Taj Express - Second Sitting

Hi All,

What is the Taj Express like - second sitting for 3hrs on the 10th June to delhi?

Its the only train / seats that isn't on Waitlist.

Thanks

It's Ok as long as you have a seat, there tends to be quite a few people standing in the aisles and by the doorways, so get everything you need before you sit down, it may get a little/lot warm when the train isn't moving, but it'll be OK once you're rolling along.

Seems too congested.

PS:- This is one of the prestigious trains plying in this route. It has however lost its charm long back.

Thanks all.

Might try a waitlist or do you think it is too late? On Clear trip the number next to waitlist is that how many people are waiting or how many people they will accept on a waitlist?

Thanks

RAC and Waitlists explained.

I have traveled on this train few times. Even if it is crowded, you get a seat to sit on (if you have reserved your seat) during the travel duration. There is an added advantage - you won't be sharing space with the fellow travelers!

@skipfeeney, by second sitting you mean 2S in Taj Express? 2S in Taj Express would be a Non/AC chair car with 3 chair seats on either side. This is how it should be. There are 3 types of seating in this train, CC, 2S and General.

Thanks for your help, one last question! If there are two of us, could we book a row of three seats to have more space? or is that a bit naughty?

- Yes 2S seating

The TTE (Traveling Ticket Examiner) will need to see all the 3 passengers indicated in the ticket. If one of them does not travel then he has the right to allot that seat to a wait listed passenger.

Second class sitting or 2S on Indian trains is an uncomfortable way to travel. The seats are too small and do not have dividers so if you are sitting next to a fat dude or a fat woman, you are screwed. You may wanna consider this if you have an inkling of concern traveling in comfort. In addition to that, it will be steaming hot in June and that coach is not air conditioned.

I would totally avoid the 2S and book seats in CC or ECC in Shatabdi or many other trains that go to Agra from Delhi.

The CC fare in Shatabdi is like 370 which is less than 5 quid for you and the Taj and Intercity Exp is even lower, maybe 3 quid and change. Personally if I were you, I'd fork out for the ECC in Shatabdi which is 770 or less than 10 quid and travel in style and comfort.

Cancel the 2S and try getting CC or ECC tickets on waitlist or FTQ. Indian railways is so damn cheap for anyone from the west and even the highest class fares are so ridiculously low and I don't know why you picked to travel by 2S. Bad decision in my opinion and made worse since it is in June.

A bit of personal advice. Avoid 2s, General, Sleeper classes altogether. Try the 2AC or 1AC/ECC travel on Indian trains which is the best way to travel if comfort is on the forefront of your mind. Worst case, take CC or 3AC which are bearable Leave the Sleeper class and 2S travel to the local people. Not worth the trouble and discomfort. And wherever possible, if there is a Shatabdi or Duronto or Rajdhani train on that route, pick them over the regular ones.

unfortunately, most of the time CC is in WL, while 2S is available, so it makes sense to at least have a confirmed seat instead of travelling in general class because your WL in CC did not get confirmed.

I thought I was reading from one of the books on India during the British Raj - the tone and language would fit with a Brit writing a letter to his colleague back in the UK during that time - he would have used "natives" rather than "local" .

Cheers


Nattusbs

There are a few different types of 2S carriage, but increasingly the following type is being used, and whilst I can't be 100% sure, I'm seem to remember this type being used on the Taj Express.






More like a budget airline kind of seat, though I wouldn't advise 'large' people to use them, this is a shortish journey though, and 2S should be fine for most, at worst, get off at the next stop and get a taxi.

Paramiyer, no offense to anyone traveling by 2S but it is the most uncomfortable way to travel. You can get WL tkts moved up if you have reasonable WL numbers in Shatabdi (which has like 7 or 8 CC coaches) and even the Taj or Intercity which has atleast a couple of CC coaches. I am pretty sure both Shatabdi and Taj exp has FTQ the OP can take advantage of.

Worst case, there are probably dime a dozen AC bus services between Agra and Delhi which is one of the busiest travelled routes in India. The options are endless.

Sorry but traveling by 2S as a western tourist = FAIL !

When I check on Cleartrip, it shows availability on the Intercity Exp with 117 CC seats available on the 10th and ECC and CC seats available by the boatload on the Shatabdi from the 11th onwards (I guess 10th is a Sun and perhaps busy travel day between Delhi and Agra but shows WL).

@stevenber: Never seem those 2S type coaches before but the ones I remember had no seat dividers and it is kind of a glorified bench seat with uncomfortable backrests that won't recline. They used to be on the daytime trains, specifically Vaigai/Pallavan Express (back when they were MG) and Brindavan Express from what I've seen. Lousy and uncomfortable way to travel in my opinion and more inconvenient than a bus.

Anyways, why would someone visiting from UK or Europe or US buy tickets in 2S or Sleeper is beyond me. The IR fares are dirt cheap in the 2AC or 1AC/ECC classes especially in USD or Euros or Sterling. Pennypinching on those fares to travel by 2S or Sleeper class seems like a mighty hasty decision to me. Goddamn, those railway fares in India are dirt cheap, even the highest class of travel which is 1AC or ECC

carcorodoncarcharias

Please don't keep saying that the IR fares are cheap for foreigners bringing USD, sterling, Euro. IR may decide to charge higher fares for them just like the fees to enter Indian tourist places (e.g., Taj Mahal).

Cheers


Nattusbs