India rail pass

Craig Shinners

please tell me about the India rail pass, whether or not it is good value, if economy class is too crazy, are buses a better option. Any info appreciated. Cheers :

velure

Hi Craig,
The value for money question really is reliant on how much travel you plan to do by rail. It is definately more expensive than booking individual tickets, but the real beauty of the pass is that you can wave it in the face of bureaucrats (politely ofcourse) at various railway offices (booking offices, station superintendents, railway retiring rooms, etc etc), and the fact that you have an Indrail pass will afford you treatment that's somewhat speedier and more courteous (bearing in mind you are in India ofcourse...) than you would otherwise recieve. I'd recommend you avoid the buses for long distance travel - just look through some of the horror story threads on this forum for tales that will make the hair on your back stand on end! Not to say you shouldn't use buses ofcourse, if you're into unconfortable long distance rides. Buses are a great option for trips around towns, for short distances to touristy sites, and for inter city/town travel if your journey isn't too long: my tolerance level peaks at around 6-7 hours with Indian buses.

"Economy Class" doesn't exist, in India this is called "Sleeper Class" - this is great if you don't mind mingling with the locals and are prepared for everything it brings with it. The next level of pass allows you access to A/C 2 Tier and A/C 3 tier classes - which are more comfortable and obviously air conditioned, but you do miss out on some of the sights, sounds and smells of the landscape as the windows are locked and have a brownish double glazed tinge that colours your view of the outside world. Very comfortable otherwise, though.

So it really depends on how much travel you plan to do, and how you like to travel... I usually recommend the pass for first timers on Indian Railways and those who plan to travel a lot in a limited amount of time.

eater

So, velure, going 1st class AC also means missing out on the S, S and S of India?...and windows obstruct the view?...

__________________
Just happy to be here.........

steven_ber

Check out the following thread, though you may need to check the latest exchange rate.

Is an Indrail pass worth the money?

__________________
.
How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions.



Train information.