Keeping very much in line with my last post, I travelled to Ahmedabad with Priya and the kids. By Indian Railways! After a long time I decided to travel by train and there are multiple reasons for it.
It has been a while since I had travelled by train to anywhere.
1) This was because I was based in Chennai for the last 6 years and travelling by train from Chennai to Ahmedabad (or anywhere up North / West) would have been too time consuming. However, due to the fact that I spent a huge amount of my student life and early work life travelling by train and hence was longing to do a train journey again.
2) The kids were very small, hence long duration travel would have been a challenge. Now that the kids are a little bigger, I wanted them to experience the joys of travelling by train, even if it was just a night journey!;-)
3) From Mumbai to Ahmedabad, it makes sense. Saves time, saves money.
The journey itself was very uneventful. This could be due to the fact that I played safe and travelled by First AC. I do remember feeling a bit claustrophobic in the coupe initially. The kids did like it till they fell asleep!
Even after travelling by First AC, I do still think a lot can be done to improve the services and enhance the experience of travelling by Indian Railways. The hygiene can be much better. The ergonomics and the core service as well.
But then, I never ever gave all of these a second thought when I used to occupy 1/7th of the upper berth every morning to get to Nadiad from Ahmedabad, in my student days!
Take care!
4 comments:
AC actually takes away the charm.. you need to travel in Second Class Sleeper to get the real feel of Indian Railways.. but better be prepared for the stench from the Urinal if you are alloted any seat in the last 2 coupes of the coach..
It so happens with me that 80% of the times I end up sitting near the urinal!!
Wow! How lucky! I should remember never to travel by train with you, then!
But yes, I do agree that I played safe this time. I did not want to present a shocker to the kids! Will introduce them to the vagaries of train travel gradually...:-)
Oh yeah do it slowly. Took Kirti one year to Kerala by train and after that she has always demanded we travel by plane to Kerala. But she willingly did travel to Goa and Delhi by train. Must say services too differ on different trains.
Yes. And over the years services, I think, have generally improved on Indian Railways as well. Privatisation of the railways would be a great thing. The traveller would then be the king.
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