Earlier this year, We traveled the length and breadth of India by rail, and here are some of the most picturesque itineraries. You can also get some suggestions and recommendations on how to navigate the Indian train system.
1. Goa Express: Vasco da Gama (Goa) to Londa (Karnataka): On a Sunday afternoon, while families frolic in the ocean, friends chat in huddles beside the track, and the smoke from late-afternoon cooking flows into the carriages, this train creeps by Goan beaches. As the railway cuts through into the heart of Goan village life, bright pink blooms dangle so near you can reach out and touch them. As it enters the Western Ghats, the train accelerates through dense jungle, hugging the mountainside’s bends. Keep a lookout for distant waterfalls, which become more visible as the woods thin and the vista opens up to deep valleys and peaks. The sun should be barely set when you reach Londa.
2. Nizamuddin Duronto Express. Pune (Maharashtra) to New Delhi Duronto Express Route: The Duronto Express from Pune to Delhi is one of a small number of new non-stop express trains linking major cities. It takes six hours off the typical 26-hour trip. It has a beautiful route with a lot of different landscapes, and the onboard service is fantastic. The train trundles by rivers, deserts, mountains, and villages, as well as pyramid-like salt mounds drying in the sun, from 11 a.m. till dusk. Durontos – which means “fast” in Bengali – provide delicious meals included in the ticket price, impeccable hygiene, modern interiors, and sleeker reading lights, phone outlets, beds, and bottle holders. The trains are also derailment-proof, which is an extra bonus.
3. Madgaon (Goa) to Mumbai Mandovi Express: The Konkan Railway, which hugs India’s southwest coast and is sandwiched between the Sahyadri highlands on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west, is a picturesque route up to Mumbai. The British pondered building it but decided against it, leaving the Indians to dig through mountains, cross hundreds of rivers, and construct 92 tunnels and 2,000 bridges, including the Panvalnadi bridge, which is now India’s tallest viaduct. On this gorgeous voyage past sunlight paddy fields adorned with coconut and mango trees, little towns overflowing with wildflowers, and boundless expanses of water heading out to sea, the train doors are frequently left open.
4. Indian Maharaja Deccan Odyssey Mumbai to Delhi: The Palace on Wheels, formerly the king of India’s railways, has been dethroned by younger relatives. The beautiful Indian Maharaja Deccan Odyssey connects Mumbai and Delhi via Rajasthan and is the most cost-effective way to travel as the Rajput rulers did in the past. The same trip may be covered by passenger trains, but because most local trains are overnight sleepers without air conditioning, you miss out on the scenery’s charm and beauty. You can go tiger-spotting in Ranthambore during the day, visit the rapidly deteriorating caves of Ellora and Ajanta during the afternoon, and spend the afternoon at the Taj Mahal.
5. Island Express Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) to Trivandrum (Kerala): Kanyakumari, the southernmost part of India and a sacred location where three oceans meet, is a perfect point to start your journey on the railroads. The Island Express departs at 10.30 a.m. and arrives in Trivandrum in slightly over two hours. The train fills with a pleasant lemony-green color as it passes past rich vegetation, tightly-packed palm trees, and long grass verges typical of Kerala – therefore seat in a general class to ensure a decent view from the doors and open windows. Giant creepers dangle from the jungle-like area, and if you look closely, you’ll notice sugared-almond-colored churches and buildings, ladies pounding laundry, and men squatting in circles playing cards.
Source: theguardian.com
