I remember travelling to the USA and suddenly having to spend 12 hour trips sat on a Greyhound coach, that was eye-opening. I hadn’t packed for these long journeys and had nothing on me to pass the time by.
This was a time when we didn’t have much data on our phones (again hinting at my age), so now we can blow off some time doom scrolling or getting some jobs done on our phones, but I wanted to deep dive into things you can do so you don’t feel like the time was completely wasted and you don’t feel like you’re going insane.
India is a huge country and if you plan on travelling around then you’ll need to book some train journeys, so I’ll make sure to cover all the key information, such as the different routes and what to pack.
Different Routes
Most people fly into Delhi, therefore I’ll go on this assumption, but I’ll include some alternative routes as well.
Delhi to Mumbai
This train route from New Delhi to Mumbai is one of the most common, while your journey will be somewhere around 15.5 and 16.5 hours, while some will take considerably longer, not exactly a quick trip to the coast!
Some of the Rajdhani trains are air conditioned, which is a game changer and a necessity in my eyes. You can also book one with bedding area, which are quite tight and often a shared option, so ideal if you’re travelling as a two.
Delhi to Kolkata
Mumbai is on the West coast, while on the complete other end of the country, near to Bangladesh, you have Kolkata, with around five to six trains per day making this route. The journey length starts at 17 hours, but some of the trains can take more than 10 hours longer, depending on routes and stops.
The more direct route is a bit more pricey, but it depends whether you value price versus time. This is a great one to look out at the changing scenery as you cross the country.
Mumbai to Goa
A large number of tourists take this route, as Goa has grown in popularity as a tourist destination to people across the world. The Konkan route offers stunning views at the coastline, but more greenery than you might be expecting.
If you travel during the monsoon then you’re really in for some stunning views, but the one caveat to that is that heavy rainfall can cause delays and issues.
Choosing Your Seat or Berth
Your first consideration is whether you want the window or the aisle, much like on a plane. The window will offer you the perfect photo taking opportunity, while you can also admire the views on your journey.
Having said that, much like me on a plane, I’m always thinking of my route to the toilet, therefore an aisle can be easier if you’re solo travelling and don’t want to have to nudge someone potentially sleeping.
The aisle will offer slightly greater leg room and the ability to also grab some food from vendors passing through the carriage, but you’ll also have other passengers brushing by you repeatedly.
Then there are the sleeper berths, ideal if you reckon you can get some shut-eye on the train.
Ok so firstly I want to explain the different types of berths, as you have lower, middle, upper and side berths.
Lower berths you can easily climb into, making them the lowest hassle, as not everyone wants to climb up, especially if you have heavy luggage you need to get in. Having said that, if you book this during the daytime then you might find a fair few people sitting in your area, which isn’t ideal.
The middle berth might be folded away if you’re on the train during the day, so it becomes somewhere to sleep in the evening.
The upper berth is ideal if you’re after privacy, probably what I’d go for each time, as you can just lie down and drift off without worrying about the constant footfall through. A bit of effort going to the toilet, but not the end of the world.
Finally, you do have side berths, in the corridors rather than the main carriages, meaning you can get some nice views outwards rather than being in the dark. But I’m not a fan, you’ll have people constantly walking past, so it doesn’t really feel like your own space.
Download Before Boarding
Ok the train companies might state Wi-Fi is available, but this may constantly cut out, while your own mobile data may struggle with connection, therefore you’re much better off downloading everything you might need in advance.
This could be movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime and Disney+, but it could also be some podcasts you want to listen to, or some audiobooks.
If you’re planning on travelling around, you might not know you can also download entire cities from Google Maps, so if your internet is struggling, you can still easily navigate around.
If you’re used to playing music on Spotify, maybe see if you can download some music, so if the internet cuts, you still have something to listen to.
You should also check whether your mobile games work offline, or quickly download some if they don’t. I play a crossword one, it keeps me occupied for about 20-30 minutes on train journeys between London and Brighton, but it certainly wouldn’t do the job for 16 hours.
Some games that work offline are Candy Crush, Chess games, Solitaire, Sudoku and word games, but have a sift through and you can actually filter for ones that work offline.
If you do have the internet, you could try following the football on the BBC Sports app or have a go at casino online slots. It might sound tame, but I tend to burn time planning out my life on Trello, so when I get home I know what jobs need to be done straight away.
Learn An Indian Language
Unlike many other countries, Indian people speak many different languages depending on where you are, with Hindi being the most common, but then you also have Bengali in Kolkata, Marathi in Mumbai and Punjabi in Punjab, just to name a few.
Having said that, if you fancied learning Hindi (or one of the others), you could use an app like Duolingo, Memrise or Drops to help you learn the language and burn through some time productively.
I love learning the basics, as people are so used to seeing English speakers and assuming we can’t speak a second language, so impress someone as you master communication, well to a basic level at least.
You could also truly emerge yourself and listen to Indian music or play a bollywood movie.
What To Pack
Make sure to pack a portable charger. In fact, pack a couple (you can’t have more than 2 per person on a flight over), as your phone or laptop will definitely die on the journey if you plan on using it for hours.
You should also pack yourself a big reusable water bottle, full of clean water, as you will be slightly limited on the warm train. There are situations where the air conditioning goes down, so then your thirst will spike even more.
They might serve food on the train, but it’s worth packing some snacks, whether that’s protein bars or a sandwich.
I personally can’t stand neck pillows, but Raquel swears by them, so if you find them comfortable and they might help you to drift off on the train then you should make sure to strap one to your backpack. You might also want some earplugs and an eye mask to really help you sleep.
This one probably doesn’t need stating, but make sure to pack your headphones, as you can’t be blasting out the sound on your movies or TV shows.
Our go-to for solving most issues is a baby wipe, so have a few packs of wet wipes on you. Make sure any medication you take is easy to reach, you don’t want it buried at the bottom of the bag and have to open everything up while on a packed train, that’s just awkward.
