Indian trains: what about those that are not listed on the official site?
Aug 2nd, 2004, 07:25 PM
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Indian trains: what about those that are not listed on the official site?
I have found the official Indian Rail site a great deal of help in planning my trip so far, but I keep hearing about the trains that aren't acknowledged on the official website. At the moment, I can't find any details of a train from Udaipur City to Marwar, yet the rail map shows a rail line, and on another forum someone mentions a daily train (train 484) which leaves Udaipur at 0610 and arrives at Marwar at 1340. Is there any way of verifying this information? Could this be a private line which indiarail doesn't list? Their site just keeps saying there is NO train no 484.
I'd really like to know whether the train is real or a phantom from the past... it would be awkward to arrive there and find that I had to go a different way (I'm heading for Jodhpur).
Thanks to all the usual wise men (and women!)
I'd really like to know whether the train is real or a phantom from the past... it would be awkward to arrive there and find that I had to go a different way (I'm heading for Jodhpur).
Thanks to all the usual wise men (and women!)
Aug 3rd, 2004, 02:02 AM
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I am in awe that you find the Indian Rail website helpful, as I find it so frustratingly user UNfriendly!! I think you best bet is a travel agent. If you can wait until you get to India to confirm the trains, I would check with the travel desk at your hotel in Udaipur (or perhaps your first arrival city so you can confirm that you can get to Marwar via Udaipur), or a travel agent which the hotel could recommend. You could also go to a local railway station, but that may be more lines and hassle than you want to encounter.
If there is no train, I would imagine there is bus service of some kind.
I am not aware of any private rail lines or trains (other than Palace on Wheels and the like).
If there is no train, I would imagine there is bus service of some kind.
I am not aware of any private rail lines or trains (other than Palace on Wheels and the like).
Aug 3rd, 2004, 01:57 PM
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Thanks, Cicerone! If we do the amended route I am now considering, our first town will be Ahmedabad, so I guess that's as good a place as any to follow your advice and throw ourselves on the mercy of a travel agent!
Our original intention was to arrive in Mumbai on a Sunday afternoon, and hop straight on a train for Kota on Sunday evening (leaving our three days in Mumbai to the end of the holiday). Apparently, however,the act of hopping on a train is not so simple; even if we buy the tickets and the seat reservations in advance, which, since no one in Australia handles Indian train tickets and passes any more, means buying on-line (though we are limited to four a month, for some reason!) there is, apparently, no place in Mumbai to pick them up. It seems we have to stay in an hotel for the first night, so we can give that as an address, and then the railways will (maybe) courier the advance-purchase tickets and seat reservations to the hotel (if, of course, the hotel agrees). Sounds unnecessarily complicated, but all these special rules are, at least, making us think laterally -- hence the need to get from Udaipur to Marwar! Kota will just have to wait!
Maybe we should just do the whole thing by bus!
Thanks again for all the help you have been so far!
Maybe we should
Our original intention was to arrive in Mumbai on a Sunday afternoon, and hop straight on a train for Kota on Sunday evening (leaving our three days in Mumbai to the end of the holiday). Apparently, however,the act of hopping on a train is not so simple; even if we buy the tickets and the seat reservations in advance, which, since no one in Australia handles Indian train tickets and passes any more, means buying on-line (though we are limited to four a month, for some reason!) there is, apparently, no place in Mumbai to pick them up. It seems we have to stay in an hotel for the first night, so we can give that as an address, and then the railways will (maybe) courier the advance-purchase tickets and seat reservations to the hotel (if, of course, the hotel agrees). Sounds unnecessarily complicated, but all these special rules are, at least, making us think laterally -- hence the need to get from Udaipur to Marwar! Kota will just have to wait!
Maybe we should just do the whole thing by bus!
Thanks again for all the help you have been so far!
Maybe we should
Aug 3rd, 2004, 08:47 PM
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You should be aware that Indian buses can be very uncomfortable and an ordeal, especially to someone coming from the West. Have you thought about contacting the Australian consulate in Mumbai for guidance? You might consider that:
http://www.ausgovindia.com/
http://www.ausgovindia.com/
Aug 4th, 2004, 12:19 AM
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I have always had the hotel travel desk or reception get my railway tickets a day or so before the trip. I don't see the need to purchase them all at once and have them sent to you, what if you lost the tickets? I would buy each set for each leg, and let the hotels do the work. For your arrival in Mumbai, send the hotel a fax or an e-mail a few days before your arrival indicating the train and date you want. I think that is the easiest way.
If you want to buy the first set yourself in Mumbai and avoid a hotel stay that it seems you don't want or need, you can go to the main train station and buy them yourself. The queus may be longish, but there may be a counter for Non-Indian which would save you some time. Give yourself at least an hour before your train departure time to get the tickets.
If you want to buy the first set yourself in Mumbai and avoid a hotel stay that it seems you don't want or need, you can go to the main train station and buy them yourself. The queus may be longish, but there may be a counter for Non-Indian which would save you some time. Give yourself at least an hour before your train departure time to get the tickets.
Aug 4th, 2004, 04:42 AM
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That's sound advice, Cicerone, but the one problem with that is the possibility that the train might be booked out, which means, of course, that we risk a delay in getting to our next stop -- if our accommodation is pre-booked (as I had intended), this could see us forfeiting a night's accommodation all over India!
However, for the shorter trips in the middle of the journey -- ones like Jodhpur-Jaipur, or Jaipur-Agra, or Agra-Delhi, where there are lots of trains and just as many buses, I think your advice is the way to go. It was only that first night, when you don't want ANYTHING to go wrong and start you off on the wrong foot -- that I was really concerned about... after a day on the plane it would have been nice to just fall into a 2A sleeping compartment and wake up in Kota!
Anyway, I think I will try and buy the first ticket (which is for one of the Shatabdi Express trains, which I would expect to be well-patronised by tourists) on the net and ask for it to be delivered to the hotel we choose for our first night in Mumbai. We will choose somewhere very near the railway station so that we can make an early departure -- I think I saw a website about an old, but not too expensive, hotel that was directly opposite the main station... sounds like that would fill the bill nicely.
Thanks to you both for all this assistance -- much appreciated!
However, for the shorter trips in the middle of the journey -- ones like Jodhpur-Jaipur, or Jaipur-Agra, or Agra-Delhi, where there are lots of trains and just as many buses, I think your advice is the way to go. It was only that first night, when you don't want ANYTHING to go wrong and start you off on the wrong foot -- that I was really concerned about... after a day on the plane it would have been nice to just fall into a 2A sleeping compartment and wake up in Kota!
Anyway, I think I will try and buy the first ticket (which is for one of the Shatabdi Express trains, which I would expect to be well-patronised by tourists) on the net and ask for it to be delivered to the hotel we choose for our first night in Mumbai. We will choose somewhere very near the railway station so that we can make an early departure -- I think I saw a website about an old, but not too expensive, hotel that was directly opposite the main station... sounds like that would fill the bill nicely.
Thanks to you both for all this assistance -- much appreciated!
Aug 10th, 2004, 09:46 PM
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Hi Alan - I posted this message for you once before - but I think I may have neglected to mention that this was Indian Airlines!
Message: Alan - a little story, not about trains but planes that you might find interesting/amusing.
We had arrived at Jodphur airport to catch a flight to Delhi - 8am. On arrival we learned that the flight had been cancelled from wherever it was commencing from and we were told that we would have to wait at the airport until another flight was announced because if we were not there we would not get on it. So wait we did. There was another fellow there, a German who was in the same predicament, waiting on a flight to meet some friends in Goa. As we were sitting there, lamenting the loss of valuable time, we noticed all the airport staff filing out of the airport. Seems that as they were not expecting any more flights for a while they were all going home. So in an empty airport we sat. Listening to the phones constantly ringing and wondering if, they carried news of our flights....
Eventually, about 6pm the staff came back and we were, with much efficiency, advised of our new flights and given a very thorough body search and despatched to wait for boarding. The German fellow bid us farewell and trundled off to board his flight. We watched as his plane taxied up the run way and watched as a great flash of flame flew out of one of the engines with a boom and watched as it was towed from the runway. We then boarded our flight, not, as you can imagine, too excited by this stage. But all seemed well. The plane taxied and gained momentum when the flight attendant leapt from her seat and ran to the front of the plane calling for help . . . seems she had forgotten to shut the door!! Anyway off we went, barrelling along now when all of a sudden we came to a screeching halt and another plane landed literally, (no exaggeration), feet in front of us. Thought it best at this point to shut my eyes and think myself elsewhere. Happily though the rest of the flight passed without incident and we landed safely in Delhi. Our German friend, though, was last seen marching along the Jodphur runway back to the terminal with his fellow passengers to await another flight to Goa. . . .
Message: Alan - a little story, not about trains but planes that you might find interesting/amusing.
We had arrived at Jodphur airport to catch a flight to Delhi - 8am. On arrival we learned that the flight had been cancelled from wherever it was commencing from and we were told that we would have to wait at the airport until another flight was announced because if we were not there we would not get on it. So wait we did. There was another fellow there, a German who was in the same predicament, waiting on a flight to meet some friends in Goa. As we were sitting there, lamenting the loss of valuable time, we noticed all the airport staff filing out of the airport. Seems that as they were not expecting any more flights for a while they were all going home. So in an empty airport we sat. Listening to the phones constantly ringing and wondering if, they carried news of our flights....
Eventually, about 6pm the staff came back and we were, with much efficiency, advised of our new flights and given a very thorough body search and despatched to wait for boarding. The German fellow bid us farewell and trundled off to board his flight. We watched as his plane taxied up the run way and watched as a great flash of flame flew out of one of the engines with a boom and watched as it was towed from the runway. We then boarded our flight, not, as you can imagine, too excited by this stage. But all seemed well. The plane taxied and gained momentum when the flight attendant leapt from her seat and ran to the front of the plane calling for help . . . seems she had forgotten to shut the door!! Anyway off we went, barrelling along now when all of a sudden we came to a screeching halt and another plane landed literally, (no exaggeration), feet in front of us. Thought it best at this point to shut my eyes and think myself elsewhere. Happily though the rest of the flight passed without incident and we landed safely in Delhi. Our German friend, though, was last seen marching along the Jodphur runway back to the terminal with his fellow passengers to await another flight to Goa. . . .
