Train Travel in India

When you think of train travel, the vast, colorful, and deeply personal way millions move across India. Also known as Indian railways, it’s not just a way to get from A to B—it’s part of the experience. Over 23 million people ride trains every day. You’ll see farmers with baskets of mangoes, students with backpacks, families sharing meals on the floor, and tourists with cameras pointed out the window. This isn’t a transit system—it’s a living, breathing slice of India.

Train travel in India connects you to places no flight can reach. Want to see the pink palaces of Jaipur, India’s only fully UNESCO-designated heritage city? Take the overnight train from Delhi. Dreaming of the marble glow of the Taj Mahal, the world-famous monument in Agra, built as a symbol of love? Hop on a train from Delhi or Jaipur—it’s faster, cheaper, and more real than a flight. And if you’re heading to South India, a region known for its quiet temples, lush backwaters, and slow-paced charm, the trains there run like clockwork through coconut groves and tea plantations. You’ll pass through towns where the station master waves at every train, and vendors sell hot chai right on the platform.

People ask if train travel in India is safe. Yes, if you know how. Book AC classes for comfort, avoid unmarked food vendors, and keep your bags close. It’s not luxury, but it’s honest. You’ll meet people who’ve taken the same route for 40 years. You’ll hear stories from a grandmother heading to visit her granddaughter in Kerala. You’ll taste samosas from a man who’s been selling them on the 5:30 a.m. train from Chennai for 25 years. That’s the magic. No tour guide explains it. You just feel it.

Some think trains are slow. But when you’re moving through the hills of Kerala, past rice fields that stretch like green velvet, or watching the sun rise over the desert near Jaisalmer, speed doesn’t matter. What matters is the view. What matters is the rhythm. Train travel in India lets you see the country unfold—not as a checklist, but as a story.

Below, you’ll find real guides from travelers who’ve done it: how to pick the right train, what to pack, which routes offer the best views, and how to avoid the traps that catch first-timers. Whether you’re planning a week-long trip through South India or a solo journey across the heart of the country, these posts have the details you won’t find in brochures.