Train information

machadinha

ps To add, I came across another thread again and think some confusion may arise between carriages and compartments.

Carriages are divided into several compartments; depending on train class, these will be more-or-less separated (not very much unless you go way up I think. I only know Sleeper Class. For an idea of the various train classes, do check http://www.seat61.com/India.htm#classes . In the lower classes, they're best conceived of as quasi-separate bays of seats/berths. I think a real private compartment exists only in 1AC (?) )

So if you get some seats/berths apart, depending on availability, you may end up in different compartments on the same carriage yes. Again, you can just ask to swap these.

To end up in entirely different carriages would be very uncommon I think, although perhaps not inconceivable if all is full, and again you could just ask your passengers or the personnel to have it adjusted. People will understand what you're asking for and why you're asking it, so it shouldn't really be a problem. Of course, other couples or families won't want to split up for you in turn, but single travelers may be happy to accommodate you. Or even with a larger family, one of the males may concede to make room for you to offer you a berth closer to your hubby or so. Many people will go out of their way to see to it that you are safe and have an enjoyable and comfortable journey.

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HelenR

Awww, that's so nice! Something you rarely see these days in the US...

Thanks for the info, greatly appreciated as always.

machadinha

... And y'r welcome as always Don't take my word as a guarantee of anything btw; in India, it's best to expect that nothing will work as you expected it to. Then by the time you come to expect that, it suddenly will. Then... well, you get the idea

A note on a possible approach to finding yourself with seats that you hadn't quite planned btw, don't panic about it, just settle into one of your designated carriages (or any other really, if need be) and take it easy, train arrivals and departures are hectic enough as it is, and they're a good opportunity for pick-pockets and petty thieves hopping on and off board (or at least and certainly in the lower classes), so keep your senses about you & an eye on your gear. This is not the time and place to start frantically obsessing about your precise seats.

Once the train gets moving, just find your bearings, speak to your fellow passengers some, and/or patiently wait for the TTE to arrive (or go looking for him or some lower personnel if you feel like, it may take half a day for him to even show up if at all), to settle the affair in mutual agreement. (You can try and catch the TTE's attention on the platform before hopping on board of course. He'll be over to see you later. These are busy people of some authority and they sure know it, so handle with kind respect. And as said though, you may well be able to settle it with your passengers, although the TTE will probably like to know what berth has gone where in the end all the same.)

Bottom line: Don't fret about it just upon boarding if your seats aren't quite right, just mainly board first, and worry about the rest later. No one will stop you from doing so. Again, being a foreigner and certainly a pale-skinned one will also really make most people want to be accommodating of you, this can be embarrassing at times, but it can certainly work to your advantage in situations like these, too.

Nick-H

Steaming pile of stinking doggy dung!

No Mach, don't worry: I'm not talking about your post

I'm talking about the words I could not get out of my head after using the irct (or is it irtc?) site today, along with the Indiarail site to check trains.

at first it was so sluggish that all attempted quiries seemed futile.

Then I was ready to make a booking on a train with all of four available berths in my chosen class.

Then I lost my wallet with bank card and driving licence, both of which would be needed (OK I'm stretching it trying to blame Indian Railways for that!)

Then, after a couple of attempts, I made the booking and set out to pay for it. I chuckled at the problems faced by you guys all over the world with your non-Indian credit cards as, Indian debit card in hand, I clicked make payment --- and found that the direct-payment link to my bank was no longer there .

OK... there's all these new payment gateways, claiming to process cards including international ones, and including one hosted by my bank; I'll give it a try with the British credit card.

Everything with the transaction seemed fine, transaction finished and returned to a screen sayingSheesh. Steaming pile of stinking doggy dung!

In the end I booked three journeys (we have a choice of departure dates, one will be cancelled for refund) with confirmed seats on each, and paid, through the same Payment Gateway, with an Indian credit card.

But how you guys who use this site to book (and pay for, one at a time, which has always been one of the dafter aspects of the site) whole trips and journeys around India, without loosing all your hair, I just do not know.

Steaming pile of stinking doggy dung!

Rant over; I'll leave the train enthusiasts in peace now

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HelenR

Awwww, I'm sorry Nick that you had so many problems.

I actually like that website, even though the first time I attempted to pay with my US card, they waited so long to get back to the irctc website from the gateway website that the booking didn't go through. There was a "communication problem."

The second time, I typed everything faster on the gateway website and it went through fine.

I got charged twice but according to the website I was issued a refund a couple of days ago. Still hasn't posted to my account though.

That was the extent of my problems with the website.

Your post made me laugh again

Mach, thanks for the tip. I will print that post for my travelmate because he will be grumpy and angry if that happens This way, I can show him this and tell him to relax a bit. I'm very good with handling these situations, I would intuitively do as you suggest but Mr. grumpy tends to be very pessimistic

Aishah

No, I'm not laughing, Nick! You have my full sympathies - but.. you did get your tickets in the end. I have NEVER had luck with the many times I've tried - and I have a perfectly valid Visa card. It always fails at all Payment Gateways. Now I have a new version with a later expiry date so I will try that one next time I need to book a train.

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Nick-H

I did get an email today saying that a charge had been made for the failed transaction which would be credited back to my account.

Lets hope they keep the consultants out, or next time they might be regreting that my customer experience was sub-optimal, or perhaps that it was not as great as they would have wished it to be, but that they do value my custom and hope I'll go through it all again soon.

The lack of bullshit was refreshing!

Aishah: it must be a record to have never suceeded! I think I usually have, but what should have taken minutes ends up taking hours.

machadinha

The reports on refunds for any faulty transactions being in fact made quite promptly and with no fuss nor effort on your part (it should be an automated thing) as promised have been nothing but favorable so far really, that I've seen.

If not, I suppose we'd like to hear it. It can always take a few days internationally I guess.

machadinha

I've not been on your back (why would I) but from your posts that I've followed & where we (regularly by now, I guess...) happened to cross paths I think you'll be really fine yes You ask the right questions & seem to take in the answers with a critical mind of your own in any case.

So when are you leaving? You don't need to answer (have no thugs waiting on you there!) --> Kidding, of course. But not entirely, one never knows with the web, does one. People are prone to give out too many details sometimes. Single female looking for company landing at Delhi airport at 11:30... well, you get the idea. No, people, this isn't always the best approach.

Hey, do us a favor, and apart from having a great time, do report back on your findings afterwards. I think they may mean something to many here.

Now go and enjoy

HelenR

Now that you mention it Mach, are you following me? - just kidding.

I can actually answer your question as I am neither single nor traveling alone.

We'll start our journey in early August and arrive in Mumbai in early September. We'll visit a few countries before we arrive in India.

So, you'll probably see more of me here until August

We'll be back in December, and I will definitely share my experience. I've learned so much from this forum, that's the least I can do.

Same here.

I agree with Mach, the refunds seem to be given automatically for failed transactions.

Also, I am happy to report that I booked my second ticket with the first attempt! It only took about 15 minutes total, give or take a few minutes. Hooray!

Josepha

Hi all
How are you ?
our trip in India is closer. I've seen on Indian Ralways web site, the shedule to make journeys by train from Nasik, to Aurangabad, and from Aurangabad to Ahmadnagar (via Manmad) and from Ahmadnagar to Pune, adn from Pune to Mumbai. We have 2 weeks to make that, but there are shorts journeys
I did'nt book ticket (we are 3, a family). I woul like travel in sleeper or 2S. I follow Steven_ber recommandation, to meet people.
What do you think: Is it necessary to book ticket long time before?

Regards
Jo.

steven_ber

Aurangabad to Ahmadnagar would be much quicker by road, there's a direct road and it's about 100kms if my memory serves me well.

All you're journeys are short, so choose your trains well, make sure they don't start their journeys a long way from your boarding stations.

Book ahead as and when you can, there shouldn't be too much pressure on you, a bus is a reasonable (& quicker) option for most of your journeys.

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Train information.

Josepha

Thank you for your answer, but Why did you say that, about late of train?
regards
Jo

machadinha

I think what Steve means (and if I get your question right) is if you're taking a train from point C to D, chances are it will have actually started its journey at point A lord knows how far away, and will be making its way down to point H lord knows where down the line. (Train schedules will actually normally show you their start and end points, so that you can take this into account.)

It naturally follows that while the train may depart from its point of origin on time, if you board somewhere along the line (point C), the chance of the train running late ever increases, and you (apart from having a frustrating wait) arriving late at your destination, possibly screwing up your further schedule and so on.

So given the choice, look for a train that departs from or close to your boarding point (and preferably one of the faster types -- try to avoid so-called "passenger" trains, which stop everywhere, although this can be OK short-distance. Few if any of these are even listed online I think. The slightly faster ones are called Mail or Express trains, and there exist "superfast," and more expensive, ones today [called Rajdhani and Shatabdi], but only on certain major routes I believe. Note that my information on these precise distinctions may well be outdated.)

Aside from this, I guess what Steve meant is short-distance it would be a shame to have to wait two hours for a train to arrive when your destination is just a one-hour bus ride away.

steven_ber

machadinha's right.

for example, Aurangabad to Ahmadnagar (via Manmad)

The train from Aurangabad to Manmad has a high chance of starting it's journey in Hyderabad, so may run a bit late, maybe an hour, maybe more. (makes planning the connecting train difficult)

The train from Manmad to Ahmadnagar may have started it's journey in Delhi some 22 hours earlier, so again, could easily be late.

The 2 hour direct bus from Aurangabad to Ahmadnagar is better for this journey.