This train is a gift and a very memorable one to people of Lucknow from Shri Atal Behari Ji who is the MP of Lucknow. Once you enter the train you feel you are in Germany as that is the place from where each and every coach has been imported. It is something quite unlike you can imagine in railways. When I first travelled in it it was an experience to remember. The catering staff was very polite even the Ticket examiner was very polite and very smartly dressed. Seats were very nicely upholstered . Toilets were high tech so that they were rarely wet or filthy.
Speed is top class. You feel the train is a thief and the police are chasing it.
The passengers are good company meaning to say you rarely get to see rowdy university students here and even if they are there they remain sober.
But what has happened to the train lately thanks to the changed government at the centre. Food is now cheap whereas previously the food quality was five star and even better than airline food.Now the food is spicy so spicy you get hiccups. Menu remains same journey after journey wheareas it used to change everyday previously. Catering staff shows a devil may care attitude , if you feel chilly and your quota of one mineral water for 7 hours of journey is finished they will not give you a drop of water citing all kinds of rules. But punctuality is there to the minute.
Toilets are dirty. Luggage racks over the seats have become shaky because they were not supposed to carry the enormous weight of the whole household, railways should restrict luggage per person absolutlely.
I wish Atalji would become prime minister again and old days of Shatabdi would return.