The Lost Art of the Indian Train Journey

Travel Tips · 18 February 2026 · 6 min read

Window seats, station chai and conversations with strangers — why we still recommend the train, and how to book the good seats.

An Indian train journey is not just transport. It is a 12-hour conversation with a country you thought you knew. The shared berths, the station platforms at 2am, the chai vendors with their single-note call, the child who falls asleep against a stranger's arm — these are the details that stay with you long after the destination fades.

Tickets open 60 days before departure on IRCTC. For popular trains on popular routes (Howrah to NJP for Darjeeling, Howrah to Varanasi, Howrah to Jasidih for Deoghar), book as close to 60 days ahead as possible. Tourist quota and emergency quota seats are available closer to departure but at higher prices.

Railway food in India ranges from excellent to unwise. The safest rule: buy from platform vendors at major stations. Station vendors at large junctions sell samosas, chai, vada pav, fresh fruit and fried snacks made in front of you and sold quickly. Packaged food from the pantry car is reliable if expensive. Trust your nose and eyes.

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