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| The view from the top of our apartment complex |
There is something about the trains that's fascinating -- may be the length of the train, may be the way it goes on the track, may be the sound ...
When I think of Indian Railways, what comes to mind are the vastness of the network, and the convenience of booking and travelling.
Once upon a time, it was such a pain, especially during the holidays.
In the early 1990s, when we were in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, we used to take the Rajkot - Trivandrum Express to go to our home state Kerala.
That was a time, when the reservation network was just computerised in the railway offices.
Since people could easily book tickets from anywhere in the country to travel between any two places, trains got fully booked within about half an hour!
(Before computerisation, if one had to travel from, say, Mumbai to Delhi, one had to book from Mumbai railway station. One could do it from any other place as well, but that was a very tedious process.)
So, even though the railway counter opened at 8.30 am, I would be at the Ahmedabad railway station as early as 5 am so that I was well ahead in the queue.
Imagine standing in the the queue for more than 3 hours. Yes, those were the days!
I can't believe the convenience internet and mobile phones have brought about. During my recent Chennai trip, I cancelled one ticket and booked another one, all in less than 10 minutes while travelling in a cab!
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| During a trip to Mangaluru in 2019 |
This month, it's 169 long years since the first railway track in the Indian subcontinent was laid. That was on the 16th of April 1853 - a stretch of 21 miles or 34 kilometers, between Bombay and Thane.
In the East, a track was commissioned the next year, August 15th, between Howrah and Hoogly, 24 miles or 39 km.
Trains began running in south India in 1856, when on July 1, a 63 mile (101 km) long track was opened between Arcot and Veyasarpandy.
In the North, on March 3, 1859, a 119 mile (192 km) long line was made functional between Allahabad and Kanpur.
Indian Railways has come a long way since.
It's among the largest rail networks in the world.
Its tracks run 1,08,706 km across the length and breadth of the nation.
As many as 13,169 passenger trains run daily, touching 7,325 stations across the country.
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| The fully air-conditioned Garib Rath at Kochuveli, Kerala, in 2016 |
The vast network might not be of airline standards. But it's convenient, comfortable and affordable.
Not surprisingly, every day, 23 million (2 crore 30 lakh) people travel on 13,169 passenger trains that touch 7,325 stations across the country.
One of my post-retirement activities would be to travel around the country on trains.
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This post is part of the blogging challenge in April every year, wherein bloggers put up one post a day, from A to Z, every day except Sundays.
I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z. I am also on A2Z April Challenge.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteI love train travel - but have not been able to since COVID. Actually I enjoy bus travel also. Public transport would be a great way to promote climate awareness, but even in the best of places it falls short of the ability to compensate in this regard. Indian rail travel is an entirely unique experience!!! YAM xx
R=Reef
Oh Pradeep, I lovel trains and so enjoy long-distance travelling by train. Sadly, they are quite expensive here and make flying look cheap, which is a pity since our trains are all electric. A great post, and I quite agree about the amazing convenience of internet bookings.
ReplyDeleteHi Pradeep - I'd love to go across the continents by train - with a chance to get off whenever it stopped ... my mother back in 1933 went from Mumbai to Calcutta (as they were called back then), and I know my father's parents spent time in India as he was a civil engineer and had been involved with the SA railways.
ReplyDeleteThe engineer (a Colonel) who built the passage across the Malahat granite montaine from Victoria, on the tip of southern Vancouver Island, up country ... travelling north from Victoria was practically impossible back in the 1800s - 'that engineer' had been working on the railways in India ...
There are some beautiful train trips ... fun read - thank you ... cheers Hilary
Whenever visiting India, we always travel by train within India. In addition to admiring trains, I admire the railway stations. In Trichy Junction, there is an underground path to go from one platform to another. This underground was built more than 100 years ago.
ReplyDeleteRailway was part of our growing days. Each year it took us to Grandpa's place. Railway will remain darling for many of us.
ReplyDeleteTrains are yes facinating..it's been long that I took a train journ..only thing if it's too long i don't prefer trains...coz using the bathrooms scares me....i hope along with expanding no of trains maintenance was also handles. I travelled in garib radh to vizag and was a v bad experience......we shifted to flights after that, everything is maintained for few months till it's new and then maintenance falters.. anyhow didn't wanna spoil ur post ..just shared experience..however sitting by window watching the electric poles pass by, fields, villages , saying bye to kids...it's always a very heart warming experience
ReplyDeleteI meant handled*
ReplyDeleteDropping by from a to z "The Pensive"
I rode an Indian train once long time ago and it was an experience. I can not say it was good or bad. It was just something I've never experienced. I don't know if we went during some sort of holiday but the trains were packed. I mean packed. And the bathroom was a certainly and experience in itself. That I can definitely was a bad experience.
ReplyDeleteBut overall I did enjoy my visit. It was so exotic. I hope I can go back again to this wonderful country.
Just visiting from A-Z challenge.
https://janetwoodsthoughts.blogspot.com/
So interesting!
ReplyDeleteI know all about standing in line for hours before a place opens -- usually the license department.
Ronel visiting for the A-Z Challenge My Languishing TBR: R
Sounds like you've got good railways. I've been on a train once. I wouldn't mind doing it again.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! Trains are fascinating and my limited experience has been wonderful, whether it be a short tourist trip or days long travel. Be well!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the history of beginning of Railways in our country. YEs we have come a long way. Several years ago, we only travelled by train. I remember a particularly long journey from Tezpur to Nasik!! The Deccan Queen is my favourite train. I am told services have improved tremendously now. Good going on the AtoZ!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that the first train service was between Arcot and Vyasarpadi in South India. Thanks for that info.
ReplyDeleteI hope to be able to re-travel in Trains soon...
Destination Infinity