Conditions of Toilets on Indian Trains
 

This may be a weird question but I am really concerned about cleanliness in toilets. (I can live with uncleanliness if it is on the streets and other places but no in toilets/washrooms). To those who have used trains extensively between cities in India, do they have WESTERN style toilets in the trains and how CLEAN are they really? I would like some honest responses. We would like to use trains from Delhi to Varanasi. Varanasi to Kolkata. Hyderabad to Mumbai. Mumbai to Bangalore. Otherwise from Delhi to Agra and Mumbai to Goa we would use car and driver. And a flight between Kolkata and Hyderabad.

Thank you kindly.

If you are that fastidious you may be unhappy... There is usually one western and one squat toilet at each end of a carriage. The ones in 1AC are likely to be cleaner than those in 2AC, which in turn would be cleaner than those in sleeper class, but it depends somewhat on which train (the Shatabdi expresses should be cleaner) and how long the journey. However, I would recommend using the squats (see http://wilhelmswords.com/faq/index.html - But that's Just a Hole in the Ground for my tips on using squats). http://seat61.com/India.htm says: "In AC1, AC2, AC Chair Class and even AC3 the toilets are <i>normally reasonably clean by Indian standards</i>, and in full working order" - my emphasis.

You are aware that even in 1AC you may be sharing a sleeper compartment? And even though I like train travel I would fly Mumbai to Bangalore as the train takes a minimum of 22 hours and costs about the same in 1AC. (I prefer 2AC, but sounds like you are 1AC travelers.)

They were filthy, we took the overnight train from Agra to Varanasi (if I remember correctly) they weren't too bad at the beginning of the night but by morning were disgusting!! Pee on the walls and everything, sorry to say, bring lots of wipes!

I found the squat ones to be cleaner if u like to squat (I don't ), hard to balance when the train is rocking back and forth lol.. Enjoy, it's all worth it in the end!!! :)

"hard to balance when the train is rocking back and forth lol" - true! But there is usually a grab bar to help. There's also a hose, which the locals use instead of TP, but the floor does get wet.

Yeah, wet. You may have to hike up the cuffs of your slacks a bit. And no sandals . . .

Bring your own TP.

Someone on this board wears disposable latex gloves when she uses the restrooms on Indian trains.

"Bring your own TP" - agreed, although I was surprised by the improved availability of TP on my recent trip. Also bring Purell - no hot water.

Thats me with the gloves. I take the disposable surgical type. It is a lot more comfortable grabbing thh bar and opening the latch if you aren't worrying about what is on them!!

Roll up your pants and leave your bag or purse with your traveling partner before going to the toilet. Once the train has been travelingfor a few hours, you are going to want to get in and out quickly. :-)

Thank you so much thursdaysd, TracyB, indianapearl, and lcuy for all your inputs. Based on the responses, we will probably take the safer route, i.e., in places that we can do the car/driver we will do so, and longer routes, we will fly.

Note that taking a car and driver will not necessarily mean that you avoid squats or dirty toilets, it depends on the route (driving across Karnataka I wound up behind the bus shelters out in the country). Some of the airport ones might not be stellar either, although they'll certainly be better than most of the train stations. However, you will miss an interesting experience if you skip trains altogether.

Yes I would still do the train, it is an unforgettable experience, and you will be squatting quite regularly in not so clean cubicles regardless so don't miss the train. :)

I've encountered squat toilets in rural Italy. Just work on your quads and you'll be fine!

The squat is better. Guard against the e-coli. Bring disinfectants for personal hygiene. Those long distance slow trains are disgusting.

For those of us who hover above the seat anyway, the squatters work well.

Let your driver and travel agent know that clean toilets are a priority. They've probably had the request before and can route you accordingly.

Take some hand sanitizer and enjoy the ride, whether train, plane or car. Have a great trip.

Welcome back, Lynn! Hope you had a marvelous trip and didn't have to hover too often. I'm eagerly awaiting your report.

Yes, the train toilets are very dirty by western standards. Yes, there is a grab rail but you will want to use a glove when handling it. The wash basin is none too clean either with a usually very heavy push button tap or if you are lucky a foot pedal. Yes the floor does get wet and so you will need to roll up your trousers before you step in and certainly do not use flip flops. If you are using the western toilet, there is generally no toilet seat. Use disposable toilet seat covers. Interesting keeping your balance in the rocking train. The toilets in the waiting rooms are generally not much better. I can remember going into one in Amritsar (1st Class waiting room) and finding that I could not close the heavy sliding door to the western toilet and there was nothing to lock it with anyway! Always carry toilet paper with you - best brought with you as the Indian stuff is dreadful. I also carry a small jar of waterless soap or a hand sanitizer in my bag. In the AC Chair class you get a vegetarian Indian meal and a bottle of water. They request that you take the bottle of water with you when you leave to prevent illegal refilling of the bottle for resale (with ofcourse unfiltered water.
Yes, good drivers will know where there is a reasonable toilet stop. Our driver stopped at a dabah (at our request) for lunch and the toilet though Indian style, was reasonably clean and so was the wash basin outside. All Indians wash their hands before and after eating so Indian restaurants generally have one or more wash basins on the periphery of the restaurant.

I can understand the advice to not miss the experience of taking Indian trains. If I were a bit younger, perhaps I might agree more. But in my upper years now...and having seen plenty of seventh-level-of-hell toilets, I would opt to fly or drive between destinations in India my next trip there.

Our last trip there involved trains and even in the 1st class cars, there were cockroaches crawling on me all night long. I gave up flicking them off and gave in and starting thinking of them as little massages...

Even confirmed reservations won't guarantee you will have a sleeper which was the case for many folks on our last trip. We did have a great time with a lovely Indian family of 7 in our sleeper car made for 4....(no actually we really did enjoy their company - very nice folks), but my family of three did have to cram in pretty tight.... And our 1st class cabin filled with 11 bodies was a bit less crowded than some.

Sure the experience is interesting and memorable but it all depends on how many similar ones you've had in your travel life. For me, enough already...But I do understand the comments made by others here. Mine is just another point of view.

Cockroaches??? Really?? Never seen anything like that - which route? And I'm a little surprised about the extra people - there was one extra in 2AC on one of my trains on the last trip, but they were railway people. The ticket inspectors seem pretty thorough. Again, which route?

"Yes, there is a grab rail but you will want to use a glove when handling it." - well, I never bothered, and I didn't get sick. (I got sick in a posh hotel instead.) I do take Purell, though.

My route was from a town near Bandhavgar to Agra and Delhi. It was during the Xmas holidays and the crowds were truly unbelievable....

As we all know that have done it the toilets are revolting in India,and thats if your lucky enought to be able to find a toilet if you are travelling by bus.
What really pisses me off is the fact that there are millions of people that could be employed for a few dollars a day to do cleaning,but no, the money grubbing bosses wont do that.

My recommendation on trains,is yes, use the squat toilet,as the european ones always have a wet seat,then the only part touching the filth is your shoe soles not your butt.
Wear a sarong or male `dhoti` to the toilet,its easier to remove and squat than having your trousers wrapped around your ankles and getting in the muck.Half the rural population wears the sarong `dhoti` thingee,it looks like a check table cloth,so you wont look out of place wearing one.Several dollars will get you one in the streets.
I notice the males wearing the sarong thingee even squat when taking a piss in public areas.No undies or trousers to get in the way,a very sensible piece of attire.Good as a "lay on" at the beach as well,or a "throw over" in bed on a hot night,I always carry one.
I like the idea of the surgical gloves,a good recomendation,thanks.
Nomad4u

Cockroaches-heck,yes. Saw one as big as the NY and Texas varieties, in a restaurant bathroom in McLeod Ganj.
Worst train experience in India was being in a squat toilet on a mountain train from Shimla to Kalka--the train jerked while rounding a bend, and the lights went off. Not a place to be caught in the darkness!
What is more interesting than the wearing of lunghis or dotas in to the w.c. is how women in saris manage in those public loos!