Traveling by Indian Railways is a pleasurable experience; especially the joy associated of spending your entire trip viewing the diverse landscape, hilly terrains, beautiful scenery, etc. not to mention the different people belonging to different caste and creed. It covers almost all major villages, towns and the cities. It is no doubt a fact that you cannot get a Railways booking confirmation unless you go for advanced bookings. All trains under Railways witness almost hundred per cent occupancy round the year. It transports over 20 million passengers and more than 2 million tons of freight everyday from 6900 plus stations.
To get the railway booking done, you may visit the official website of Indian Railways athttp://www.irctc.co.in. If you happen to do it online, you will get to fill in your details and get to control over the result. Even waiting list can be facilitated online. You can even put your name on the waiting list.
Also you can call Railways helpline at no cost and get current information on your desired destinations. You will also be provided with your confirmation number once you have placed your reservation and made a payment.
IRCTC also has the facility of rail treasury on a very convenient basis. You can make a claim in advance against the carbon offset in question. After you have booked your ticket the same can be done at the particular railway station by taking the blue rail. This process has to be made to have a hassle free journey; especially in the unlikely scenario that you are delayed.
Make sure that you follow the traffic rules and be aware of the number of lanes of traffic. Look out for the disabled or older passengers and ensure that they are not let to board the train. Other than that make sure that you stick to the timetable and that you report the missing person to the railway officers. On the journey you should not stop at a railway station to ask for the train to be booked. You should instead ask the name of the train from the passenger caretakers.
Many people are let down because of the railway staff. The aim of Indian Railways is to make the lives of its passengers better and more secure. However, there have been cases of sexual harassment and stalking by railway employees. One of the major sports in India is jerk cycling and jerk cycling is associated with Bicycle rickshaws. In cities, the Railway Station is often associated with hitch-hiking.
Most travelers have no idea about the buddy system. I have known of several occasions when people have booked a compartment and when they reached the time of departure the guy in the cabin said he would wait for you in the cabin. It was a nice gesture, but there were other times when the person in the cabin announced she was going to sit in the front seat with her friend.
If you travel with a girl, never trust her. I was traveling with A as well as B. At one point, I got a veil after boarding the train. The friends felt I was less safe in a cabin with ‘some body’ outside the cabin and I had a cushion pillow to make sure I was comfortable.
Ask for a window seat
When booking your compartment, ask if you can sit in the window or not. If you can, have it curtains open so that it gives you a safe place to sleep. If it is not curtains, ask for another seat on the train.
Always hold the rail wheels
When traveling by train, always make sure that the wheels are across your legs and under your feet. Most of the time, the wheels go under your legs or stand on them. If you have ever been in a situation, avoid that area by leant forward and holding the wheels.
If it is still not comfortable, ask for a seat next to you. On some trains you may end up with a seat next to the engine. In case you are lucky, it may allow you to sleep.
If you follow these tips, you will avoid many of the frustrating situations that may happen when traveling by train. Train travel will be more enjoyable on your next trip.
