I would like to warn everyone out there who plan to take IRCTC’s trail tour packages anytime in life. These guys are big cheats, provide pathetic service and they will harass and frustrate you to the extent that you will curse your decision of booking thier service. Their staff is highly irresponsible and corrupt.
I booked a Darjeeling tour in April’ 08 for me and sis. They started calling us from a week earlier and started telling us this or that "minor" change in the iternary cos of problems in Darjeeling area. I finally asked this guy Anoj Datta(DGM, IRCTC) if we should cancel the tour. And he assured us that it will great expereince. He told us if there are issues in Darjeeling area he wil send us to Gangtok and hence we wont be affected. The tour package had the on-board and off-board catering, local site seeing by private vehicle, hotel etc etc.
When we boarded the train. there was no pantry car in teh train. I called up this guy and he very irresponsibly said to buy food on stations and pay by myself as its a small thing. And thsi was just a begining of this pathetic tour.
We reached there and were put into a cheap hotel. Next day was a declared "band" so we were kept at the hotel "From the security point of view". I kept on calling Anoj who was unreachable for 2 days for obvious reasons.
And then these IRCTC guys have appointed some third grade travel agents who actually plan your trip. So this travel agent called us and told us he will send us to some cheap jungle tours in bengal. Imagine guys! we paid Rs.23600/- for this drama. Moreover, when we told him we wont move to any jungle tours, he scolded us thinking what can we do?
Eventually it became so horrible that me and my sis took a return flight on 4rth day itself(out of which 2 days we were in this horrible train - Mahananda Express, Regular passengers called it "Maha-Ganda" Express).
I lodged a complaint with IRCTC to which they said. being a govt firm, they have no policy of returning any money to the customer and they are sorry. We have lodged a complaint on core.nic.in and now soon will be filing it in consumer court.
Its just a glimpse of what they did to us. Full story is even more horrifying. I would therfore warn everyone to think 10000000 times before booking any of the rail tour packages for you or your knowns if you really care. I WILL NOT SUGGEST ANYONE TO BOOK ANY TRAIN TOUR PACKAGES.