Travel to Rajdhani by Rajdhani Express
In India Railway is used by most of the people for travelling but I bet you’ll regret for the train you have boarded if you blindly choose it. It happened many times for me also. The railway traffic is so jammed that if you are travelling through Mail/express trains, you end of reaching late most of the time. If you travelling through General sleeper class of any of the train, you will always be getting waiting list passengers around you which can lead to insecure journey on some of the case. So this review is for those who travel through AC class, putting my take on Rajdhani Express.
About Rajdhani Express
Rajdhani Express links Capital City New Delhi with major cities of Country. It’s all coaches are AC and they provide food during journey too. Comparatively travelling through Rajdhani Express is Expensive but they also take lesser time than other trains. Let me take each point in details.
Safe and Fast journey
Rajdhani Express travels with very good speed hence it takes less number of hours of travelling. Journey of Mumbai to New Delhi is covered in 16 hours while other superfast train takes minimum 22 hours. So in one way your valuable time is saved. Having very few stops and halts only at major station can also be reason of Fast journey.
Rajdhani Express doesn’t allow waiting list passengers to enter inside compartments unlike other Trains. So this is both pros and cons for passengers. It is good in one aspect because you can have comfortable journey as no one will be there to disturb you. But for family who has more no. of passengers than number of confirmed ticket, travelling together is impossible here. Let me know if I am wrong here.
Hospitality and Food
If you look at the break up of your ticket cost, your ticket fare already includes entire meal charges. So it’s obvious that you will get good food. But during the train journey of other superfast express, we starve to get good food and good meal even after giving good money. So that risk is minimal here. Food they provide are of good standard and fresh also. They provide one bottle of water free of cost and if needed extra, it can be bought. The coaches are clean and we can say you get very good hospitality during the journey. Bathrooms are also clean which not the same situations in other trains are.
Cost of the Ticket
Generally, it is said that Rajdhani tickets are higher than of other Superfast Express. Fare price charged are equivalent to super fast express but what differs is the inclusion of food price which are over-priced to maintain the good standard. So overall, we can say Ticket surcharge is similar. More ever given a fact it reaches destination earlier than other train, a higher price can be afforded looking at time it saves. But ticket may not be easily available as it is regular problem of Indian Railways.
Listen to AIR
It might be irritating to few but during journey, they broadcast news produced by All India Radio. I don’t know much if off you can off the sound in your compartment. So if there is not such, it can be disturbing for few.
TIPS
When Meals are served, You get a paper poster where it is written to not to give any money tips, but passenger keep give the tips as train staff ask it unintentionally.. The tradition of tips is not the good, but if you are happy with the hospitality, it is all about free will.
Connected only to capital
Rajdhani connects major cities with capital, hence even in few of the big city they dont have halt or stoppage. I wish there would have been similar train to connect different parts of country (beyond capital city) which will enhanced railway service. For now, they have Duranto Express and few other Super fast train but they are not in sufficient
Overall, I found Rajdhani Express worthy to travel because of less travel time, less number of stoppage and good hospitality. But higher ticket price and ticket availability problem is always the concern in Indian Railways.
*Let me know if you agree with my short review.
Regards
Suraj*