India Train Travel: A Practical Guide for Foreign Visitors

Tickets can be booked directly through IRCTC, the national railway booking platform, once you've registered an account, or more simply through an authorised travel agent or your tour operator, who can handle the registration and booking for you. Popular routes and berths, especially around festivals and the October-to-March peak season, sell out well in advance, so book earlier rather than later.

• AC First Class — the most private and comfortable option, with lockable two- or four-berth cabins.
• AC 2-Tier and AC 3-Tier — air-conditioned sleeper berths in open-plan bays, a common comfortable choice for longer journeys.
• Sleeper Class — non-air-conditioned berths, cheap and basic, and generally more of an experience than a comfort choice.
• Chair Car and Executive Chair Car — air-conditioned reclining seats for daytime journeys.

For a different kind of journey altogether, India runs several dedicated luxury trains — among them the Maharajas' Express, the Palace on Wheels, the Deccan Odyssey and the Golden Chariot — which turn the journey itself into a multi-day touring experience with onboard cabins, dining and excursions. These sit apart from ordinary rail travel and are booked as their own product.

• Book well ahead for popular routes, especially in peak season and around festivals.
• Keep valuables close and secured, particularly overnight in Sleeper Class.
• Carry your own water and some snacks, even though most longer trains have a pantry car or vendors.
• A scenic route, such as through the Western Ghats or the Nilgiri hills, is worth planning around rather than treating as dead time.