Rail travel in India general information · General information in Rail travel in India
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General information in Rail travel in India
General information in Rail travel in India
Smoking and consumption of alcohol on all trains and at all railway stations is prohibited. There is a steep fine for violation of these rules.
Most larger Indian train stations offer a standard set of facilities including cloak rooms to leave your luggage (slow and bureaucratic but cheap and reasonably safe; you must lock your own bag and show a ticket), First class waiting rooms (no touts or beggars), a computerised reservation office for advance bookings and a booking office for unreserved/same-day tickets. Restaurant facilities vary widely, but the Comesum outlets found in many tourist hotspots are reasonably priced and hygienic.
Several railway stations also have touchscreen kiosks which help you track your train (real-time running information) and also provide a host of other details regarding bookings, schedules etc.
All railway stations in India have signs in English mentioning the station name and details of facilities at the station. If you are still in doubt, asking around might be a bit of a problem because of the language barrier. In such circumstances, and in case of an emergency of any sort, contact the station master or the station superintendent for assistance. All station masters and superintendents speak English and will help you out.
Always watch your bags, especially in and around train stations. Once on a train, chain and lock your bags to the hooks provided under the lowest bunk, or keep them at your head. Make sure to also lock any exterior pockets (keep your toilet paper, and anything else you'll want on the outside). You can buy chains from chain-and-lock sellers who walk around train stations and trains.
The top (UB) and side upper (SU) bunks are best if you are the sort who likes to sleep early or late. The middle (MB) and bottom (LB) bunks are converted into seating area, so you will be forced to stay awake if everyone else in your compartment wants to stay up. Side lower (SL) and middle (SM) bunks are a great idea if you want a window seat, but they are a bit smaller than the other bunks, so don't choose them if you are a tall person. Note that 1A and FC classes do not have MB, SL or SU bunks, while 2A does not have MB or SM bunks.
Don't just look at a map and assume a short trip, it's best to check Trains at a Glance before making your plans.
Restrooms on Indian trains are usually of the squat variety (most carriages have two squat-type and two sit-down type toilets). The cleanliness tends to deteriorate over the duration of a journey, but on longer trips toilets are cleaned at intermediate stations. Washbasins are provided both inside and outside the toilets. Shower cubicles are available only on AC First carriages in Rajdhani Express trains.
Enjoy the train, and speak to your fellow passengers! You'll meet fascinating, wonderful people.
Do not take food from any unknown passenger if they insist to do so. Just avoid it with some sweet words. Otherwise you may not be able to distinguish between a thief (he/she'll intoxicate you) and a true passenger.
In all States, all the non-AC coaches can be over-crowded because of local ticket-less passengers. At the time you may not find an authority to complain. So, better to adjust in the situation and try not to argue and complain. Although, AC coaches are safe from this problem.
People who serve you inside an AC wagon,like the Pantry boys, or the AC attendent (who would provide you blankets,sheets and pillows) all expect passengers to tip them.If you are not very forthcoming,they approach you for a tip either during the journey or near the ending hours of the journey.So its advisable to give a small tip in the range of inr 10 or inr 20.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Rail travel in India
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Rail travel in India Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.