Train Travel in India: Luxury Journeys, Budget Routes, and Hidden Gems
When you think of train travel, a way to move across a country while experiencing its rhythm, culture, and landscapes. Also known as rail travel, it's one of the most authentic ways to see India—not just from a window, but through the sounds, smells, and stories that roll by. This isn’t just about getting from point A to point B. In India, the train is where you meet street vendors selling chai, families sharing meals on mats, and travelers swapping stories between stops. It’s where luxury meets local life.
The Palace on Wheels, a luxury train that re-creates the opulence of Indian royalty with private cabins, fine dining, and guided tours of palaces isn’t just a train—it’s a moving five-star hotel. It runs through Rajasthan, stopping at places like Jaipur, Jaisalmer, and Udaipur, where you step off the train and into centuries-old forts. But you don’t need to spend thousands to get the real India on rails. The Indian Railways, the world’s largest rail network under a single management, carrying over 23 million passengers daily offers sleeper classes where you can ride from Delhi to Varanasi for less than $20. You’ll share a cabin with locals, eat food from vendors at platforms, and wake up to the sunrise over the Ganges—all without a single tourist trap.
Train travel in India connects you to places no tour bus can reach. It’s how you get to Rishikesh after a long day of yoga, or to the quiet beaches of Goa without fighting airport crowds. It’s the only way to see the Himalayan foothills from a window while sipping ginger tea. And yes, it’s also how you learn what 500 rupees can really buy—because on a train, a hot meal costs less than a bottle of water at a highway rest stop.
Whether you’re chasing the glitter of the luxury train journeys, high-end rail experiences that combine comfort, service, and curated cultural excursions or just need to get from one city to another without breaking the bank, India’s rails have you covered. You’ll find stories here—not just itineraries. Like the foreign traveler who spent three days on a slow train just to watch the landscape change from desert to jungle. Or the local family who brought homemade pickles to share with strangers. That’s train travel in India: messy, magical, and deeply human.
Below, you’ll find real stories from people who’ve ridden these routes—whether they were sipping champagne on the Palace on Wheels or sleeping in a third-class berth with a goat nearby. You’ll learn what to pack, where to eat, how to avoid scams, and which trains still run on time. No fluff. Just what works.
