The different types of trains in India!

India is a diverse nation, and it takes immense pride in its very large railway network, which also happens to be the second largest network of the world. The railways are continuously developing and evolving to new heights. Most Indians prefer travelling by the train due to several reasons. The fares are much more affordable compared to the soaring high priced tickets of the flights. Also, Indian rail reservation is an easy online process and saved people a lot of hassle. Here are the various types of trains offered by the Indian railways. Let’s take a journey through them.12261_Howrah_Duronto_Express

Duronto Express – Known as the fastest train in India. If you want to save time and want a train, which runs at a very fast speed, then your priority should be the duronto express. It was introduced only a few years ago and has several facilities such as serving of food, distributing napkins and blankets, serving snacks, etc. The train’s outer design is distinct from other trains. Also, apart from a very few technical spots, this train does not stop at any station in between the station source and station destination. This train by far is the fastest way to travel by land in the country.

The Rajdhani Express – This is the good old train. The Rajdhani Express is one of the oldest operating trains in India. It is considered as a train, which provides both speed as well as luxury. After Duronto Express, this is the second fastest train in India. Unlike Duronto, the Rajdhani Express has a few station halts and this is why it takes a little more time than the Duronto Express to cover the same distance. This train was launched back in the 1960s to connect the capital Delhi to other parts of the country.

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The Shatabdi Express – If you do not like the idea of travelling by bus, the Shatabdi Express makes for a good alternative. The train connects all the parts of the country to the major cities. However, the Shatabdi mostly runs during the day and only a few trains run overnight. The Shatabdi unlike other express trains does not have a sleeper class. The arrangement inside is somewhat like that on a flight. The Shatabdi is best for short distance travellers. You can buy a ticket for this train even at the last minute. No reservations need to be done days in advance.

The Garib Rath Express –This is a newly introduced express train that has 3E ac classes. A few of these trains also comprise of CC coaches. This is the first ever train, which has a 3E class. It has an additional side berth unlike the other trains. This is a fully air conditioned train and is especially for those who cannot afford the high rates of tickets of other express trains. Garib Rath is an implication of chariot of the poor.

So, now if you know which train suits your destination, time and budget, get set go! Happy journey!

5 Trains in India which travel the longest routes!

The Indian Railway network is unbelievably large. As you may know already, it is the world’s second largest railway network with thousands of trains and stations. The railway carries over 9000 million passengers each year. Most Indians prefer this mode of transport for its affordable ticket rates and also because availability of seats in train is not much of a problem with so many trains running to and fro the same place. The starting point of trains in India is Jammu and it travels till the Kanyakumari tip. Let us meet some trains, which cover the longest routes in the country.

The Vivek Express – There are a total of four different Vivek trains, which run on the railway network. These trains were initially introduced to pay tribute to the legendary Swami Vivekananda and hence the name Vivek. The longest route covering Vivek Express is the one which starts from Dibrugarh in Assam till Kanyakumari in the south. This is the longest distance in India and globally it is the 8th longest in terms of both time as well as distance.

The Himsagar Express – The second longest route in India is taken by the very old Himsagar Express. The route is the second longest in terms of time and distance. The train starts from the southernmost tip of the country, i.e. Kanyakumari and ends at Jammu Tawi. It covers an approximate area of 3500kms. If you every board this train, you will cross a total of 9 states on your journey! It is like traveling most of the country on wheels of the train.indian-railway

The Navyug Express – The Navyug express started operating only a few years ago. The term Navyug itself means a ‘new era.’ This train runs weekly from Mangalore to Jammu Tawi and in the railway network is the third train to travel the longest route in terms of the distance alone. The Navyug Express crosses 10 states in total. It is like an Indian expedition on the train itself!

The Dibrugarh Express – Can you imagine traveling on the train for 3 long days? Well, sounds very boring but hundreds of passengers aboard the weekly Dibrugarh to Yesvantpur Express to travel from Bangalore to Dibrugarh. The train takes three long days to cover the route. It is the railway’s fourth train to run on the longest route.

The Jammu Express – The Tirunelveli Jammu Express begins its long journey from Tirunelveli and ends at Jammu Tawi. This train runs only twice a week and the Indian railways has ranked it the fifth train to run the longest route in terms of the time and distance.

A traveler who knows how to turn the boring into interesting will always choose a train journey over flight irrespective of the time taken to cover the distance. There is so much one can do on a train journey, from reading, writing, playing and of course, making new friends from other parts of the country. So, it is time to take the long route and explore your country and people better.

All you need to know about India’s first bullet train

Indian Railways is a large rail network. If you ever see the irctc train schedule, you will find that the Indian railway network operates hundreds of trains daily and carries thousands of passengers. However, India is now looking forward to its next big train project, i.e. the bullet train
Recently when the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited India, a joint statement made by him and PM Modi announced the country’s first ever bullet train that will connect two of the most popular commercial cities in India, namely Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Initially, the bullet train was proposed to run in 6 different routes, namely Delhi to Amritsar, Patna to Delhi, Mumbai to Ahmedabad, Hyderabad to Chennai, Howrah to haldia and Cheenai to Ernakulum. However, it was only the Mumbai Ahmedabad route which cleared the feasibility test. All the rest were rejected.
Several people have asked why the government wants to spend crores of rupees on a bullet train when the condition of the existing railway network is already quite pitiable. This is because a large amount for the train is being given by Japan. This is not because Japan sees India as a developing country, which needs monetary help from other countries. This is because Japan’s bullet train technology. This it becomes quite natural that putting this money to use into any other project would be a waste.

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This is how the bullet train is going to help the country –
Currently, there are over 70 trains which run daily from Mumbai to Ahmedabad and vice versa. This route has the busiest rail traffic in the country.
The route sees the most number of business travellers. This is because it links India’s two top commercial centres Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The bullet train will be a relief to many daily travellers.
The route crosses many major commercial cities such as Baroda, Anand and also the very important city of Surat. Surat is the world’s largest diamond polishing and cutting centre and also it is India’s largest textile centre. Thus, you can see how this project will be a blessing to all these commercial centres.
Also, this project is a part of the Mumbai Delhi industrial Corridor, which means a lot of investment and also employment will be boosted in this sector.
And as you all may already know, the Mumbai to Ahmedabad route has a flat terrain. The entire land is nearly at sea level, which will make the construction of the rail network much easy if compared to other terrains up north or down south.
Hence, we can see that a lot of sectors in the country will greatly benefit from the Ahmedabad Mumbai bullet train project. It would be foolish to pay heed to naysayers and let this sweet deal from Japan slip from our hands. This project will also help India to become technologically more advanced and will generate a lot of jobs and other prospects. So, are you ready to welcome the bullet train?

2 Path Breaking Announcements by Indian Railways to End Travellers Woes

Indian Railways is a pride for us. The large network that it has is envious. Indian railway pnr enquiry has also become easy these days as you can check it online on the official website. In fact not only that, you can also book your ticket online as it is easy and convenient.

You can Book your tickets using MobiKwik!

Using a mobile wallet has become an easy process of payment now. You are just a click away and all your work is done in some seconds. You can also book a train ticket by using this. This is the easiest way you can book a railway ticket from wherever you want. You can track the timetable of the trains and seat availability online and then book your tickets.

For booking your rail tickets, you can use the IRCTC Connect Android App in your mobile phone. IRCTC is the official Indian Railway website and has an e-zone, which makes things easy for the travellers. You can also book a ticket and pay through the MobiKwik mobile wallet, which is now the first payment option on the app.

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In fact, the process of booking a ticket on an IRCTC App is so easy that daily around 30,000 tickets are booked online through this App. This regular buying of online tickets is the best possible way to assure your hassle free journey. After MobiKwik joined hands with IRCTC, the result has become even better. That is why the Government is also thinking to boost a wider option for digital money in India. There are a minimum number of 500 tickets, which are booked through MobiKwik per day with an average value of per ticket being Rs.700.

Now, you do not have to spend hours standing on a queue for your ticket.

Reservations for train berth for physically challenged passengers made easier

In fact, Railways has also made it easy for the physically challenged passengers. From now onwards, they have a concession over rail fares and allotments of berths in sleeper class under a provision that will ensure the middle berth for the passenger, who is accompanying them. To be more precise, there will be quota of two berths – one lower and other middle in the same cabin for a physically challenged and his companion respectively. These quotas are of 2 types where physically challenged person can take the concession only when accompanied by someone else, and second for those, who can go for the option of taking someone, who will accompany them throughout the journey. If there is no berth left under the quota on a specified date, then the railway department will automatically allot a lower berth for the physically challenged passenger and middle berth to the companion.

Thus, travelling is now easy for every one now. You can buy a ticket easily and pay through an online wallet. On the other hand, you will also get a preferable berth choice if you are physically challenged or accompanying someone, who has these issues. Indian Railways is looking for more developments that are needed immediately. They are also taking steps to make the railway tracks better and use developed engines.

5 World Heritage Mountain Rails of India

Indian Railway Government has created some beautiful pathways around the Himalayan ranges. These routes are worth to travel for and the experience you get has no match with anything else in this world. Toy train is a source of joy to all of us. You can also track your train online if you have to know about the proper hill routes.

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Darjeeling Himalayan Railways

The toy train that runs in the Darjeeling Himalaya section is a matter of pride to all the Indians. It is indeed a beautiful journey when you travel to Darjeeling by toy train. It is not only a matter of pride, but it also shows the high level of engineering skills by the railway engineers. From Siliguri to Darjeeling, the rail track covers around 83 kilometres and is one of the World’s heritage sites. The journey includes Ghum station, which is considered to be the highest railway station of India. It is situated in an altitude of 2257 meters. This rail track is a visual treat, as well as a journey to remember. It is a great innovation from Indian Railways.http://nilgiris.nic.in/images/lpc2392-0.jpg

Nilgiri Mountain Railway

Not covering a long distance, it is a 46 kilometre long stretch and connects Ooty with Mettupalayam. First the railway tract was stretched till Coonor and later it was connected with Ooty in the year 1903. This railway track is also a part of World Heritage Site. The serene beauty that you notice while travelling is a sheer beauty and one cannot afford to miss it. If you are visiting Nilgiri, then you must go for Nilgiri Biosphere Nature Park. It is a must visit.

Kalka-Shimla Railway

One cannot miss a journey in the Kalka-Shimla Railway when travelling to Himachal Pradesh. This is the most popular hillside railway track in India. These trains are also known as Toy Trains. After you board the morning train, you will be awed by the beauty of Himalayan terrains that lie and go parallel with the track. The major attraction in the journey is the ecstatic mountains and the tunnels. There are actually 103 tunnels in the route. The last tunnel is considered to be a haunted one too. On the way one can see Solan city, which is known as Mini Shimla.

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Neral-Matheran Railway

Matheran is a hill station in Western Ghat region in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. The Neral-Matheran Railway track is the centre of attraction in the Matheran city, which is situated on a hill top at an altitude of 800m. This 11 kilometre stretch of railway track passes through the dense forest and the Matheran cliffs that you can see around creates a beautiful scenario. This is also known as the smallest hill station of India.

Pathankot- Jogindernagar Railway

The train that connects the Pathankot- Jogindernagar track is known as the Kangra toy train. The railway track passes through hills and valleys and the scenic beauty one observes while travelling in this train is an experience of a life time. It is a 163 kilometre long route and has enchanting views throughout.

Try it for your own experience!

Indian Railways – An Improvised version

From the last decade, IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) is playing an important role in Indian Railways. IRCTC is responsible for handling catering, ticketing and tourism of passengers. Now passengers can eat good quality train food that is served hot and fresh by the trained staff of IRCTC division.

Indian Railways seat availability Railway has been the most popular and preferred mode of transportation in India since its inception. It is also the best way to travel across the country to get the feel of real India. During your journey, you would realise the scenic beauty and how fast this country has progressed in last 60 years.

If you are a visitor in this country or a first timer to travel in train, then the below mentioned tips will help to make your journey safe and comfortable:-

  • Always get your seat reservations in advance. Since Indian railways is the most preferred way of travel by Indians, therefore, there is shortage of supply as the demand is high
  • While making your booking, you can choose a window seat so that you can enjoy the scenic beauty of the country
  • There would be some trains that are superfast and some of them that are not, so it is always a good idea to carry I-Pods or other gadgets to keep you busy. However, since Indian people are quite friendly, so you get a lot of friendly and talkative people around.
  • If you are travelling by trains like Rajdhani or Shatabdi, then you do not have to pay anything extra for food, but apart from these two trains, you would either of to carry food or you can also order food from the pantry car. Though the options would be limited, yet still they are good enough to keep you full for a good period of time. Also, you can find hawkers selling snacks and drinks during your journey.
  • For hygiene purposes, always carry toilet paper, hand towels and soap as they would be very handy and useful
  • If your journey is an overnight journey, then ensure safety of your luggage. It is quite possible that thieves might enter the coach and steal your belongings. Use a padlock and chain to tie your luggage.

Indian Railways and IRCTC in conjunction are working to provide best in class facilities to its passengers. With the advancement in technology, you can check Indian Railways seat availability and also book tickets online by entering your travel plan. Also, in case you are not comfortable in eating train food, then you can also order private online food delivery companies to deliver food at your seat. Apart from these, there are some improvisations that have been made in the air conditioned and first class coaches to provide better amenities. Indian Railways have also kept in mind the peak season of travelling and have introduced more number of trains during the festive seasons and summer holidays.

There has been a wave of change in the ways Indian Railways have started operating and meeting customer expectations. It is now definitely, one of the most convenient and comfortable way of travelling in today’s time.

Make in India Vision: Bright future of railway lies ahead

Booking a train seat in India has become as easy as a cake walk now. Online sites are available where one can search for the various trains available from one destination to the other. One has to click on the train name, book the seat, and do an online payment for the ticket and bingo! The booking is done! Train reservation seat availability is also easy to check. The website itself provides the number of passenger seats available in an opted train in the given date.

In present times, Indian Railway needs a lot of improvement in its infrastructure. At the same time, the Indian government is also providing funds to the greatest project in the world. This ‘Make in India’ project is a latest vision of our present Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This calls for an investment of Rs 40,000 crore over 10 years and is supposedly the largest foreign investment in the railway sector.

The eco system that gets created with this invention of the project will provide various benefits. First of all, it will create new job opportunities in the manufacturing field. This is an interesting fact to know that this agreement coincides with the climate change conference in Paris. Production of locomotives is the other benefit and contribution of Indian railways to the environment.official indian railway

It is said that the diesel locomotive factory present in Marhowa will supply the diesel electric locomotives in a very large number. For producing this number for 10 years will incur a cost of about Rs 15 crores. There is another locomotive factory situated in Madhupura. It will also supply a large amount of locomotive, which will cost around Rs 20 crores during the period of 10 years.

It is a very unique project and the investment process will start from early 2016. As a result of this initiative, there will be more than 3000 new job openings in this country.

These electrical locomotives, which will be produced, are meant for the use of national transport system. It can, actually, double the speed of express trains that run across all over India. As a result of this, the punctuality of the trains will increase. There will be no more mismanagement in case of running hours of the trains.

The new electrical devices, which will be produced, will also improve the train signaling system and railway tracks, which have become the main cause of train accidents these days. To avoid those calamities, Indian rail government has taken a big initiative. People attached to this plan are sure that this project will make the future bright. This will reduce problems and day to day accidents will be avoided.

Indian railway is a large network. It is a matter of pride to the Indians. The current situation of Indian railway is not that good, but they are trying the best to overcome the situation. It will not be a difficult process. In near future, Indian railway will regain its lost pride and will stand apart.

Indian Railways on the path of technological development

Getting Indian Railway PNR status is easy these days. One has to enter their 10 digit PNR number for booking and immediately you will get a message on your mobile phone stating the PNR status of the train. Thus, it is easy to know the railway PNR status on mobile. Nowadays, the booking system has improved a lot. One can book a train ticket from anywhere anytime according to their convenience.

Indian railway system is the heart of the country. The large network that it has is unbelievable. Numerous trains run along from one place to the other across India. People can easily travel from one destination to the other. But, at present times, people are facing lot of difficulties when travelling by train. Be it the punctuality or the cleanliness, it is not reaching up to the mark services now. Railway tracks are also not in a good condition and thus accidents are claiming lot of innocent lives. To reform these, some measures have already taken by the Indian government.pnrst

IRCTC, which has a full form of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd, has launched a new section of cash on delivery in case of online ticket purchase. There is a new application call Book My Train from which one can book a ticket anytime. But that has to be at least 5 days before from the date of journey.

Some of the railway stations have become a Wi-Fi zone like Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. They provide free internet access to the passengers. Some express trains also provide Wi-Fi facilities to its passengers.

New railway tracks are made with a proper and advanced electric connection. Due to this, there is a less chance of miscommunication due to signal problems. As a result, trains do not wait for a longer time as they get green signal in a proper time. This will help in avoiding accidents that are caused due to miscommunications.

There is a high protection at the most of the railway stations now. Government Railway Police of different states are taking extra initiative to provide protection to the passengers throughout the day and more during the night. They are ready to provide all kind of help and protection according to the needs of the passengers. These are taken more seriously in case of women and children.

The Railway Government has introduced a pre paid card, which can be loaded with the amount needed by the passenger. By using this travelling becomes easier for regular passengers.

Railway Government is taking a lot of initiative these days to make Indian Railways the most precious thing of the country. They are making plans to make improvements in every possible way. New engines have been introduced. Railway tracks are mended to avoid accidents. Advanced electric locomotives are used so that an express train can maintain its proper speed and reach destination by time. So, travelling by train is going to be a good experience now onwards.