What's your #1 tip for travelling by train in India? *14:45** Update: The toilets don’t drop on the track anymore.* Next, watch my RURAL Indian train station guide ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Qb35dUI6HHE.html. 01:49 I've covered the fake medical bills scam in this beggar scams video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_uqgEJrCSrQ.html.
If you want to book train tickets in India, don't forget to use the foreigner reservation and quota! See my blog for how to book via the Indian Railway's IRCTC booking site blog.karlrock.com/how-to-book-a-train-ticket-in-india-for-foreigners/.
Been here for 18 days and it feels like 18 months. I'm honestly sick of all the scammers and touts. Nearly every interaction initiated by a local ("Hello my friend...." ) has an ulterior motive. This consistent behaviour paints a sour, negative international image for India.
Sorry dude you have to go through it but try to speak in local language with scammers ,they believe that your are not new and living here for long time like karl and well aware of scams
@@KelvinTravels The scamming, driving culture, pollution, poor to non-existent hygiene - it's really on another level. We're basically seen as walking ATMs. I've wanted this though... India is travel bodybuilding. If you can travel India solo, every other country on the planet is a breeze. Got 4.5 months to go 😵💫
@@ChaAndromedan3912if your are living alone I suggest having a house helper for cleaning and for cooking and ask good indian friends for house helper as it difficult to get a good and trustworthy house helper
@@ChaAndromedan3912hy come here what attracted u i always see u westerners c9me here even the babas of india go outside and settle there why come here?
Hi Karl, I was in India last week, catching a 1AC sleeper from Tundla Junction to Varanasi. On the platform I encountered a porter who sought out the first class passengers to be able to show them where their carriage would stop on the platform. He carried my bag fit me about 50 metres and then stayed in my vicinity to make sure i got on the right carriage. As the train came in he asked for 300 Rs....basically to tell me to stand where I already knew I'd need to get on. This is another scam to watch out for....I think he was only interested in the first class passengers because he thought they'd have money to pay him....
Therefore the lesson learnt: Whenever in India, always get some brownish makeup, learn the regional language or Hindi, and don't show your 'RL' accent to anyone. And always have a friend with you for help or a specific official.
I was dragged At Pune Railway Station, a CRPF police official demanded a bribe, resorting to manhandling when I refused. I mentioned having influential contacts, prompting them to reconsider. Realizing potential consequences, they eventually let me go. This incident underscores the struggle against corruption and the need to stand firm in such situations.
So far from what I learned in all the videos: Whenever a stranger is initiating the talk, always be wary, especially if he asks where you are going, is following you or calling you 'my friend' immediately.
The sheets are removed at the larger stations when passengers get off and new ones come on. However they don't replace the blankets. If it's still night when you get on you'll just get the last person's blanket but new sheets. I'd also recommend travelling with your own pillow case.
You're not supposed to use the blanket directly. They give you two sheets, one to place below, and one to place between you and the thick blanket. Think of it as a duvet cover
As an Indian this video is so revealing for me. Not that I don't know about these things, I have lived through them so it's no big deal for me to navigate safely. But the fact that these things exist on a large scale and the amount of energy, time and mental peace it costs to an average Indian to deal with them, consciously or unconsciously, is enormous. Thanks for making us aware.
Should you eat Indian train food? This was a late-night early-morning trip, so it didn't fall into dinner or breakfast times. Basically, I don't eat food prepared on the trains though. Nor do I buy from the street food vendors who enter trains. I just don't take the risk because stomach infections can destroy 4-5 days of your trip.
@KarlRock I ate it on a 1AC seater from Delhi to Agra.... it was alright. But I wouldn't eat any food on an overnight sleeper. It wasn't included free with my ticket (unlike the 1AC seater), plus I didnt want to risk having to go number 2's on an overnight train toilet. They quickly become overwhelmingly stinky and dirty. I just bought some snacks at the platform and ate sparingly. Then you probably won't need the toilet until you get to your next accommodation.
I always eat it, the meals provided by IRCTC are good. I also buy from the "flying vendors". That's one of the most exciting parts of a train trip. Never got any stomach trouble
I read your book before going to Delhi. Plenty of good advice! I travelled in sleeper class when i went to Agra. No mishaps. It is a bit daunting though when its peak hour travel. My suggestion is, find the ticket counter yourself. You will be fine. Just dont let a scammer distract you!
I'm not gonna lie, you're brave. I'm Indian, never been out of the country, but even I wouldn't have the balls to travel sleeper from Delhi to Agra. Been to Delhi twice, Agra once, it's just full of scammers and fraudsters, never felt safe for a moment there. It's a shame not being able to focus on having an incredible experience because you've always gotta have half a mind on your pocket.
Exactly. That just confirmed my suspicions about him. Plus he wouldn’t stop following us and hassling us. Thanks for watching. Rural station guide is next.
I needed this Video two Weeks ago. Getting Trains in India was really hard, but as soon as you were in the right train, it was an awesome experience. Thanks.
That first class cabin actually looks decent. It's nice to have Manisha in the videos too, it provides an interesting perspective when you interact with touts and scammers.
Karl is the koolest and the best travel vlogger of foreign origin giving honest, true and real tips for travel in India without being obnoxious/preachy/fake! Keep it up, Sir!
Namaste, Karl. Loving these videos where you give such deep insights on how these scams work. The average person visiting India would never even know who a scammer is or who the legit subway employees are. You truly are doing the Lord's work here.
Hey Karl, thanks for your videos. They got me well-prepared for my first India trip this year from mid September to mid October, and I think this video also gives one a very good idea about train rides in India (I was travelling alone btw.). I must recommend traveling by train in India. It’s the best way to get an impression of the beautiful countryside, especially if you’re not able (or don’t want) to travel by car. I also made two road trips with my friends from Bhopal (to Vidisha and Pachmarhi), those are even better to get an idea of rural India and the jungle areas, or how Dev calls it, "real India"! But when traveling independently and alone sleeper trains are a must. My favorite seating was the lower side compartment where you sit (and lie) parallel and closest to the window. Since there were only curtains I catched Covid from a family that sat next to me on the other side of the alley, sneezing & snuffling on the 4 ppl compartment. This can happen of course, still I liked this trip the most. Sometimes I spent quite a while in the stations, in Aurangabad 8 hours, and I got approached by a lot of ppl. When heading out of the station for a cigarette (you’re not allowed to smoke on the premise), especially taxi drivers approached me thinking I just arrived. And talking to them I learned that they were pretty well-informed about the train schedule. So they can also help you find your platform if you’re confused about the tables in the stations itself (especially in Delhi). Else the official staff also has been friendly and helpful. And as a foreigner I have to say, in less touristy areas like Aurangabad it’s also nice to have army staff around, that also approached me and wanted to make sure everything is fine (while sitting outside with some ppl), because "since I’m a foreigner we are also responsible for your safety." Back home in Germany I am very sceptical about anything related to army things, so that was an interesting experience getting this other perspective. In Mumbai I was smoking a cigarette outside the main station in an area, where a staff member told me I was allowed to. Some other ppl approached me, then telling me quite vehemently that indeed I wasn’t allowed to smoke there and that I should stop smoking in general. Outside of Delhi station it was totally fine as long as you’re not standing directly in the front where everybody’s leaving and entering the premise. Just remember: Smoking is not allowed in public spaces, on the streets it’s mostly fine, but just don’t do it on the premise. My experience was, that the area where drivers parked their tuk-tuks generally was fine for that quick smoke in between. During my time I took 4 train rides all in different compartments: Vande Bharat Express from Delhi to Bhopal (EC chair car, good for the very first train ride, safe & comfortable), Sachkhand Express from Bhopal to Aurangabad (because of you, Karl! 1AC closed two ppl compartment, luckily alone), Nandigram Express from Aurangabad to Mumbai (1AC closed four ppl compartment) and Rajdhani Express from Mumbai back to Delhi (2AC curtain-"closed" lower side compartment). Looking back it feels like with every train ride I got closer to a more regular way of traveling by train, and I think I wouldn’t take the Vande Bharat again. The train itself is very nice, very high class, the staff and everything else was perfect. Looking back it just didn’t feel very Indian to me, and I think I rather prefer the proper sleeper trains. I will definitely return to India (it’s just beautiful) and the next time around I think I'll also try some of the other classes. Tbh, I met so many ppl and had so many mostly nice encounters I would have missed otherwise. After all, I traveled to India alone to (give my introvert self a push to) get into contact with Indian ppl. And even if this was stressful at times, this was the first thing I messed when I arrived back home. Germany is just soo empty... but that’s a completely different topic :) Keep up the good work, Karl, now I am watching your videos with this particular nostalgic feel and I love it. All the best, námas te!
I literally feel so sorry & heartbroken after seeing all this .....💔 This is the reason India Doesn't have much tourists as compared to other countries !! I wish India become a risk free country to travel to !! I want that every foreigner ENJOYS every bit of our country ❤
One major takeaway I've gotten from your videos is that India is full of scams. It seems super frustrating. Therefore, my desire to visit India is not as strong as it used to be. So, thank you for the insight.
If you want to book train tickets in India, don't forget to use the foreigner reservation and quota! See my blog for how to book via the Indian Railway's IRCTC booking site blog.karlrock.com/how-to-book-a-train-ticket-in-india-for-foreigners/.
I tried the app but it didn't work for me. I could register but have never been able to login. So I booked all my trains at the tourist ticket counters in or at the stations.
14:45 I would like to point out one thing. That is, the toilets have improved in Indian railways. The toilets which you said where they drop the stuff on the tracks are old now and they have been discontiued. Nowadays all the modern railway coaches have a tank, which stores the stuff and that container has bacteria that decompose it. So yea, if you find the toilets where they drop your stuff directly on the track, then the coach you're in is very old. edit: I am talking about the bio toilets.
Omg... how could they think it's acceptable to dumb human waste on the tracks!? Why is Indian culture so dirty? It doesn't make sense 😢..is it an education issue? Maybe the government should provide classes on hygiene.
Thank you Karl and Manisha, your India Train Guide is great. I was in West Bengal last year and had to travel from Kolkata to Purulia. I was terrified and stressed out. But so many people were lovely and helpful, and I got through. Will I do it again? Yes!
Train 🚂🚃 adventures in India 🇮🇳 are awesome. I just made one from Haridwar to Amritsar 10 days ago. Good advice Karl. Just avoid them people. Just go to an official ticket counter. The medical bills fake stuff also goes on in the streets of major cities in Colombia 🇨🇴, South America. Jai Hind 🇮🇳🙏🏻😎❤️❤️❤️❤️!
I would not recommend uses free WIFI in train stations , airports or any other area where free WIFI is available & the mass public are using it , purely for the fact that it is not secure & its very easy for the scammers to hack your devices & steal your info .. Edit .. Switch off Bluetooth also ..
you know, as someone who's been on trains often, the indian train system in the way on how things are handled at stations is actually quite solid, you always know what carriage your on and it even shows you where your carriage is located on platform sign, i've never seen and/or noticed that with any other system
Best train travel guide, perfectly summed up. Although, most airfares match the train fares while reducing the journey time and the thorough scanning on airports make it safer too.
I always took 3-tier sleeper and preferred the top bunk. Always had great adventures on trains and met lots of great people. Enjoyed the food, the snacks, the chai wallahs, and the various "entertainers' that walked the aisles.
Whenever you step out of station check out the direction towards your destination. Then walk little bit or few meters from railway station and then check for rikash or auto driver. Chances are you will get fair rate. Sometimes your destination/hotel might be on walkable distance and auto rikash driver may take you long route to earn more money.
@@KarlRock Thanks, looking very forward to it. I fly into Bengaluru from Sydney (~2 month trip) so this was a really handy video in case I end up going directly to Hampi.
Another great video full of sage advice! I don't care what country you are in, there is always at least one taxi driver who thinks he's going to strike it rich by scamming tourists. If they get really annoying I claim to be poor and ask for a free ride, that usually makes them leave me alone. :)
14:45 no it doesn't fall on the track. It will be stored in a septic tank and dumped at a major station just like flights. It used to fall off the track but it's changed now.
@@KarlRock BTW thanks for explaining the IRCTC train ticket booking system in a detailed way. Many including the people of Bharat had confusion booking those tickets. I also heard that Bharatiya Railways are hoping to get rid of waiting lists by 2027.
We travelled on the overnight train from Pune to Nagpur, 16 hours. It was just the three of us so we have to share a 4 berth cabin with a large Indian business man who had a lovely sleep whilst snoring the whole night.. We didnt have the wall or door so I guess we were in A 2 or 3.. A great experience for us Aussies
all the points are on par and relatable especially the medical bills the short change and all it happens to best of us .. and especially in bigger stations like howrah !
As newlyweds, my wife and I had our honeymoon in India in 1991. We visited large parts of western India, north to south, from Manali to Kovalam. Train travel was our favorite mode of transportation. Toy train to Simla. Delhi to Agra, and then on to Rajasthan. Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur. Then down to Bombay (as it was called at the time), via Ahmedabad. And then finally down to Kovalam, a long journey where the rhythm of the train instilled a peaceful bliss. So many incredible sights, sounds, smells. A real assault on the senses as they say. I finally returned to India only a few years ago in February of 2020, this time exploring Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Bangalore, Mysore, Trichy, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Chidambaram, Madurai. Another incredible experience, done mostly by air and private taxi, as is the modern way, but insisted on taking the train from Bangalore to Mysore, if only to rekindle some of that old magic. My coworkers here in Silicon Valley, California, all of them Indian, were a bit worried when I told them I wanted to take the train 🙂, but I was never worried and it was one of the favorite parts of my trip. Just do it!
The most funny thing is Manisha ji is indian and looks like a foreigner...a white person...but funny part is that she understands Hindi and what they say behind your back😂😂😂 but they don't know that 😂 its quite hilarious
TY Bro Karl and Sis Manu! Great tips you both are giving us in staying cautious and alert on scams going on these public transport station. Stay safe and vigilant when traveling!
I've really been waiting for this! (Actually it's too late :-) did some solo female traveler train travels in the last weeks already and everything went well) ... greetings from Hampi!
Karl, your channel is my 'go to' one. Have the rules changed or you are breaking the rules? Thirty years ago one could not take photos in train stations, just like metros.
Hi Karl, I've done a few train trips in India, and I must say I was disapointed withthe first Class sold to me by a travel agent, Goa to Travindrum was 17 hours. Yes it was air con and includid a meal. As you know with air con, the windows are closed and hard to s ee through. The food was awful, and the usual food and drink vendors were not allowed in . A train trip.I much prefer 2 0r 3 where you can have the windows open, so you can see and smell the Country, and interact with other passengers, who are always friendly . A train trip in India is a must for any visitor . I could walk around Bengalaru station all day, just taking in the the energy and atmosphere. ps Iv'e been following your travels and adventures in India for many years now, so, as they say, Keep em coming!
Last March i was riding the Agra-Jaipur route. I was looking for my train and of course I had a guy eager to help me find it and of course he wanted 100 rupees. I was lost and yeah, he was scamming but just 100 so i said fine. Thanks to your video i knew rule #1 never let anyone grab your luggage to help. I have real basic Hindi knowledge so I was good at standing my groud with all the touts and only used Uber or prepaid at the airports and train stations. It was a wonderful time and im coming back in 3 months!
I'm from Hamilton and found Dhabba on Highway after your video. I was in India a few years ago, this video today is awesome for bringing back memories and being helpful. Thanks.
@@KarlRock Hi Karl, I mentioned to you a few months ago about having watched your New Zealand videos and that we are actively planning a trip there because of them. You graciously replied to me. We are struggling with planning this ourselves. We are in our 60's and have been researching and watching videos. We don't feel comfortable driving on the left, so we are looking at alternatives. Can you recommend any service for helping us plan? We want to do both islands and see as much as we can in 10ish days. We are ok with planes, trains and coaches. Thankfully, we are not too worried about the cost. TIA.
@@Klauduh Hey Mate. I totally understand, driving on the right scares me too. If you only have 10 days, you will want to fly. The train system isn't great. Buses are ok in NZ. You can use Uber to get around cities. I'd suggest jumping on some bus day tours to places like Te Anau from Queenstown. I'd focus your 10 days on the South Island. I only know 1 travel agent, she's my good friend. You can contact her via Instagram, instagram.com/lil_miss_pari/. She worked in the NZ/AU travel industry, and now she's working out of Dubai. She might have some ideas.
I've just found your lockdown stream Missed It, I have to say it had me in tears in my eyes watching you and your lovely wife going through so much so happy for you now
No matter you feel safe in Indian trains you still need to be very careful. Its all depending where in India you are travelling.. Not sure if you ever tried UP and Bihar like states. Try one day with full cautions if you decided to go there.
Karl, Another GREAT video. I would love to meet up with you in India and go around to the good places to eat. The scams there is ABSOLUTELY unreal these peole have ZERO shame. I love when you call them out they feel stupid 😅😅Happy Holidays and please stay safe.
A lot of changes at train station since I was at Bangalore 2001! Hard to even get ticket. Tourist girl went around back & made them sell us tickets! Even more changes since 1975! Was there in ‘75, ‘79, ‘81 & 2001. Steam engines changed to diesel. Along with the recolonization of India. Luv travel by train🙏
Many Railway Application Apps are there. Ex Where is my train. You can see everything there. Running status, coach suggestion etc. Many will be helped by your videos Karl! You are a very good man.
Before watching your video, I chanced upon this video, 30 hours on the world premiere of the new night jet, simply railway. What a world of difference. Salute.
toilets which you showed are bio toilets and doesnt drop on tracks as you are in LHB coach..learn the difference between ICF and LHB coaches EDIT: i recently learnt even ICF coaches are updated with bio toilets and also Indian Railways is first in the world to adapt this tech.
I last traveled by train in 1994 and it was the Delhi Agra route and i still remember the scammer calling out loudly “Tickets Please” i just ignored him and no foreigner showed him their tickets fortunately.
Trying to speak Hindi to in Karnataka was a boss move😂 you won't understand Karl because youre not Indian, if aome one from the north did that it would have been a serious risk factor
On Indians trains there is regularly also women's quota and senior's quota. So if traveling alone as a woman or-and senior (from age 60), there are even more possibilities to get a train ticket. (I'm a solo traveler, female and above 60).
I'm not sure whether this information still applies, but one month ago they were building the tracks at Varanasi so there was no train going directly into the town. Instead you had to buy a train ticket to Lohta and take a Tuktuk from there.
Some Auto and Taxi drivers will give silly excuse to scam for example they will tell you that ''after dropping you we will not get any passenger''. Beware of that.
if there's a dog-eat-dog world, india is it. unfortunately a lot of people trying to take advantage of others. there's a lot of poverty so it's understandable that this mentality maybe came from necessity, but it's sad to see how common it is. can't even buy a snack or drink without having to check your change.
it doesn't drop directly on the tracks in the washrooms. That was a thing of the past. Nowadays there are biotoilets where in the waste is collected in a tank and then disposed off at the end
A suggestion for anyone wanting to travel to India- If you have any Indian friend to travel with, you will be able identify and handle most of the scams.
Anyone know this song? 🎵 Train whistle blowing, makes a sleepy noise, underneath the blankets go all the girls and boys; Rockin' rollin' ridin' out along the bay, all bound for morning town, many miles away 🎶
