[-m2-]

medulla: there is a pre-paid booth for autorickshaws outside the station -- the fare to Pahargang, the New Delhi station area, is 40rp.

[machadinha]

Presumably you could get a train from Nizamuddin (it's in my old LP) to ND station for scratch and walk down Paharganj which is right out the exit.

[medulla]

thanks for the tips made it to parajanj with a pre paid rickshaw via 4 other hotels i really did not want to go to i ended up getting out and walking off as soon as i saw someone who looked like they were a traveller. been feeling rough after the journey but ready to explore tomorrow.
cheers all

[mikewill]

Congratulations and thanks Steven for your comprehensive and very helpful info!

Thought you (and others) might like to know of a useful timesaver to get from Madurai to Ooty. We were on a tight timetable in early 2004; just three weeks holiday. As a result any time saved was useful and I managed to work out that we could avoid a day in Coimbatore.

Madurai to Erode 6731 Bangalore Exp dep MDU 19:40 arr ED 00:10
Erode to Metupalaiyam 6605 Nilagiri Exp dep Erode Jn 02:30 arr Metupalaiyam 06:20
then pretty much straight onto the Nilagiri Express (time for a spot of breakfast first) dep MTP 0710 arr Ooty 1100ish

We booked all our tickets at Chennai the day we arrived - really helpful lady in the booking office. When we got to Metupalaiyam we found we had seats 1 and 2 right at the front of the train to Ooty. Gave us a good view of the elephants crossing the line and stopping the train a little later!

Planning to do the Siliguri to Darjeeling train next March. Went from Palampur to Pathankot on the Kangra line in 1995. Trains are still just a great way to travel ... but you knew that!

[steven_ber]

Thanks Mike, very useful post.

I didn't know that we can now book tickets on the Ooty train in advance, when I went (2001) I just ran from the Chennai train to the Ooty train and put my bag on the front seats, my mate then bought 2 tickets from the ticket office.

I've just checked on the Indian Railways website and tickets are waitlisted till the middle of next month. (No Foreign tourist quota)

What were you're experiences on the Kangra Valley Railway?

[D'rene]

Hi Steven

As you appear to be the train 'guru' (and after much searching around myself), I'm hoping you can help out.

We need to be in Delhi this Sunday (24 April) to catch a 18:30 flight. We will be travelling from Agra. I'm assuming that the train is the quickest way to go?
Ideally we would like to be in Agra for some of Sunday morning to see perhaps sunrise at the Taj Mahal etc.

Any suggestions/tips greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
D'rene

[steven_ber]

Hi D'rene & welcome to indiamike.com

In this case I would say that you should get a bus or a taxi, the roads are good and you will be at the airport in less than 3 hours. (maybe a little longer by bus)

If you were to get the train, you would need to be in Delhi by 15:00-15:30 to give enough time to get to the airport and check in.

There are not many trains from Agra to Delhi that arrive around that time (or in the couple of hours before), there are 2 trains that would be perfect, but they come all the way from Kerala, so could easily be late.

If I had this schedule, I would try to find others to share a taxi to Delhi.

[lonelyaztec]

Steve...

really useful info...i am sure u know more abt indian railways, than the people at railways.

It would be great, if u did something like a table in ur first post...and provided links to all the posts...in the main post...

For eg...the table can be like..in alphabetical order...

A
ahmedabad to Cochin
ahmedabad to delhi
ahmedabad to chennai

B


C

chennai to delhi
chennai to goa...

D
--
--

Etc etc. i hope u got my drift...

or else, in the current mode, people have to read all the comments in the post, to get to what they are actually looking for.

If u make a table on first post, then, people can go straight to what they are looking for.

But, frankly, what is done here, is a great job. Thanks a ton from all IMers for this great compilation

[steven_ber]

Originally Posted by lonelyaztec

It would be great, if u did something like a table in ur first post...and provided links to all the posts...in the main post...

For eg...the table can be like..in alphabetical order...

I did actually think about doing this, and even made room for it in post 3 of this thread, I will slowly try to do it.

The biggest problem is remembering the posts, If a person asks how to get from A to B, I can immediately remember that I've posted that info and know how to find it, but just doing a list from memory isn't as easy.

I will get around to doing it.

[lonelyaztec]

Steven,

What u have to do is...

Maintain a word document in this format

From and to location Url of comment

Make a table like this...finally..post it as one of the first comment in this post...or post it separately as a new post. Will be very informative.

It will take loads of time. But, since u have already done soo much already, the table will be good way to complete it.

[steven_ber]

Hmmmm

I just done an 'advanced search' for posts by steven_ber that contain the word 'departs' = 171 results, & another 37 that contain the word 'depart' (though some could be in the same posts.

There are also loads of posts by SHIMLA, Cyberhippie and others that could be added to the list.

Also worth considering, in maybe 60 - 70% of my posts I give trains in both directions.

Then there are the posts that have a number of destinations from one particular place.

So maybe 500 links needed, lots of posts to be updated, ALL posts to be updated between July & August. (when new timetable begins)

Sounds like fun...

I have given more train advice via Private Messages than in the public forum, this is unfortunate for two reasons, the info required is usually of interest to others and I cant do a link if someone else asks the same questions, also, I must have deleted close to 1000 PM's to make space for more PM's and I have never stored them.

[steven_ber]

Originally Posted by lonelyaztec

Steve...

It would be great, if u did something like a table in ur first post...and provided links to all the posts...in the main post...

OK, I've started it, see post 2 in this thread (or click on link below).

I've done the first 133 links.

http://www.indiamike.com/india/showt...=7230#post7230

I'm not saying it's monotonous, however, I take a break occasionally to watch paint dry.

[machadinha]

Incredible work Steven. Keeping it up to date would be the real pain I guess but great job anyway.

[steven_ber]

I have included times for Luni Jn. for trains to/from Barmer.

Mumbai (Bandra) to Jodhpur.

Train 4846 (M, Th & Sa) & train 4848 (Tu, W, F & Su) departs Bandra at 12:50, departs Ahmedabad at 22:00, and gets to Luni Jn. at 06:02 the following morning, then Jodhpur at 06:50.

Train 4708 departs Bandra at 12:50, departs Ahmedabad at 00:35, and gets to Luni Jn. at 09:17, then Jodhpur at 10:28.

Mumbai - Jodhpur fare: -

2A = Rs 1410
3A = Rs 901
SL = Rs 330


Jodhpur to Mumbai (Bandra).

Train 4707 departs Jodhpur daily at 15:15, departs Luni Jn. at 15:53 and gets to Bandra at 11:30 the following day.

Train 4847 (M, Tu, Th & Sa) & train 4845 (W, F & Su) departs Jodhpur at 18:15, Luni Jn. at 18:48 and gets to Bandra at 11:45 the next day.


Delhi Sarai Rohilla & Jaipur to Barmer.

Train 4059A departs Delhi (Sarai Rohilla) daily at 18:00, gets to Jaipur at 23:50, (departs 00:05), gets to Jodhpur at 06:00 and (departs 06:40), Luni Jn. at 07:30 and gets to Barmer at 10:30.

Delhi - Barmer fare: -
3A = Rs 825
SL = Rs 303

Jaipur - Barmer fare: -
3A = Rs 625
SL = Rs 232

Jodhpur - Barmer fare: -
3A = Rs 321
SL = Rs 125
2S = Rs 76


Barmer to Jaipur & Delhi.

Train 4060A departs Barmer daily at 18:00, departs Luni at 20:50, gets to Jodhpur at 22:00 (departs 22:30), departs Jaipur at 05:25 and gets to Delhi S. Rohilla) at 11:10.


Jodhpur to Barmer. (see also train 4059A)

Train 1JB departs Jodhpur daily at 08:35, Luni Jn. at 09:28 and gets to Barmer at 13:25.

Train 3JB departs Jodhpur daily at 18:35, then departs Luni Jn. at 19:40 and gets to Barmer at 23:55.

2nd. unreserved only - Rs 32.


Barmer to Jodhpur. (see also train 4060A)

Train 2JB departs Barmer daily at 05:00, gets to Luni Jn. at 09:05, and Jodhpur at 09:50.

Train 4JB departs Barmer daily at 14:35, gets to Luni Jn. at 18:29, and Jodhpur at 20:30.

2nd. unreserved only - Rs 32.

[steven_ber]

Just found out that trains passing through the Konkan region (Delhi/Mumbai to & from Goa/Kerala) will be re-timed adding a minimum 2 hours to journeys.

This is probably a safety measure following a couple of train crashes last year caused by landslides.

The trains will be re-timed from 01/06/05 till 31/10/05.

I have the new times for train’s to/from Delhi via Konkan, and will search for more info.

More later...