The train route through a thick forest to Dudhsagar waterfalls on the Goa Karnataka border in India.

Awesome train journeys in India we have been on

42 Comments / Photo essay, India / By
Trains are hands down our favourite way to commute. They are a window to an unknown world. You can peek into a stranger’s life, exchange stories with them, share their food or just be a silent observer. In the confinement of those few seats, there is much to do and see on the Indian Railways.

Trains are the lifelines of India tourism. Sharing some awesome train journeys we have been on in India.

Journey from Srinagar to Anantnag in Kashmir

We first had a look at these coaches on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. At Patnitop, a bevvy of cars was stuck in a bad traffic jam. A little ahead, we caught up with the culprit. A trailer truck was transporting some train coaches to Srinagar!

In the summer, you pass through lush green paddy fields surrounded by poplar trees. It is a very different image of Kashmir than one of the snow-capped mountains and undulating meadows. We were introduced to the real world scenes of rural Kashmir, where most people are farmers.

Read “People of the valley: Kashmir”

View of men and women dressed in traditional Kashmiri clothes doing farming activities in paddy fields in the summer months with tall poplar trees in the background as seen on the train journey from Srinagar to Anantnag.

Train journey from Srinagar to Anantnag, Kashmir, India

Journey through barren landscapes to Jaipur, Rajasthan

On this journey, we were within the cool confines of the Mumbai-Jaipur Duronto, oblivious to the dry scorching heat of the desert-like landscapes outside.

Read “Jaipur in 24 hours: A super short visit”

Dry barren landscapes on the Indian Railways train journey to Jaipur, Rajasthan

Scenes from the Indian Railways train journey to Jaipur, Rajasthan

Train rides in Kerala

When God’s Own Country is your tagline -well, that says it all. We don’t ever mind if the train has to make an unscheduled stop. Every scene in Kerala is like it’s come out of a postcard.

This was on the way to Trivandrum.

Read “A day in Trivandrum and Kovalam beach, Kerala”

Konkan railway train journey in Kerala

And these scenes are on the train journey to Alleppey to see the famous Kerala backwaters.

Read “Kerala backwaters beyond houseboat tours”

A view of Alleppey backwaters from train, Kerala, India

A view of Alleppey backwaters from train, Kerala, India

Konkan railway train journeys in Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, where the Konkan Railway route begins, the train initially passes through densely populated villages. The further we go away from Mumbai, the villages become smaller, and more apart. Farmlands increase. We caught this sunset towards the end of our Konkan Railway journey.

Konkan Railway train ride in Maharashtra

Konkan Railway train ride in Maharashtra

Konkan Railway train ride in Maharashtra

Konkan Railway train ride in Maharashtra

Konkan Railway train ride in Maharashtra

Journey outside the train engine to the Dudhsagar waterfalls

The most memorable train journey though is our ride to the Dudhsagar waterfalls. We had taken the passenger train from Madgaon to Kulem. After which the local guys “helped” us get on a goods train.

Actually – not the train, but the engine of the train. We stood outside the engine, holding on to the railings. The Braganza ghat (connecting Goa and Karnataka) had come alive in the monsoon. The air was fresh – and green. The wind was in our face. And the Dudhsagar waterfalls were right in front of us!

Read “Majestic Dudhsagar waterfalls and magic of Castle Rock”

Braganza ghat en route the Dudhsagar waterfalls

Standing outside the engine of a goods train as it passed through the dense forest on the way to Dudhsagar waterfall on the border of Goa and Karnataka in India.

Dudhsagar waterfall on the border of Goa and Karnataka in India are four tiered waterfalls resembling a cascading fall of milk.

Train journeys in India .are the lifeline of India Tourism

Do you have stories of memorable train journeys? Do share your stories with us in the Comments

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Jorney to Zanskar valley in India

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Sandeepa Chetan

Sandeepa and Chetan. Married. Indians. Exploring Travel as Lifestyle. Featured by National Geographic, Yahoo. We hope that through our travel stories we inspire others to make their dream into a reality.

42 thoughts on “Awesome train journeys in India we have been on”

  3. Rakesh Kumar Singh

    I like your blog and Images!! It’s good,I have a food on train blog and I would love to add travel to it! You make it sound so easy! I will becoming back to your nice blog!
    If you are one of them who is traveling by train and looking for ordering food online on train, then you must go with the RailRecipe. You can place your order through RailRecipe App or RailRecipe Website both.

    Reply
    1. Sandeepa Chetan

      Hey Wilbur, you’re absolutely right, the rail network in India is massive – taking you the small villages in all corners of the country. Just sit in the window, and observe as life passes by, the co-passengers change as does the landscape and the food available on the stations! These journeys are quite an experience!

      Reply
  6. Abigail

    Trains are the lifeline of India and they offer some of the best journeys and memories. I loved the articles as there 7 train journeys I haven’t had. I am now eager to travel and enjoy on these train journeys.

    Reply
  16. Maniparna Sengupta Majumder

    Wow! Stunning pictures. The most memorable train journeys for me are the narrow gauge toy-trains in from NJP to Darjeeling and from Kalka to Shimla. They are unforgettable.

    Reply
    1. Sandeepa Chetan

      Hey Maniparna, just reading the names of those stations is forming such beautiful images in my mind! We are yet to go on either of those journeys. Happy to know you enjoyed the pictures of our train journeys 🙂

      Reply
  18. The Untourists

    We love train journeys too, and I have many fond memories of journeys from Kolkata to Jamshedpur in my childhood. However of late things have become different. Toilets in the train leave a lot to be desired. On a recent journey from Jaipur to Jodhpur (6am types train) there was no food available throughout the almost 4 hour journey! We were starving! No food on the train, and most stations the train did stop at, had all the food stalls removed. I heard it was to make way for App based ordering of food in your coaches so you could order pizzas and burgers!

    I want my local food! I want the aloo- poories, the samosas, bread pakoras, the local delicacies!

    We reached jodhpur, famished and fed only on some biscuits!

    Reply
    1. Sandeepa Chetan

      You are so right about the toilets! And this news about the food situation is shocking. We are yet to come across this situation. On our last journey from Ernakulam, there was a lot of local food available. That’s the main part of what makes these train journeys memorable. I hope they don’t take away the true essence in the process of “development”.

      Reply
  21. Sunshine on my tea cup

    Wow! I am immensely fond of train journeys. What beautiful experiences you have! Not only do you cherish, you let us cherish the moments too – through your words and lens!!

    Reply

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