The Indrail Pass is a tourist-oriented season ticket offer for travel on the routes of the indian State railway. Comparable offers are InterRail (Europe) and Japan Rail Pass.
General
The price is that Indrail Pass Given the generally low prices hardly attractive. Above all, it does not solve the main problem of rail travelers in India, the difficulty of obtaining a reservation. This still requires long queues in the train station as the Railway reservation website is still a highly inefficient offer in 2015.
Classes include the "I AC Class", which is only available in a few trains, then the same-priced "First Class" air-conditioned couchette cars (AC-2 tier / AC-3 tier) or, during the day, the “AC Chair Car”. The reserved, non-air-conditioned “Sleeper Class” is completely sufficient for longer night trips. The passes would also be valid in “second class”. However, this is not a 2nd class European understanding, but the wooden bench category for which an unlimited number of tickets can be issued, which can lead to real cattle wagon experiences.
Availability
Abroad with approved travel agencies. The general agency in Germany is currently ASRA Orient Travel in Frankfurt.
- In India
At approved travel agencies or in the train stations Agra Cant., Agra City, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Aurangabad, Bangalore City, Howrah (di Calcutta Hbf), Chennai, Chandigarh, Chennai (formerly Madras), Gorakhpur, Hyderabad, Jaipaur, Mumbai (formerly Bombay ), New Delhi, Puttaparthi Town Booking Agency, Rameshwaram, Secunderabad (near Hyderabad), Trivandrum Central, Vadodara, Varanasi, Vasco da Gama (Goa) and Vijayawada.
particularities
"AC" stands for "air conditioning" and therefore windows that cannot be opened. Due to the generally poor maintenance in the country, this is often canceled, so that one is locked in humid compartments when it is very hot. The plastic-covered seats are also often sticky from sweat and dirt.
When using the "fast" Rajdhani ExpressOn trains, the pass is valid for one class below the paid one, i.e. instead of e.g. 1st class you have to use 3 AC.
Prices
In India, the passports can only be paid for in US $, the currency of the price list, or in English pounds.
For some years now there have been short-term passes that are valid for 12, 24 or 48 hours from the departure of the train. The latter costs im Sleeper US $ 30. (In comparison: for US $ 18.40 you would get 5000 km in a normal "express" train.[1])
Available are 4, 7, 15, 21, 30, 60 or 90 days.
(in US $, 2015; excerpt)
- 7 days: I, AC: 270; First: 135; Sleeper: 80.
- 15 days: I, AC: 370; First: 185; Sleeper: 90.
- 30 days: I, AC: 495; First: 248; Sleeper: 125.
- 90 days: I, AC: 1060; First: 530; Sleeper: 260.
The (small) night train surcharge and reservation fee do not apply to pass holders. The bedding in the sleeping car is also free (which won't prevent the conductor from asking for bakshish). Meals in Rajdhani Express are also free, which is not necessarily a bonus given the badly degraded quality of food on Indian trains over the past 20 years. Passes for children aged 5–12 cost half as much.
Web links
- Indian Railways (engl.)
- Trains at a Glance (A printed version of the course book can be obtained from all better station kiosks under this title.
