namaste_cat

Good advice, Wildhorse. You said what I was tiptoeing around

wonderwomanusa

Oh, they were indeed!

3rd class had no padding on the seats or the sleeper berths; I think you have to be very young to enjoy it! The fellow passengers were very friendly, and yes, constantly staring (in the early 70s) when they were not used to seeing foreigners.

I do miss the steam trains, even with the dirt that accompanied them. I'd always go into the ladies' waiting room and shower and wash my saree before going to a hotel. There were always a couple of women walking around in choli and petticoat, waving sarees under the fan!

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