Do you need train information?

Some trains are Unreserved so you have to buy your ticket just before travel. Most trains travelling any distance have reserved seating/berths

If there is availability on the train you can buy tickets up until charting - about 3 or 4 hours before departure. After that there is some mechanism for late purchase subject to availability but I've never used it.

Non Indian passport holders can avail Foreign Tourist Quota (FTQ) tickets which hold back a small quota on some trains. These can only be booked in person at certain major centres,

You could buy a General ticket and fight your way onto a train but few people seem to recommend this.

If you want to get somewhere specific by a specific date/time you are better reserving in advance. Cancellation charges are not huge if you change your plan and cancel.

<cross-posted with Dave W>

I have never booked Bhopal Shatabdi Express and have got tickets on arrival at station.

Further, you may get empty space in the General bogeys of train during day time journey. You may just book ticket and board a train and you would find plenty of space vacant.

Thanks a lot Prakaant Ji.

Thanks...I just wondered if its possible to turn up at Margao train station for example and go somewhere for the day and return later. I would check the train times before hand.

www.erail.in/?T=MAO::QLM:#
Take the 56962 departing Madgaon at 8:15, arriving Kulem at 9:05

www.erail.in/?T=QLM::MAO:#
Return by the 56965 departing Kulem at 17:15, arriving Madgaon at 18:08.
If Kulem bores you to distraction you can always return by the 56963 (dep.12:20, arr. 13:13)

That's better, detail allows members to give personalised replies and not give the never-ending general info that is mostly not needed by the person asking the question.

One more bit of detail would be useful, what direction from Madgaon?

There are 'passenger' trains going North and South, but I don't know much about the north bound services, never really looked at it.

South, there's an afternoon passenger train that doesn't get too busy, but there's also a morning train to Mangalore, it starts off from Mumbai, but half empties in Madgaon, so space is available onward towards Mangalore.

Give more detail of what you're looking for, where you want to visit, then we can look for options.

Rebuke accepted

Sorry Dave, no rebuke intended, I just type without thinking when I'm in a hurry, and often people take my words the wrong way, you'd think that after time I'd learn, but I probably get worse as time always seems limited these days.

@aaroosh: thanks that was it!

can you please tell me is navyug express (from ludhiana to tirunelveli) reaches on time
and is there any food agency or hotels that might have contract or not which can deliver food in train
as i don't feel that the food is hygienic there (once i personally found cockroaches in it)

http://www.travelkhana.com/travelkhana/jsp/order.jsp
To find combinations, you would need to enter source station as JAT (Jammu Tawi) and destination station as MAQ (Mangalore Central)
Tie ups present at:
Ludhaina, New Delhi, Gwalior, Bhopal, Itarsi, Nagpur.

##

Else try
Comesum
http://www.comesum.com/index.html

Outlets present at New Delhi, Nagpur, Vijaywada

Comesum makes some good food . I remember I was on my way to banglore in the udyan express. We ordered some chinese food and it was pretty good !!

Yesvantapur - Ahmedabad (Weekly) AC Express/19405
Is this a good train to travel?
Im planning to go to Kalyan, but when checking availability for 2A for Coimbatore-Lokamanya Tilak Terminus(Kurla) Express/11014 and Madurai Okha Vivek Express/19567 availability is very less for 2A. If i book all 5 members will not be together thats the problem as when i check for availability 120 days in advance its showing 8 and 6 respectively.
Udyan Express/16530 will reach late evening in Kalyan Jn and my next train to Devlali (DVL) or Nasik Road (NK) will be at night which is my final destination.
Please advice me.

Both 11014 and 19567 come from much further below SBC and so will have a very small quota for SBC passengers. That may be resolved by 19405 because it starts at Yeswantpur. So if availability and all 5 being together is important, book this.

As for is it good, Good in what sense? Have never traveled, so can't advise.

Thanks Narendra