When thinking of trains in India, you might picture getting into a crowded compartment that does not give you enough space to move freely. Fortunately, this is not the case with the sleeper class or overnight trains in India since these compartments accommodate people with reservations, ensuring enough comfort for travelers. If this is the first time you are travelling on an overnight train in India, read on to learn more about them!
Things To Know About Overnight Trains
Here are a few things to know before stepping on board for your first overnight train in India:
The ambience
A regular sleeper class train is similar to an old dorm room with metal walls, vinyl seats, and fluorescent light lighting. The interior of a train may not be the most appealing thing you have ever seen, but it will not fail to provide you with decent sleep while travelling. The seats and beds may also be dusty and dirty, so bring your linens and pillows.
Privacy
Travellers cannot expect privacy when travelling in India’s regular sleeper class train. Most trains have either six bunk compartments or four bunk compartments where the aisle side is open-air, allowing people to walk up and down the aisle.
Food
Not every overnight train would have a food coach, but travellers can buy water, food, and coffee/tea from the food vendors at stations. However, trains in India allow you to prebook food but ensure that your ticket features food before travelling.
Toilets
Sleeper class and overnight trains have toilets at the end of each coach, and most of these do not have western seats. These are cleaned in certain stations during the journey, but these may not be the cleanest bathroom you have ever seen. Just ensure to take hand sanitizers, hand wash, and other essential toiletries might require for using washrooms on the train.
Here’s an amazing beginner’s guide on Indian train travel for everyone who is new to travelling in train. So, if you want to know more about travelling in train then you may read through the above article for some essential key points.
Tips To Remember
A few things to remember when travelling in overnight trains include the following:
- Overnight trains are usually safe, but it is always best to remain cautious, especially if you are a solo traveler.
- Keep your luggage under your seats or in a place where you can always watch it.
- Bring snacks and water, just in case there is a delay between stations where you usually purchase these.
- Bring tissues, hand sanitizers, hand washes, toilet paper, or any other essentials you will require for bathroom breaks.
- Carry a portable charger during your overnight journey. Though there are sockets for charging, you might not always get the opportunity to charge on time if the train is busy.
- If you are taking an overnight train during winter, remember to carry your blankets and winter wear.
- Earplugs can also be an excellent option for people who sleep earlier since the train can get noisy when it is crowded.
Journey in overnight trains can be comfortable if you know exactly what to expect during the travel. Though travelling on these trains sounds like a hassle, these can still be very fun when travelling in groups!
Also, now you can book train tickets with redRail, a portal by redBus or you can download the redRail App for the easiest train ticket booking experience in India.