Delhi to Mumbai by train in 2nd tier – my experience

Travelling from Delhi to Mumbai by train is a budget-friendly and surprisingly comfortable experience. I decided to journey across India by train only, and can really recommend this way of travelling. Not only does it save you a lot of money, but it’s also a more environmentally friendly alternative to flying. Train travel in India turned out to be much more comfortable than I expected. While it takes significantly longer than a flight, it does come with comfort.

You can easily book train tickets in India online, but depending on the season, you may need to to plan head. I didn’t book my train tickets in India in advance and was lucky to still get one. But what to do if your train is fully booked? In this blogpost, I’ll share my experience travelling on a 2nd tier AC train in India and explain how to get last-minute train tickets when everything seems sold out.

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Delhi to Mumbai: Plane vs. Train

First, let’s compare the different options to travel from Delhi to Mumbai. The biggest benefit of flying is probably that you are saving a lot of time. While a train journey from Delhi to Mumbai takes around 16 hours, a flight only takes about 2.5 hours, plus the usual waiting time at the airport. Depending on when you book, flights between Delhi and Mumbai can cost anywhere from 2,548 to 13,876 INR (28 – 154 Euros), while Indian train ticket prices range between 575 and 3,800 IDR (6,50 – 43 Euros). For this route, you can opt for either an overnight train or a daytime journey.

From an environmental perspective the train is definitely the better choice. In today’s world, we really should consider our carbon footprint and, whenever possible, choose trains over planes. When it comes to comfort, I personally prefer the train. This is because firstly, I hate waiting at airports. I don’t know what it is, but those 2-3 hours before takeoff always feel endless – just sitting around, only to then sit for a few more hours on the plane. There’s no internet on the plane, you’re squeezed into a small seat, and if you’re unlucky, you don’t even get to a window view.

I much preferred the train ride from Delhi to Mumbai as I was able to look out the window and get some sleep! Many budget flights for this route depart at inconvenient hours, often in the middle of the night, so you arrive exhausted. On the Indian railway, depending on the class you book, you get to sleep in a bed with dinner and breakfast served as well. So basically you’re sitting on the train for a few hours, go to sleep, and when you wake up you’re in Mumbai!

Summing up it’s a very individual choice – depending on budget, personal preferences and schedule. For me, the train was the clear winner.

Train classes & ticket options

There are different ticket options available for trains in India. I can only share my experience of the August Kranti Rajdhani Express train from Delhi to Mumbai as well as the Konkan Kanya Express train from Mumbai to Thivim in Goa. In general, Indian trains have various train classes catering to different budget and comfort preferences.

Train classes

1. First AC (1A): This is the most luxurious class with spacious cabins, lockable doors, bedding, and personalized service. It’s also the most expensive service.
2. Second AC (2A): Second AC class features berths with two beds above each other. If you’re lucky you get a side berth which gives more privacy as the curtain is facing the hallway. The other option is sharing a four-bed-berth, but this one is without curtains between the beds.
3. Third AC (3A): This class is also air-conditioned, but has three beds instead of two above each other – no curtains. This also means there’s less space.
4. Sleeper Class (SL): This is the most common class for Indians with no AC and open-plan berths.

Confirmed and waiting list tickets

There’s another thing in Indian trains I wasn’t familiar with before: waiting lists. Most of the trains in India seem to be fully booked pretty early and then you can only buy waiting list tickets. If you’re lucky you’ll get a confirmed seat after some waiting time, if not then you will stay unlucky. I was on a wait list once and actually made it to the next category, which I thought would be a confirmed ticket. On the contrary, I was put on another waiting list. To give you an overview of the wait lists and the logic hierarchy in Indian trains:

1. CNF (Confirmed Ticket): You have a confirmed seat/berth. Your coach and seat number will be listed on the ticket. (This is the YAY case!)
2. RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation): This means you are guaranteed to board the train but may have to share a berth with another passenger unless more seats free up. (This is the NAY case, unless you’re travelling with a friend. But even then, it’s very tight.)
3. WL (Waitlist): This means no confirmed seat yet. You’re placed in a queue, and only if enough confirmed passengers cancel will your status improve. If your ticket stays WL by the time of departure, you cannot board the train.

From there, the waitlist types follow a priority system:

1. GNWL (General Waitlist): This is the most common type of waitlist and has the highest chance of confirmation. It’s typically for passengers starting from the train’s origin station.
2. RLWL (Remote Location Waitlist): Issued for intermediate stations. This has lower chances of confirmation than GNWL.

So basically, being off the wait list does not always mean you get your own seat. All these waitlists of the Indian railway are very confusing. If you happen to only get waitlist tickets, or you’re not able to book one at all, I have another alternative for you below.

How to book your train ticket

My Indian friends advised me to book my train tickets through mytrip.com, as the platform offers a more user-friendly interface compared to the Indian Rail website. I tried mytrip myself and can recommend it as well. I just felt like in case of a problem there is a better communication and support system behind than on the IRCTC (Indian railway) website.

The only annoying thing was that I still had to create a profile on the IRCTC website in order to be able to book the train tickets. This was quite a process. They require an address (you can just use the one of a hotel) and an Indian phone number. Once you’ve managed to set up your profile, you can easily browse available trains, check ticket options, and book your journey.

Advice: If you can only purchase waitlist tickets, I recommend paying a little extra for the option to cancel them. Why? See the next chapter.

Fully booked train? Here’s what you can do

I took two trains in India and for both trips, only waitlist tickets were available. As mentioned a few chapters above, I managed to move up the waitlist once – only to realise I’d been shifted to another waitlist and would have to share my berth a random passenger.

Tatkal tickets for a last-minute train ride

We found another way to book our train tickets, and while it is risky, it worked out both times. There is this option called Tatkal. Tatkal tickets are a special quota of last-minute tickets released 24 hours before the train’s departure. These tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis and were introduced to accommodate travellers who need to book tickets at short notice. As far as I know they’re only available for second and third class.

Tatkal agent recommendation

Instead of booking the Tatkal tickets yourself it’s better to go with an experienced Tatkal agent. For both bookings, we used this agent. We were really happy with the communication and overall process. Here’s how it works: You tell the agent your preferred travel date, train, and class. He will then either agree with your choice or recommend to choose a different train with better chances of securing a ticket. Once you agree on a journey, he’ll tell you the total cost and request payment. The agent cost was roughly 500 IDR (6 Euros) per person. We paid the agent through an Indian friend of mine, which was the easiest way. I’d recommend checking with the agent about payment methods – or maybe your hotel can handle the payment on your behalf. An Indian payment option is definitely the easier one. All communication happened through WhatsApp.

Once the Tatkal sale opens, the agent will try to secure your tickets. Luckily, for both of our trips, he managed to get us second-class tickets. I was so relieved it worked out because we didn’t have a solid Plan B other than booking an overpriced flight. In case he doesn’t manage to get the tickets you will get cost for the train ticket back.

My recommendation: Book a waitlist ticket through mytrip with free cancellation as a backup. If the Tatkal ticket works out, you’ll have a confirmed seat and can cancel the waitlist seat. If not, you still have a chance of moving up the waitlist.

If you’re lucky it works

This method does come with some risk – you might end up without a train ticket. But hey, worst case? You may have to delay your journey or book a flight, so it’s worth trying to get Tatkal tickets. Our agent seemed very trustworthy and has good ratings, I’d book with him again.

The Journey: What to Expect on a 2nd Tier AC train

Let’s dive deeper into the journey and what to expect on a 2nd tier AC train from Delhi to Mumbai. A little note for my Western friends: The train will not match the standards you’re used to from your countries, but it’s absolutely doable and far more comfortable than it might look.

In 2nd tier there is a maximum of two beds per berth. Each bed comes with a blanket, and you’ll also be served two nice meals (they were actually really good!). The toilets weren’t great, but they did the job. For the train ride you might want to lower your expectations and embrace stepping out of your comfort zone. I’m a well-travelled person, so for me the whole trip was totally fine – but I can understand that it might be uncomfortable for some. That being said, if you’re someone who struggles with things being a bit different, India might not be the best destination for you in the first place.

Check out my favourite travel backpack – hand luggage approved!

Why I wouldn’t travel 3rd class

When I walked past the whole train, I peeked into 3rd and sleeper class and would definitely avoid booking it. In this class, there are three beds stacked on top of each other with no curtains and privacy. Other guest in 2nd class had advised me to keep a close eye on my belongings, so we secured our bags to the beds just to be safe. I wouldn’t want to be on the third upper berth while my backpback sits below with the risk of being taken. In other countries I’m usually more relaxed about this, but I’ve heard some less reassuring stories about theft on Indian trains. The whole journey felt safe though! Just stay mindful of your belongings, and you should be fine.

Try to get a side berth

If possible, try to book a side berth as these offer a bit more privacy. If you manage to get the lower side berth you can even convert the two chairs into a bed, and spend some time of the journey seated. In contrast, the regular berths are arranged as two sets of bunk beds facing each other, with just one curtain separating the whole area from the hallway. This setup feels less private since there’s no curtain between you and the other passengers in your berth. On our second journey, we shared a berth with a really friendly Indian couple, which turned out to be a comfortable experience. They switched off the lights pretty early, and we all just rested peacefully.

All in all I was happy in 2nd class and would recommend it! If I could, I would’ve loved to try first class just to know what it’s like (and it’s fun to be able to afford the highest class, as I’ll probably never travel first on a plane ever lol).

My Advice for Your Train Trip

Lastly here’s some advice for your train journey in India. Personally, I would avoid third class and, if possible aim for second or first class instead. If you are unlucky and stuck on a waitlist, consider paying for the free cancellation option and then try your luck with Taktal tickets. When on the train, make sure to keep an eye on your belongings and maybe even take the valuables into your berth, next to your head while you sleep. I’d also suggest bringing long clothes, as it can get chilly on the train. To be on the safe side, pack some toilet paper and only use bottled water for brushing your teeth.

All in all, taking the train in India is quite the experience, which shouldn’t be missed! It’s its own little adventure and it’s so fun to look out the window, watching the countryside roll by. While it can be challenging to get train tickets last minute, there are possibilities!

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