Taking the Train from Delhi to Ranthambore

Photographing wild tigers in India has been on our list for a while. We had a week off around Easter, and decided to spend the entire time Ranthambore National Park. Located in Rajasthan, it really isn’t easy to reach. You can drive (well, be driven) from Delhi in about 8 hours, or you can take the train. I sometimes get car sick, and I envisioned lots of traffic, honking, and passing on the wrong side of the road, so we opted for the train.

The Foreigner’s Guide to Taking the Train from Delhi to Ranthambore

1. Book your tickets – etickets – and make sure that you have 1st class AC or 2nd class AC. Nothing less. Period. (better yet, ask your lodge to do this for you)
2. Make your way to the train station in Delhi. There are apparenlty more than one train station in Delhi, so check your tickets. We departed from NZM. Depending on the time of day, traffic can be brutal. Even when traffic isn’t brutal, traffic around the train station is still brutal.
3. When you arrive, fend off the people that want to carry your bags. They descended on our taxi before we were even close to the station. What we have since learned is the hindi word for “No !” – nuh he. It works.
4. Locate the platform. There’s a big digital sign that notes the platforms for the various trains. It is helpful to know the name of the train (E.g., Golden Temple Mail Train) and the number (12904). We were on track 2.
5. Look for signs that indicate HA1 – this is the car for 1st class AC and 2nd class AC. It is at the far end of the platform – near the front of the train. The zones weren’t make well at NZM station but were well marked in Sawai Madhopur. When the train arrives, look for the markings on the cars.
   
   
6. When the train arrives, board quickly. The train schedule notes how long the train is supposed to stay in the station, however it wasn’t always accurate.
7. Find your seat. Your seat is noted on your ticket. In 1st class AC you are looking for a cabin number (e.g., A, B, C, D). The cabin numbers are displayed up near the ceiling, outside the cabin.

   
   In 2nd class AC, the “berth” number is displayed inside the seating areas – against the exterior wall of the train – above the windows. The seat numbers are shown as 18/17 with little arrows to indicate which one is the top bunk and which one is the bottom.
   
   
   You can store luggage under the bottom bunk, and there are cables so you can lock your luggage to the train.
   
   

8. Hunker down for 6ish hours. Make sure you bring food / water (we had our hotel pack stuff for us). It is also helpful to print the train route so you have some idea where you are. I screen capped it and kept it on my phone.