Time between flight arrival and train departure

Hello - I will e flying from Benares for Delhi and arriving at 5:00pm. Will I be able to catch the Golden Temple Mail which departs at 7:00 from NIZ?

Thanks,
S

Impossible to the core.
1) There's no guarantee of scheduled arrival of the flight.
2) Time to come to the luggage section and then actually collect it.
3) Travel around 30 kms approx in the busy roads of Delhi. (And that too in evening time)
##
##
You may now decide if the said buffer time is enough for you.

If everything went perfect, maybe you could catch the Golden Temple Mail, but the risk is too much in my opinion.

The 22:00 departure would allow for most delays, and you could stop for a nice meal before your train.

Interestingly, there's a 09:27 departure from Varanasi, this would allow you the morning on the Ghats, save a lot of hassle, and only cost you a few hours out of your time, this train goes direct to Amritsar, arriving the following morning.

Steven, thanks for your reply. I am also reserved on 22:00 departure and would actually prefer this. Unfortunately I am on the wait-list. I don't have the PNR number off-hand, but I believe I am WL3-6 for 1AC class on the Chatisgargh Express. Not sure if I should be hopeful or not. The wait-list for 2 class was starting at 35.

Have you tried BOTH 22:00 departures?

The 22:00 is actually 2 trains, they start their journey at different places, one from Tata (Jamshedpur), can't remember where the other train starts from, but they join together before they get to Delhi, but they still have different train numbers, and as they use different carriages, they have different availability numbers.

If you were WL3 + 4 in 1A, I'd say you should be ok, but 5 & 6 is difficult.

If you still can't find anything, look for availability on a train from Delhi to Jalandhar, then take a taxi for the last 80km to Amritsar.

Or the Punjab Mail from Delhi to Firozpur, then a taxi for the last 95km to Amritsar.

Or a hotel near New Delhi, then the morning Shatabdi to Amritsar.

Dear Steven - thanks so much for your reply and the link to the very cool, informative website. I like your idea of getting the train to one of the other cities then taking a cab. I am not familiar with Jalandhar or Firozpur. Are they large enough towns that I can get a cab from the station to Amritsar? I suppose this is something I should book in advance? Or should I have a cab from Amritsar meet us in one of these towns at the station?

- S.

18101 comes from Tata and gets attached with 18109 which comes from Rourkela at Muri Junction. Booking from Muri onwards happens against the former train number. Hence no question of different availability status ex- Muri.

dipyamanbasu - I am a city confused by what you are suggesting? Do you think there is a better reservation that I can make to get from Delhi to Amritsar after my flight from Varanasi? It sounds like you are suggesting that there are 2 trains that combine to make the 22:00 departure to Amritsar. Since there are 2 trains, there would be 2 1AC carriages? So I might have a better chance on one train, but not the other? When they combine doesn't the train number to change?

Thanks,
S.

Jalandhar and Firozpur are both large cities, so getting a taxi shouldn't be a problem, though do negotiate the price.

What date do you want to take the train?

Depart Delhi on June 14 to arrive in Amritsar on the morning of the 15th.

I appreciate your earlier suggestion of train from Varanasi, but we are only traveling in the North for about 2 weeks before heading south to visit family. We need to stick to 1AC trains. My husband is still not convinced about the trains and even 2AC might shock him.

Not every train has 1AC accommodation. Neither 18101 nor 18109 does.

I see from other posts that you are a party of 4. I doubt that you will be able to get 4 1AC berths on any of the trains that travel overnight on the 14th.

There are Executive seats available on the Shatabdi (12029) that leaves New Delhi at 7.20 on the morning of the 15th and which gets into Amritsar at 13.20. Presently there are seats in both General and foreign Tourist Quota for 15th June. Executive Class is the day car equivalent of 1AC. The seats are roomy and comfortable and the fare includes breakfast.

Do you think the 4 of us have chance of getting on any of 2AC class trains that leave from Delhi to ASR that evening after my flight arrives at 5:00pm? I really appreciate everyone's help on this one.

We are traveling for such a short time I would hate to use 6 valuable daylight hours on a train. My last resort would actually be to spend the money for a flight so that we can start our day on the 15th in Amritsar.

(My husband is just going to have to go with the flow of 2AC. I am sure my kids will have a great time.)

FYI - this website is godsend in helping me plan this trip!

- S.

I doubt it. They are all waitlisted in General 2AC and there are only 2 x 2AC in Foreign Tourist Quota on the Golden Temple mail which you probably won't make.


This trip is such a great way to see something of rural India. I personally begrudge daylight hours not spent on trains.

1. Experts have already commented on your journey plan.
2. None of the two trains has 1AC.
3. Imagine River A coming from East and River B coming from West to meet at a point X and then proceed North as River A.