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From: raghu@rlgvax.UUCP (Raghu Raghunathan)
Newsgroups: net.railroad
Subject: Re: Indian Railways
Message-ID: <803@rlgvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 22-Oct-85 12:24:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: rlgvax.803
Posted: Tue Oct 22 12:24:35 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 24-Oct-85 06:01:43 EDT
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Organization: CCI Office Systems Group, Reston, VA
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>     Does anyone out there have info on railways in India, Pakistan,
> Bangladesh, or Sri Lanka?  Would appreciate anything!
> 
> /Geert

	Exactly what kind of information are you looking for? I have
	travelled by Indian Railways for the first 22 years of my life
	(while I was growing up in India) and in my opinion, they are
	the best travel value available in India. They typically cost
	around $10 per 1000 miles (approx.) if you travel Second class
	(which is the way to travel if you want to experience the
	realities and discomforts of Indian travel). The cost of First
	class travel is about 2-3 times the cost of Second class.

	I don't know if one can make reservations from outside India.
	I'll be willing to bet that it can't be done since Indian
	Railways aren't computerized.

	Indian Railways have a extremely wide network and go practically
	everywhere within India (as opposed to the airlines which go
	only to the major cities).

	The trains generally are not known for their puntuality (they
	are often upto 10 hours late on long hauls). You should expect
	your train to be late (both arrival and departure) about 10 to
	20 percent of the travel time, on an average.

	Most of the engines are still steam driven though diesel engines
	are replacing the steam engines on frequently travelled routes.
	Electic trains are found only within big cities. Most steam
	engines are of antique design (early 1920s) and though they are
	manufactured in India now, the design hasn't been changed in
	more than 50 years.

	If you want more information on any specific aspect of the
	railways, let me know. I tried to e-mail this to you, but the
	mail came back to me undelivered.
							- Raghu

	PS: An important concept to remember if you are travelling in
	India: PATIENCE. You have to be extremely patient with every-
	thing and everybody. People and things take their own sweet
	time and nobody is ever in any hurry. If you are of an impatient
	nature (or if you want to stick very closely to your schedule)
	you'll just get frustrated.