[oytun]

there s " Vasco Chennai Central Express" on wednesdays and thursdays according to southern railways web page ; http://www.srailway.com/srail/searchopt.asp?flag=2

ac1 class is the best class.then ac2 is coming.for a long distance trip i advice you to travel at least ac2 class( i think its same as 2A)

for me train trips in in india is a must.you wont get bored during 24 hours.you will get a nice sleep and will eat very delicious food.here i upload a picture of a train menu ;
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s.../cat/500/page/

[veronique]

Originally Posted by oytun

there s " Vasco Chennai Central Express" on wednesdays and thursdays according to southern railways web page ; http://www.srailway.com/srail/searchopt.asp?flag=2

ac1 class is the best class.then ac2 is coming.for a long distance trip i advice you to travel at least ac2 class( i think its same as 2A)

for me train trips in in india is a must.you wont get bored during 24 hours.you will get a nice sleep and will eat very delicious food.here i upload a picture of a train menu ;
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s.../cat/500/page/

THANKSSSS
hope is coming back to my soul...
I feel a bit less worry
especially if the food is good??
though i was told by a friend "do not eat on trains" wonder why?

[steven_ber]

Originally Posted by veronique

Goa - Chennai

This train will not run via Hospet.

T... 7312 (Th) Vasco 14:45, Madgaon 15:20, Bangalore (Yesvantpur) 05:45 (06:00), Chennai Central 13:10.

T... 7311 (F) Chennai Central 14:00, Bangalore (Yesvantpur) 21:00 (21:30), Madgaon 11:38, Vasco 12:45.

Distance 1046 km.

2A = Rs 1493
3A = Rs 953
SL = Rs 349

could you tell me more about this route?
how many departures per week?
is it daily?
A 24 hrs journey in a train how do you put up with that?
that s lot
what about the scenery is it nice?
the food on the train?
will it be possible to let my legs hang out at door just like for the konkan R?
is it a crowdy packed train/
which class is the best as for comfort?
have you travelled by this route?
I know trains is cheaper but 24 hrs in a train ,,goshhhhhh
cheers
hope you had a nice night out vero

The Southern Railways website has got it wrong I believe, if you check the same trains in the opposite direction you will find that they run together on the same day (a common thing on Indian Railways, though it would take too long to explain)

The train is a weekly train running on Thursdays.

The first part of the route up to Londa is very scenic as the train climes over the Western Ghats passing the Dudhsagar Waterfalls, it will be dark by the Londa, you will wake in the morning at Yesvantpur (Bangalore) where the train stops for 15 minutes (05:45 - 06:00), this will be a good time to wonder along the platform for some breakfast and Chai (sweet tea), I don't know about the rest of the route.

The 22 and a half hours will not be a problem, first the scenic part, then a lot of chatting, then a few hours asking yourself "how the hell am I supposed to sleep in this bloody train" (only joking), once you get to sleep, you will wake up in Bangalore, have breakfast, get freshened-up and you will only have about 6 hours left, these will likely drag and you'll be glad to get off the train in Chennai.

It will be possible to hang your legs out, this train will be a bit slower than the Shatabdi you're getting from Mumbai to Goa.

3A should be comfortable enough, though you could always go 2A if you felt like spoiling yourself.

I don't know how busy this train gets.

I don't think the food on Indian trains is that good (though others disagree), I prefer to fill a stainless steel tiffin carrier with food from a good restaurant or just eat platform food.

The night out went well, I think, I didn't wake-up in a police station, that's always a good sign.

[veronique]

The night out went well, I think, I didn't wake-up in a police station, that's always a good sign.

[/quote]

good !!!! because we need you

thanks again for the tips
i write down everything--actually cut and copy- then when i make sense out of it ill problaby come back with more questions.....

...objectif..3000 posts

vero

[veronique]

[quote]

Originally Posted by steven_ber

Mumbai to Goa trains depart from Chhatrapati Sivaji Terminus (CST) or Lokmanya Tilak (LT) or Dadar (DAR)


Trains from Mumbai are at the following times:


T 2051...Mumbai (DAR) 05:30, Madgaon (Margao) 13:30 Except W, (CC, II)

T 0103...Mumbai (CST) 07:00, Madgaon 18:40 (1A, 2A, 3A, SL, II,)

T 6345...Mumbai (LT) 11:40, Madgaon 22:30 (2A, 3A, SL, II,)

T 2619...Mumbai (LT) 14:05, Madgaon 00:10 (2A, 3A, SL, II,)

T 0111...Mumbai (CST) 23:00, Madgaon 10:45 (1A, 2A, 3A, SL, II,)


Trains from Goa are at the following times:


T 6346...Madgaon 06:00. Mumbai (LT) 16:55 (2A, 3A, SL, II,)

T 0104...Madgaon 10:10. Mumbai (CST) 21:45 (1A, 2A, 3A, SL, II,)

T 2052...Madgaon 14:10. Mumbai (DAR) 22:55 Except W (CC, II,)

T 0112...Madgaon 18:00. Mumbai (CST) 05:50 (1A, 2A, 3A, SL, II,)

T 2620...Madgaon 20:35. Mumbai (LT) 06:35 (2A, 3A, SL, II,)

Distance 588 km.

1A = Rs 2445
2A = Rs 1322
3A = Rs 856
CC = Rs 715
SL = Rs 295

All trains should be booked at least 2 days ahead to be certain of getting a seat/berth, at busy times booking at least a week ahead for the overnight trains is recommended.
______________________________ ____________

me again...
i d ,like to know about the trains terminus /
just neeed to know how far they are from my hotel in mumbai. ill probably be staying in south mumbai.
any idea??
cheers
vero

Mumbai to Goa trains depart from Chhatrapati Sivaji Terminus (CST) or Lokmanya Tilak (LT) or Dadar (DAR

[Digital Drifter]

related note,

if you're finally handed a ticket and you're seeing it for the first time, it should look like this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_railways or specifically
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:IR_sample_ticket.jpg

Enlarge it and you can see the details, the most important being the PNR at the top left corner. The bottom row contains details of the train, station and departure time/date

Usually the PNR is what you'll need to enter in an IVRS telephone system to get your reservation status. The numbers to call will be printed on the reverse side of the ticket.

One simple & good scam is to hand over an expired ticket to the clueless by touts! :-)

So, learn to read before you hand out cash!

My apologies if it has been plugged about here.

[steven_ber]

I always knew there was something wrong with the tickets I was given, they never had 'Sample Ticket' on them.

[steven_ber]

Here are some tickets I've scanned, I used these on my last trip, unfortunatly these are the only ones I have where all the info is clear.

Delhi - Guwahati (single ticket).

Badarpur - Lumding (Part 1 of 2-part ticket).

Lumding - Margherita (Part 2 of 2-part ticket).

I will add loads of details about those tickets tommorow.


Do members think we should do a new thread about tickets & the info on them?

[SHIMLA]

Originally Posted by steven_ber

Do members think we should do a new thread about tickets & the info on them?

Yes, I feel it will be in order. There are many types of tickets on the IR - computerised reservation tickets, non-computerised reservation card tickets, unreserved card tickets, paper tickets, journey extension tickets, monthly and quarterly season tickets, etc.

[machadinha]

Then again getting hold of a ticket is not *that* bloody complicated is it. Maybe it's good if Steven concentrate on the essentials like getting that IM cart rolling With the tickets it seems that there's no teaching the people who start to scream at the sight of the thing and vice versa (umm the tickets who start to scream at... no wait drop that thought).

[SHIMLA]

Steven,

This post is related to the photographs of the 2 part ticket posted by you. Please explain :

1. Was your journey from Badarpur to Margherita ?
2. Was there a change of trains/gauge involved at Lumding ?
3. In part 1 of the ticket, the fare shown is for the total journey ?
4. In part 2 of the ticket, what does RLWL/32 and cnf mean? The ticket was waitlisted but confirmed at the same time ???

[steven_ber]

Originally Posted by SHIMLA

1. Was your journey from Badarpur to Margherita ?

Yes, I was travelling from Silchar to Tippong Colliery (20 kms from Margherita) in Upper Assam, I bought the ticket (whilst in Guwahati) planning to travel a bit around the Silchar area, that’s why I booked from Badarpur.

Originally Posted by SHIMLA

2. Was there a change of trains/gauge involved at Lumding ?

Yes/yes, All lines south of Lumding are metre gauge, though there are plans to convert to Broad gauge soon and extend the line down to Agartala, (its a scenic route and I wanted to see it before the work started), at Lumding I changed trains for the Broad gauge leg to Margherita.

Originally Posted by SHIMLA

?
3. In part 1 of the ticket, the fare shown is for the total journey ?

Yes, Badarpur to Lumding - 183 kms, Lumding to Marghetita - 384 kms = total 567 kms. Sleeper class for 567 kms is Rs 203 + 2 x Rs 20 reservation charge = Rs 243.

2 x single tickets would have been Rs 91 (minimum fare) + Rs 151 + Rs 40 (res. charge) = Rs 282, not much of a saving, but I just find booking tickets this way is easier.

Originally Posted by SHIMLA

4. In part 2 of the ticket, what does RLWL/32 and cnf mean? The ticket was waitlisted but confirmed at the same time ???

Well spotted. I asked about this and was told that an additional carriage is added to this train when needed, I wasn't too worried, WL/32 in Sleeper class with 5 days to go shouldn't normally be a problem.

[SHIMLA]

Thanks, Steven !

[steven_ber]

Quick tip.

If you are a couple and you want a coupe (separate compartment for only 2 people) in non air con First Class (FC) or air conditioned First Class (1A), tell the reservation clerk that you will be bringing a small dog on the train with you.

The rules say that you can take a dog on a train ONLY in FC or 1A provided you "reserve either a 2-berth or a 4-berth compartment exclusively for your own use".

The charts (indicating berth/cabin allocation) for FC & 1A are prepared 4 hours before the trains departure, so by the time you board the train you will already have been allocated a coupe, just tell the man on the train that you decided to leave the dog behind.

There is a Rs30 charge for a 'small' dog.

[rangss]

Originally Posted by steven_ber

Yes, I was travelling from Silchar to Tippong Colliery (20 kms from Margherita) in Upper Assam..

Steven, Did you check out the cutie li'l steamies of Tipong Collieries? One li'l chap is named David, I guess.