The Great Circular Indian Railway Challenge

Jean-Philipe

Ok, here's a suggestion to kick around. The "challenge" is who gets the most points.

- 10 points for starting the tour in Mumbai; 5 points for joining anywhere along the route.
- 10 points for finishing the tour in Mumbai.
- 20 points for the "Roughing It" option - lowest bookable class, SL or 3A.
- 20 points for joining the all-volunteer "Himalaya Swat Team" option (as Murli points out, this will need serious wardrobe reinforcements - Kashmir in February isn't lunghi and T-shirt country)

Maybe some frivolous ones - 5 points for getting your feet wet in the ocean at Dwarka, 10 points for a full head-under-water dip.

Keep an updated spreadsheet of everyone's running score. The winner gets a prize on completion of the tour.

P.S. If it's not impolite or non-PC to ask, what happened to skk? From enthusiastic participant in the discussion to "account closed".

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Mark_Lester

I think we need to get it down to points per/Km per class.
Anyone going to the end of the line in Kashmir gets a free burkha.
Not sure what's happened to skk, he was super interested last time I checked, has he terminated ?

Furthermore, there's obviously this issue now between having SL and getting India on your face, versus doing Rajdhanis with their AC1 and shower facilities. I think the run across from NDLS to NJP should be designated as having "shower class", we'll be going through Bihar so that's one area where having fixed windows and not having to worry about waking up with someones hand on your face would be OK. Also the last blast up from the Cape is a Rajdhani I think on the latest plan, which is a reasonable concession. I'm also put off with Stevens stories that one end of the carriage gets wiped out with some guy with all his plates and trays. I guess with the level of detail some of you guys are able to come up with we can work out which are the coaches that dont have the nasty honeycomb stuff on the windows. I'm going to vandalise my coach if I end up behind one of those.
All in all, given that I now have all the confirmation I need that if I dont want to be losing a couple of stone on this we're going to be making extensive use of Murli's much anticipated rail-side take-away guide, I vote for avoiding the Rajdhani's. In effect this just means getting the train straight down from Udhampur down to Delhi, which is a night ride anyway.

Update:skk is still on the train .....

bristolbased

Hi Mark,

It's Steve here, admin of travelforum.org. I just wanted to thank you for putting up the details of your challenge in our General Forum and wish you all the best with the planning. Three days in a comfy kupe compartment through Siberia in winter had me climbing up the walls to escape at the end of it, so massive kudos to anyone who can manage 14!

I wanted to offer some advice for getting sponsors. I would recommend starting a series of blogs - much like the one you have - one for each challenge participant. In the time between now and the challenge, work on trying to increase their popularity so that they are attractive to sponsors, and then sell ad space on the blogs. That way the sponsors are getting something tangible for their money, as well as the warm glow and good publicity that they are helping a charitable cause.

Just a thought!
Steve

Mark_Lester

Thanks Steve. Your trans sib quote would look good in a comment to my latest blog post .
It may be difficult for other people to crank up a blog about the pre-amble, but I'm hoping that we'll have plenty on the train who will have something to say, and photograph, even record or video, and it would be good if we had a few who ran their own blog, which I can merge into the main one.
Anyone who does decide to "shake the tin outside tescos" should certainly set up their own giving page. Railway Children told me they will be available on VirginGiving in the next week or so, who charge 2% (which I still think is a more than fair margin) compared with JustGiving who charge a shocking 5%.

R Murli Dhar

Hi Lester and the GRIC gang,

I have sent out a mail on IRFCA asking for details of the foods that are delivered by agents outside (good recommended restuarants) and IRCTC. One gentleman has been good enough to write to the IRCTC Chief asking him to provide details direct to me. Mark, if you have received any offsite postings from IRFCA please copy them to me... I will compile a list. There's still a long way to go, and I have not activated my contacts as yet.. given that they may get transferred from x, y, to zee, et al or move from here to there or nowhere. But it will be done.

Good wishes.

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Mark_Lester

Thanks Murli. No mails as yet, but this is a throughly worthwhile task in itself which I will be delighted to work on off line with you. There's stevens thread on this and the original at IRFCA. But we've got a book in itself here "The good food guide to dining out on the Indian Railway system", our 18.5% of it anyway. It will be worth posting on all 3 sites.
"GCIRC" is our catchy acronym btw, my son wants to know why I am so interested in Internet Relay Chat.

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Mark_Lester

I've got at least 3 railwaymen from the railchat server, and a couple of other likely suspects in return for my relentless spamming and sticking up blog stubs everywhere I can get away with it. They've generally been asking about costs, so I ought to add some info on the blog.

I think steven said it's £150 for an indrail pass that will get you onto 2AC, is that right ?. With only 4 nights in hotels, one of which is at tipong which doesnt look like it's going to be Dorchester rates, I cant see anyone getting through much over £100 on the trip even if they eat constantly. I guess it depends on how many saris they want to buy .

I'll go check the numerous well written articles there will be in here from Steven and others......which I have now done.
I now make it a sensational £95 assuming it's round about Rs 7380 for a 2 week rail pass. 2SL is about half that.
So £250 easily does you in 2AC, all in. You could probably manage it for £100 in 2SL if you were frugal.
Wow!

R Murli Dhar

Nice... The railmen from India or UK?
2. Thought of the INDRAIL Pass myself. Working on other details whether we can get a 'circular' ticket' for all classes. Have to look up your blog to check the route, and then write to the higher-ups that be.

3. Checking on hotels too and restrooms at various stations where we can get a shower and possibly stretch our legs.

4. Though a bit early, all the birds on this trip should disclose their medical conditions/ailments well in advance.

5. Will be preparing a checklist shortly.. Too lazy I guess.

6. Have posted on Twitter: my id is delhimurlidhar

7. Need details of your charity organisation. Please post me offline so that I can start initial approaches. Must contain what it aims to achieve, and how this trip will help benefit railway children in India. Maybe required for all travellers to wear distinctive headgear or something like that. Also required for making initial interest in general correspondents in the press contacts I have/used to have.

These are initial thoughts.

Good wishes.

steven_ber

Indian people can't use Indrail passes.

A circular journey ticket can have a maximum of 8 'break of journey' points, though a break of less than 24 hours isn't classed as a BOJ.

The problem for Indians is if it all goes wrong and we have to resort to an emergency plan, our Indrail passes cover the cost of any replacement tickets and also carry a little bit of weight if it comes to emergency reservations, it may not be so cheap & easy for Indians if things go a little wrong.

However, by the time the trip happens, we'll have worked out an alternative plan to cover a delay (or cancellation) to any train, and Indian people can somehow book all the alternative trains as well and just cancel as we go.

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Train information.


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R Murli Dhar

Right you are Steven... some rules are being changed to facilitate journeys.. that's why I said I am making enquiries with the authorities that be. Will do and report for Indians as well.

Good Wishes.

Mark_Lester

Ah, I wondered if we were allowed to do this.
I need to put some costing info on the blog, and make it clear there really isnt any obligation on anyone to raise money. Just by getting on the train you're helping.
It would be nice if we could give Indians an idea of what the cost is.

All english so far, but would be nice if we get an Indian.
Great

You cant be serious.
I'll be coming with some disclaimer forms for everyone to sign stating that nobody on this trip can blame anyone else for anything bad that happens to them or anyone else.
I am expecting to end up being a kind of clearing house for all the people who want to burn Steven up asking about how to book, and I'll be happy to do that and co-ordinate that bit which could get a bit messy.
But let me make it clear
we are all independent travelers, enter at your own risk
If we get any newbies then we need to take them to one side and fill them in on some of the bare facts, but right now I'm one of the least travelled, at least in India, on the train, with just half a dozen forays.

great. please do this if you've got one, even if you never use it, you'd be surprised where those tweets end up.

There are two obvious benefits for the charity
1. hard cash
2. exposure
I'm definitely going up to see the railway children as I realise I've inevitably set myself up as a spokesman.
I dont think a bandanna is going to suit any of us at our ages, but I'll do the whole thing dressed up as ronald mcdonald if they sponsored me for enough

We also have starlagurl from TravelPod as another "absolutely definite, provisional candidate unless anything changes before then" to add to the crew. So, counting the 3 mystery railway men (including one real life engine driver folks!) we're up to about 15.
if we can get at least 12 in SL and 8 in AC (probably easier to split it the other way) we've got a real party going on.

Mark_Lester

Do I just go to erail.in and add up the prices shown for each train for the whole trip ?

steven_ber

Not really, Indian people will be better off using break journey or circular journey tickets.

They will both save lots of money over single journey tickets.

Mark_Lester

Thanks, how do I work out what the circular ticket will cost ?.

steven_ber

From the 'Train Fares' thread.

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A CJT is an extension of the Break Of Journey ticket, with no distance restrictions and more flexible time restrictions, making it the ultimate cheap ticket on Indian Railways.

You are allowed a maximum of 8 breaks of journey and the CJT’s validity is distance based.

You are allowed 3 days for every 400 km.
2000 km = 15 days,
4000 km = 30 days,
6000 km = 45 days,
And so on.

Although there are a number of standard set CJT’s issued by most regional train companies, most of them are unrealistic, Southern Railways are the exception.

You can come up with your own itinerary, breaking your journey at any station for as long as you want (though bear in mind the validity of the ticket).

Safety charge & Super fast charge (if applicable) need only be paid once; Reservation charge is extra for each reservation.

A couple of examples: -

Delhi, Bundi (507 km), Udaipur (249 km), Ajmer (for Pushkar)(304 km), Jodhpur (246 km), Jaisalmer (294 km), Jaipur (607 km), Agra (358 km), Delhi. (200 km).

Total distance = 2765 km = 20 days.

Cost is worked out as follows: -

Total distance is halved, then fare for that distance is doubled, it’s easier to understand if you think of it as a return ticket, then the normal additional charges are added.

Total distance is 2765 km, half of that is 1383 km, the cost for travelling in 2A for 1383 km is Rs1640, Rs1640 X 2 = Rs3280, add 1 X SF charge (if needed) Rs30, plus 1 X safety surcharge of Rs80, plus 9 X reservation fee of Rs25 (Rs225), so total cost of this CJT would be: -

2A = Rs 3615
3A = Rs 2365
SL = Rs 950

Another route, Chennai, Madurai, Varkala, Ernakulam, Udipi, Madgaon, Hospet (Hampi), Mysore, Chennai. (Chargeable distance 3503 km, Validity 26 days) The total cost would be: -

2A = Rs 4155
3A = Rs 2703
SL = Rs 1070

The real advantage of a CJT is when you’re travelling over long distances as the validity increases, the following CJT is an example of this, and just shows how bored I was at work today.

Delhi, New Jalpaiguri, Calcutta, Chennai, Trivandrum, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Amritsar, Delhi. (Chargeable distance 9246 km, Validity 69 days) The total cost would be: -

2A = Rs 6683
3A = Rs 4207
SL = Rs 1566

The problem with CJT’s is booking them, you have to take your itinerary to the station master, he will go through it and decide if a CJT can be issued, he will most likely not give his decision till the next day, you then go and buy your CJT then go and make the reservations, If your lucky the whole process could take only a couple of hours, but 4 hours is more likely.

A few rules to remember: -

If the class of accommodation you have paid for is not available on a particular train, you have to travel in a lower class or pay the difference to travel in a higher class (if available).


You do not have to travel 500 km before the first break of journey.

You can’t go over the same route twice, unless there is no alternative.

You have to start and finish your trip from the same City. *

There are other rules, to many to mention, if you want to use one of these tickets, reply to this thread with your Itinerary and I’ll work out if it will be allowed.

I think 'actual distances' rather than 'chargeable distances' are used for BOJ tickets and CJT’s.

*Although the rules say that you must start and finish your trip from the same City, nobody will force you to use the last leg of your ticket, although this would mean paying for an additional journey. The additional cost would be small (% wise) and you would get the added bonus of the whole ticket being valid for a longer period.