[asykes1]

many thanks for your tip....am using the site with ease now...

best regards.

[weetbix]

Okay mateys,

QUESTION ONE
I was wondering whether anyone could tell me what the best way to see all the following places by train is ?

Option 1 - Delhi (25th Dec) - Manali - Dharamsala - Jaipur - Udaipur - Mumbai (Have to be in Mumbai on 18th/19th Dec.)

Option 2 - Delhi (25th Dec) - Dharamsala - Manali - Delhi - Jaipur - Udaipur - Mumbai (Have to be in Mumbai on 18th/19th Dec.)

we have no idea where to get the trains, we do realise we will have to take buses....

QUESTION TWO
so my next question is IS IT BETTER TO GET AN INDRAIL PASS or JUST ROCK UP AND BUY TICKETS ????

ta muchly !

[SHIMLA]

weetbix,

You want to start from Delhi on Dec. 25 and be in Mumbai on Dec. 18th/19th ?????

I'm sure no mode of transport can take you back in time !!!

[weetbix]

I meant NOV. 25TH sorry, not DEC 25th...arghhhhhhhh. What a duffa I am !!

[SHIMLA]

weetbix,

Ah ! That's okay now !!

I suggest you take an overnight bus from Delhi to Manali; then again a bus from Manali to Dharamsala ( with a night halt at Mandi on the way, just to break the long journey); then a bus from Dharamsala to Kangra; the toy train from Kangra to Pathankot; train from Pathankot to Jaipur with a change at Delhi; train from Jaipur to Udaipur; and again train from Udaipur to Mumbai, with a change at Ahmedabad.

This can be done comfortably, as you have ample time.

All the best !

[weetbix]

Hi people, what do you guys think about catching buses in India ????

I want to take the bus as little as possible and probably not at night....Ive heard that catching a bus in India is a death wish....if its possible all the guides (Lets go, Lonely Planet) say take a train if available.

PS thanks Shimla for these info. But what do you think about what Ive said about buses ??

[SHIMLA]

weetbix,

One need not be unduly alarmed about buses. If you have to take one, just do so without any apprehensions.

[Baldy]

everyone bags the buses, but yet to hear of anyone being hurt ...

[Will Marks]

g'day weetbix,

if you're heading into the hills you don't have much choice but to go the buses

there are "tourist buses" which means you'll get a semi-comfortable seat instead of a rock hard wooden bench and jarring suspension (ie a local bus)

they're fine, but honestly after 12 hours the word comfortable may not apply. There are consulations - a) they're often overnight - you'll sleep through a fair bit of it, save a nights rent, and be too unconscious to worry about night riding, b) you'll wake to a ride through early morning mist in the foothills of the Himalaya - a moving introduction to a magical land, and c) valium's cheap and easily available if you want to sleep right through.

shanti shanti

will

[mountaingirl]

Hi all!

It seems the delhi to trivandrum Rajdhani has started stopping at Madgaon again....good news for those looking for faster and cheaper travel.

[chathuri]

i'm planning to travel from Wrangal to Gorakpur via Jansi next week. (KERALA Express or RAJADANI Express to Jansi and KUSHINAGAR Express to Gorakpur)unfortunately all trains are over booked with long waiteing lists..so i'm going with out reserving a seat.
Any body traveld in unreserved carrages in long ditance trains ? Is it crowded?
would i be abale to get in?
Is second class less crowded than the third class?
Would i be able get a ticket from the tourist Quota?

[SHIMLA]

Originally Posted by chathuri

i'm planning to travel from Wrangal to Gorakpur via Jansi next week. (KERALA Express or RAJADANI Express to Jansi and KUSHINAGAR Express to Gorakpur)unfortunately all trains are over booked with long waiteing lists..so i'm going with out reserving a seat.
Any body traveld in unreserved carrages in long ditance trains ? Is it crowded?
would i be abale to get in?
Is second class less crowded than the third class?
Would i be able get a ticket from the tourist Quota?

It is not worth even thinking of travelling in unreserved carriages, long distance !

On Indian Railways there is now no "third class"; its only sleeper class and second class; and even the sleeper class which is more expensive functions as a second class during daytime !!

What you can do, however, is try for "Tatkal" reservation, which is open only 24 hours before the journey time. This is currently available on a few trains but is gradually being extended to all mails and expresses.

[steven_ber]

Train 2803 departs Warangal station (on the 26th) at 18:30 and gets to Bhopal at 09:45. Sleeper class is currently WL 23, this should be confirmed by the 26th.

Alternatively

Train 6033 departs Warangal station (on the 26th) at 18:00 and gets to Bhopal at 10:00. Sleeper class is currently WL 27, this should be confirmed by the 26th.

The KUSHINAGAR Express departs from Bhopal (on the 27th) at 14:25 and gets to Gorakhpur at 08:30. Sleeper class is currently WL 08, this should be confirmed by the 27th.


Trains 2803 & 6033 also go to Jhansi, somehow I never found them when I looked for the Jhansi route, only when I was looking for an alternative place to change trains.

[chathuri]

Thanks Stevan...
Testerday i went Indian Air Lines office in Colombo to book tickets. ( IR web site says they are the authorised dealer in Sri Lanaka) and i found out they no longer do that and directed me to a private travel agent. This fellow does not book tickets directly, but in a round about manner through some body in India which i did not under stand. He is charging me 100% of the ticket fare as courier charges. What i can not understand is if not India air Lines, who is the authorised dealer in Sri Lanka?Can they delegate it to a private dealer?

[chathuri]

one small question.
If i'm unable to book a ticket from Sri Lanka ( I doubt it and i can not go to Dilli to collect it either). If i go direct to the Wrangal station on 26th would i be able to get a ticket. please advise me on this..I have read a lot about booking tickets, but very little in formation on what to do in a situation like this..What alternatives do i have ( other than takeing a bus)