Food at Shatabdi Express

SANJAY_DEL · Dec 16th, 2006, 20:57

Shatabdis are hugely popular trains that leave New Delhi early in the morning and reach the destination around lunch time. The same train returns to New Delhi by late evening. The trains are popular with tourists as well as business executives. It is advisable to book a month in advance.

mangrove · Dec 16th, 2006, 21:05

Wow, thanks for that advice. I was not expecting it. Have you had any experience with booking trains online?

SANJAY_DEL · Dec 16th, 2006, 21:49

Yes. Give any Indian address. Register on the site.
Ask for an e-ticket.
Be careful on those options for the credit card.
Go to www.irctc.gov.in

mangrove · Dec 16th, 2006, 22:29

Thanks!

What do you mean, by be careful on those credit card options?

Nick-H · Dec 16th, 2006, 23:37

...You'd better read the various threads on Indian trains, booking online, and the problems people have.

It is a wonderful site --- when it works

!

Being careful on the credit card options means choosing the right one. Wish I could tell you which it is!

mangrove · Dec 16th, 2006, 23:49

Haha!

aloke_m · Dec 17th, 2006, 19:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by SANJAY_DEL

Shatabdis are hugely popular trains that leave New Delhi early in the morning and reach the destination around lunch time.

The Bhopal Shatabdi generally sees poor occupancy after Jhansi. I don't think you can make such a generalisation about the Shatabdis (Originating from Delhi or not

)

cyberhippie · Dec 17th, 2006, 20:29

I've booked the day before for many Shatabdis and always got a seat. Though Like Sanjay says I'm sure there are some that book up fast it's an across the board thing either way!!

As for food well I've always been happy with the food on Rajdhani and Shatabdi expresses. Egg byrani, chicken stew, spicy fried chicken, all good as well as the more common stuff like rajma and dal.
The daily newspaper is a nice touch as well. All in all a nice way to travel if you want to get somewhere fast with a modicum of comfort!!

mangrove · Dec 17th, 2006, 21:05

Thanks Cyberhippie!

Yes, I'm sure it depends which Shatabdis. Hard to know though. I imagine the ones between Delhi-Jaipur-Agra get booked up fast as it is the touristy 'Golden Triangle'.

I wonder if there's a problem with booking the Delhi-Amristar Shatabdi.

Hard to know really, I might try to book my first journey leg from home to get an e-ticket and leave the rest for when I'm there...

cyberhippie · Dec 17th, 2006, 21:10

The Jaipur train was one of the trains I was reffering to actually!!
Still to avoid disappointment why not make use of the new E tickeing service!!
If you know where you want to be and when, there's no reason not to book ahead whilst in Delhi, or indeed via the online service. Saves on trips to train stations along the way!!

mangrove · Dec 17th, 2006, 21:12

Very true!

And how are trips to the train reservation offices? Very long? Any tips to make these shorter (as in going very early in the morning or having a reservation form filled out before getting there??).

I heard there is often a 'butting in line' problem!

steven_ber · Dec 17th, 2006, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by mangrove

Thanks Cyberhippie!

Yes, I'm sure it depends which Shatabdis. Hard to know though. I imagine the ones between Delhi-Jaipur-Agra get booked up fast as it is the touristy 'Golden Triangle'.

I wonder if there's a problem with booking the Delhi-Amristar Shatabdi.

Hard to know really, I might try to book my first journey leg from home to get an e-ticket and leave the rest for when I'm there...

I'm just guessing here.......

But I'd say the Amritsar Shatabdi might be one of the busiest in the country (along with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Shatabdi).

We tourists make up a very small percentage of the Shatabdi users, these trains seem popular with business users and also NRI's (Non Resident Indians) visiting from their home countries.

Amritsar (& Jalandhar en-route) and Ahmedabad (& Baroda en-route) are very popular routes for NRI's and are also wealthy cities, so I guess they have loads of business travellers as well.

Only a guess though.

mangrove · Dec 17th, 2006, 21:21

Well that's very good to know!

Funny... I'm not an NRI because I was born in Canada... but my dad is from Punjab and that's why I'm going to Amritsar in the first place.

cyberhippie · Dec 17th, 2006, 21:21

Yeah you've got to stand your ground when queing!!

Trips to reservation offices can take a while, most open a 8.00am, so getting there early isn't a bad idea!! Take a book, a drink and your copy of Trains At A Glance, as the train you want is not always displayed in a clear manner, usually the train names and number is all the info you will see at the station no indiction as to where these trains stop!
Filling out the reservation before you get there might save some time but not a lot and be ready for difficult staff, who won't except any other resevation slip other than the one they use in THEIR station!!

Another way to do this is just pay someone to do it for you, a travel agent or even some hotels will gladly do this for you!! And they know the system better than tourists do!! This will cost you 100-150 rupees!

mangrove · Dec 17th, 2006, 21:24

That sounds like a great idea Cyberhippie!

Paying someone to do it for you, how do you go about finding someone reliable to book a train ticket? Do they send someone to do it in person or do it over the phone while you are there.

Kinda curious to find out how that works...

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Dec 16th, 2006, 20:57	#16
SANJAY_DEL Account Closed Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NEW DELHI, INDIA Posts: 1,351	Shatabdis are hugely popular trains that leave New Delhi early in the morning and reach the destination around lunch time. The same train returns to New Delhi by late evening. The trains are popular with tourists as well as business executives. It is advisable to book a month in advance.

Dec 16th, 2006, 21:05	#17
mangrove Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 292	Wow, thanks for that advice. I was not expecting it. Have you had any experience with booking trains online?

Dec 16th, 2006, 21:49	#18
SANJAY_DEL Account Closed Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NEW DELHI, INDIA Posts: 1,351	Yes. Give any Indian address. Register on the site. Ask for an e-ticket. Be careful on those options for the credit card. Go to www.irctc.gov.in

Dec 16th, 2006, 22:29	#19
mangrove Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 292	Thanks! What do you mean, by be careful on those credit card options?

Dec 16th, 2006, 23:37	#20
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,210	...You'd better read the various threads on Indian trains, booking online, and the problems people have. It is a wonderful site --- when it works ! Being careful on the credit card options means choosing the right one. Wish I could tell you which it is!

Dec 16th, 2006, 23:49	#21
mangrove Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 292	Haha!

Dec 17th, 2006, 20:29	#23
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,009	I've booked the day before for many Shatabdis and always got a seat. Though Like Sanjay says I'm sure there are some that book up fast it's an across the board thing either way!! As for food well I've always been happy with the food on Rajdhani and Shatabdi expresses. Egg byrani, chicken stew, spicy fried chicken, all good as well as the more common stuff like rajma and dal. The daily newspaper is a nice touch as well. All in all a nice way to travel if you want to get somewhere fast with a modicum of comfort!!

Dec 17th, 2006, 21:05	#24
mangrove Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 292	Thanks Cyberhippie! Yes, I'm sure it depends which Shatabdis. Hard to know though. I imagine the ones between Delhi-Jaipur-Agra get booked up fast as it is the touristy 'Golden Triangle'. I wonder if there's a problem with booking the Delhi-Amristar Shatabdi. Hard to know really, I might try to book my first journey leg from home to get an e-ticket and leave the rest for when I'm there...

Dec 17th, 2006, 21:10	#25
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,009	The Jaipur train was one of the trains I was reffering to actually!! Still to avoid disappointment why not make use of the new E tickeing service!! If you know where you want to be and when, there's no reason not to book ahead whilst in Delhi, or indeed via the online service. Saves on trips to train stations along the way!!

Dec 17th, 2006, 21:12	#26
mangrove Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 292	Very true! And how are trips to the train reservation offices? Very long? Any tips to make these shorter (as in going very early in the morning or having a reservation form filled out before getting there??). I heard there is often a 'butting in line' problem!

Dec 17th, 2006, 21:21	#28
mangrove Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 292	Well that's very good to know! Funny... I'm not an NRI because I was born in Canada... but my dad is from Punjab and that's why I'm going to Amritsar in the first place.

Dec 17th, 2006, 21:24	#30
mangrove Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 292	That sounds like a great idea Cyberhippie! Paying someone to do it for you, how do you go about finding someone reliable to book a train ticket? Do they send someone to do it in person or do it over the phone while you are there. Kinda curious to find out how that works...