India train travel offers a very wide spectrum of accommodation as regards comfort and budget. Passengers awareness of the sanitary and comfort conditions of the various levels when purchasing a ticket, can be very helpful in their making the right choice. The range of accommodation and accordingly the price can vary from almost luxurious to very basic for a matching price.
Palace on wheels journey
While there are some luxury trains like ‘The Palace on Wheels’ that give you a royalty like experience on specific tourist itineraries; on standard trains the most comfortable option is the first-class sleeper car, a private compartment that can accommodate two to four people. Traveling India by railway as a first class sleeper passenger is considered a reference to earlier times of relaxed aura that ensures sleep and relaxation during your journey.
The next level of accommodation options on Indian trains encompasses the second- and third-class sleeper car options. India train tickets for long distance travel are typically sold out at least fifteen days in advance, so be sure to reserve these tickets as far ahead as possible as the second- and third-class sleeper cars are the first to become unavailable. Indian Railways also provides reservation against cancellation (that ensures you seating accommodation till a point on the journey where, your regular accommodation might become available, and also provides an automatic upgrade option to higher class in case the seats are available.
Upper Class train compartments have attendants that can provide you bedding, arrange for coach cleaning or adjust the air conditioning/heating temperature. They can also help you call for special assistance such as medical assistance, police assistance, complaint/suggestion book etc. Selected trains such as ‘Rajdhani’, ‘Shatabadi’ etc provide on board meals, newspapers and drinking water and have their prices included in the ticket. Many other long distance trains have arrangement for serving food in your compartment on request, and have a pantry car attached. This however is not a standard facility in all trains and one must check in advance. All train stations however provide some basic eatables, reading material and small things that one might need during travel.
Food availability in trains
Air-conditioned first class or AC1 or 1A – Each AC1 coach has spacious, carpeted and lockable 4-berth and 2-berth compartments, with an en suite washbasin. While booking tickets, you don’t have a choice of compartments because specific berth numbers are allocated by Indian railways. Though a preference is given to couples for the 2-berth compartment and to families for the 4-berth one, the same cannot be guaranteed. Preference can also be given at the time of reservation for the kind of berth (i.e. upper/lower etc., but the same is not guaranteed.
First Class Air Conditioned
Air-conditioned 2-tier or AC2 – Unlike AC1, AC2 coaches are open plan and not divided into separate compartments. The berths are arranged in bays of four (two upper, two lower) on one side of the aisle, and in bays of two, above and below the windows, on the other side of the aisle. These berths also serve as seats by the day, that can be converted to bunks for sleeping. AC2 coaches are air conditioned, and have ample leg room, curtains for privacy and individual reading lamps. Bedding is included in the fare.
AC 2 tier coach
Air-conditioned 3-tier or AC3 – AC3 coaches are air conditioned coaches with sleeping berths. Berths are usually arranged as in 2AC but it has 3 tiers of bunk – upper, middle and lower, arranged in bays of six on one side of the aisle and bays of two (upper and lower) on the other side of the aisle. They are slightly less well appointed, and do not have individual reading lights or privacy curtains. Bedding is included with fare. Most of the train now provide standard 220 Volt AC outlets for mobile/laptop charging. Bedding is often included but is not a standard feature and must be checked in this class of accommodation.
AC three tier (Economy) – These are air conditioned coaches with sleeping berths, present in Garib Rath Trains. Berths are usually arranged as in 3AC but with three tiers across the width and three longways (six on one side of the aisle and three on the other). The seat width is also relatively narrower in these trains. As a compensation though, it is very affordable luxury as air conditioned accommodation is provided at very attractive prices.
AC three tier – Garib Rath
AC Executive Chair class – If you decide to take a Shatabdi, and are traveling for a short duration and don’t need a berth, you can take the AC Executive chair class. These are air-conditioned seating coaches for comfortable short-distance travel. There are a total of four seats in a row.
Executive Class in Shatabdi
AC Chair class – If you are traveling for a short duration, and won’t need to lie down or sleep, this one is the economical option without significant compromise on comfort. They are exactly like the AC executive chair class, except that they have a total of five seats in a row. They are found in all intercity day-time trains.
AC Chair Class
Sleeper class – Sleeper class consists of open plan berths with upper, middle and lower bunks arranged in bays of six on one side of the aisle, and along the coach wall in bays of two (upper and lower) on the other side of the aisle. Bedding is not provided, and neither is air-conditioning. Sleeper class can be quite crowded and it’s fairly basic.
Unreserved second class – This is the cheapest way to travel in the Indian railways. The coaches consist of open plan cars with wooden or plastic seats, sometimes cushioned. Although entry into the compartment is guaranteed, a seat is not guaranteed. Tickets issued are valid on any train on the same route if boarded within 24 hours of buying the ticket. These coaches are usually very crowded.
Unreserved Second Class
Having said that, whichever way you choose to travel, journey on Indian trains are memorable experiences. Travelling on the train, is the way ‘Mahatama Gandhi’ chose to discover this country, and it remains the preferred option of most for long distance journeys in the country for most of the people even today.
Indian Railways journey
In Luxury, in comfort or rubbing shoulders with the ‘Hoi- Polloi’- the journey on the Indian train is living theIndian life; experiencing the pace of the country it passes through, knowing the life of the people through conversations with fellow passengers and tasting the cuisine of the area traversed. So hop on and discover the country the ‘Gandhi’ way.
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