train help needed from expert! Chennai to Goa

Sarita

Hi there,

Using the excellent help provided on the site, I am trying to get a train from Chennai to Goa. I get the following information: My question is: what does codes such as WL9/WL9 and WL14/WL13 mean?? I would like to book a 2AC (preferably) on the 27th January, but as far as I can see, this is unavailable, unless the codes above indicate availabilty?

Any help would be appreciated!

Accomodation Availability Enquiry
You Queried For Train Number Train Name Date (DD-MM-YYYY) Source Station Destination Station Quota Code
7311 MAS VASCO EXP 27-01-2006 CHENNAI CENTRAL VASCO DA GAMA GENERAL

S.No. Date (DD-MM-YYYY) Class -2A Class -3A Class -SL
1 27- 1-2006 WL 9/WL 9 WL 14/WL 13 WL 87/WL 76

2 3- 2-2006 AVAILABLE- 0002 WL 1/WL 1 AVAILABLE- 0105

3 10- 2-2006 AVAILABLE- 0014 AVAILABLE- 0005 AVAILABLE- 0127

4 17- 2-2006 WL 4/WL 3 AVAILABLE- 0020 RAC 33/RAC 27

5 24- 2-2006 AVAILABLE- 0017 AVAILABLE- 0014 AVAILABLE- 0159

6 3- 3-2006 AVAILABLE- 0016 AVAILABLE- 0020 AVAILABLE- 0200

aadil

WL shows the waiting list number for each class for the date of travel. The second number is the present waiting list number. If you are a foreign tourist in India you can book from the special foreign tourist quota but only once you get here and have to do it personally with your passport and USD/Euro/GBP payment or show your foreign exchange encashment certificate or receipt. There are not too many seats on the FTQ and not on all trains but if they are there then you can get them without waiting in the normal queues for reservations but at the special counters or rooms for FTQ at all major railway stations. Even if you get a RAC seat it is as good as a confirmed ticket, only you will not know the seat number till the list is updated. There are chances of the WL number decreasing but in the peak season you can never tell for sure. Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Aadil.

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Sama

that is exactly what I am confused about....

I am ready to book my tix online, but are you saying I can not book online as a foreigner? (have already registered with the rail site.)

Do I have to say I am a foreigner when I book online? or not? I was going to have the tix delivered to an IM member (who shall remain anonymous )

or..... as a foreigner, is it a better idea to get an "e-ticket" so it won't have to be delivered?
e-Tickets - (e-reservation) The user can take a printout of the Reservation Slip and perform the journey without requiring the regular ticket to be delivered. (from rail website)

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aadil

You can book online as a foreigner and have your tickets delivered to an Indian address but you are booking in the normal reservations and not on the foreign tourists quota which is a small number of seats on most trains in all classes usually. Some trains may have only a couple of seats in 2AC and 3AC depending on the use of those trains by foreign tourists.

E tickets is better but not available on all trains except Superfast, Rajdhani or Shatabdi trains. It should slowly be available for most trains.

Cheers,
Aadil.

Sama

thanks!

mikkie50

hi folks just want to let you know about http://www.indiarail.com
think they are brilliant have just booked our journey from goa to kerela with them and have also recieved the tickets here in the uk. They are a uk based company specialising in rail and air tickets for india. very helpfull on the phone also. hope this helps cheers mikkie

steven_ber

This is a VERY common myth.

About 100 trains a day have a few seats/berths reserved for the foreign tourist quota, it may only be 2 seats or it could be as high as 10, but often not in the class you'd like to travel.

Just one thing, there are more than 12000 trains a day, the figure of 100 doesn't seem so high now.

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


Train information.


RAC & Waitlists explained.

aadil

Don't you think it would be more expensive doing it through them? And I just checked that their website is up for sale!!!

indiarail.com

This domain may be for sale by its owner! More details...

Cheers,
Aadil.

aadil

Steven: Agreed that the number is not too high but the class of travel preferred by the poster is 2AC and that is on just one train per week so it is bound to be a bit full compared to most other trains as here there is no option for the traveller to chose or cancel the journey as there is no other train that one can book on for this journey. The sleeper class should come down to RAC atleast but what about the 2 & 3 AC where the number is 9 in 2A and 13 in 3A? One could ofcourse buy the tickets and then see if they are lucky or else buy in the tatkal (emergency) quota if possible as that can be done three days in advance too. Not too much extra to pay for this journey if one buys the tatkal ticket.

Aadil.

Sama

my problem is that I was cruising right along with my booking, then stupidly pressed the back button to re-check something, and that screwed everything up! got to my payment page and it said "communication error", so I could not book anything!

do you have to wait a certain amount of time before trying again?? tried about 6 times to re-book, no go! HELP!

aadil

Just start the whole process all over again and it should not take too long. The site starts at 4am nowadays for i-ticketing but there is no booking for e-tickets till 8am so it might be a problem because you are trying to buy e-tickets. Hope that you get your tickets soon.

Cheers,
Aadil.

Sama

hmmm....right now as I type it is about 5:30 am (Chennai time, don't know about any other Indian time!).....

and I just printed my CONFIRMED E-ticket for the Pandian Express, Chennai to Madurai, 2A class

but.....I neglected to click "Ladies" and got "General" quota. can I change? will this be a problem? should I worry? hey, I'm just glad I was able to get this!

(thanks for all your help, aadil )

mikkie50

heyyy well done. i am so suprised that you got a e/ticket i have been convinced that you had to order your tiket and pick it up at a destination in india. but i think i have been mislead so well done
michael
ps mixed compatrment eh should prove intresting you will have to go into a very deep meditation

Sama

yes, that..... and I'll have my swiss army knife with me......never leave home without it.......

the website indicates for which trains you can get an e-ticket, one of them being a "superfast" train, which this one is, if you consider 9 hours "superfast"

vsp27759

Dear Yogagal,
Your observation:-
""if you consider 9 hours "superfast"""
-------------
@@@Within this 9 Hours, the Electric Loco (**for 159 Kms.) & Diesel Loco (**for 338 Kms.) allotted to Pandyan Express cover 497 Kms., thus enabling it to achieve the stipulated Average Speed of 55 KMPH and that too, in a Single Line Section which stretches for 441 Kms. & with 23 Coaches behind, because the first 56 Kms. from Egmore to Chengelput(56 Kms.) is Double0-line!!!
================
V.Srinivasa Prasad
23.1.2006/14.40 hrs.
==========
@@@For your info, as per the Rule framed by Indian Railways any train that attains 55 KMPH Average Speed in both directions on end-to-end basis, will be treated as Superfast Express and the passengers using such SFEs are required to Superfast Express Surcharge.
===========
V.Srinivasa Prasad