Train travel in India: Part 2

Train travel is where the different facets of Indian society truly come alive. It also serves as a great social and cultural equaliser as backpackers, middle class Indians and sometimes even resort-dwelling tourists come together in the big melting pot that is the Indian railways.

Travel blogger Lavanya Ullas gives some tips for surviving your train journey in India and arriving at your destination safe and sound:

Safety
Always make sure your luggage is locked and secured in some way below your seat or berth. During night journeys avoid keeping any bags near the windows. Prying hands going through your luggage at night though, although not common, isn’t unheard of. By locking it or even covering your pack with a rain cover you make it more difficult for someone to access it quickly.

Often passengers tend to look out for each other, so if you’re travelling alone do not hesitate to ask a fellow passenger to look after your luggage while you visit the restroom, quite often you might even be asked to return the favour.

Solo women travellers on the other hand may need to take few extra precautions. Be prepared to receive a fair amount of interest from the people around you, usually in the form of point blank staring. The best way to deal with this is to ignore it and not engage; they’re usually harmless and stare mostly out of curiosity. It would also help to blend in as much as possible by wearing an Indian kurta or dressing modestly, not only will it attract less attention but you will feel more at ease as well.

I would also suggest that if you’re travelling by yourself to opt for an upper berth. You’ll have more space and privacy to yourself, something which can sometimes be a privilege in India.

Interacting with people
It is during the train journeys that most visitors get their first glimpse into the famed Indian hospitality. Offers of food, water and snacks from people sitting next to you are fairly common and it is a good way of breaking the ice and getting to know your fellow travellers. If you’re travelling in India for a short while only, this might be a good and probably only way for you to get to know and interact with some ‘real’ Indians. 

Questions about where you’re from and where you’ve been are of course routine among travellers themselves. But some Indian families can go a step further to ask you about your education, family background and sometimes even the occupation of your parents! This is perfectly normal and while in some cultures this might seem too intrusive or even rude, in India this is how most people socialise and get a better idea of who you are.

You will notice that most Indian couples, unlike their western counterparts, refrain from any displays of affection in public. If travelling with your partner it would be advisable to follow the same so as to not make others around you uncomfortable or feel offended. Also be prepared to answer questions about your marital status, whether or not you have kids and if not, why.

Day time travel
While most people tend to travel long distances at night in order to save time, a lot of trips within India warrant travelling during the day as the routes are often quite scenic. A few of these are:

• Mumbai-Goa route
• Kalka-Shimla toy train going through at least 100 tunnels
• Mettupalayam-Ooty route in South India and many others.

If time isn’t an issue it is advisable to choose trains over buses and even planes, as it's always much more comfortable and unique experience.

Other tips
Apart from the first class and even AC coaches, if travelling in second class I would strongly suggest you visit the loo at your hotel before you leave for the train station as they can be quite dodgy on the trains. If you have to use them there are always two at each end of a coach - one Indian style squat and one western (commode). Do bring your own toilet paper.

Lastly, as with most things in India, it pays to have a laidback attitude and not get worked up when things go wrong. As Murphy’s Law tends to make a more frequent appearance during travels in India. Train delays are not uncommon and could even stretch up to several hours at a time. Relax, find a place to wait, have a back plan and some chai as you realise this happens only in India.

This is the second part of a blog about train travel in India. Read Part 1 here.

About the author: Lavanya Ullas is a travel blogger over at the website Iced Chai.  She is currently travelling on a trip from the Middle East to South East Asia, a journey at will take a year.  You can also follow Lavanya's adventure on Facebook.

Have you taken a train trip in India? Tell us about it in the comments section below. Then head to twitter and Facebook to share your images and stories with other Gecko's travellers. 

Why not take a trip for yourself? Take a look at all our trips to India to find your favourite. Then request a FREE brochure to sort out your dates and prices. 

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