Travel Routes in India

Hi there, Back in February this year, I did roughly the same route but from south to north. All by train and during the day to enjoy the scenery. Whenever possible, I prefer taking the train. After comparing bus and train options, I chose the train without hesitation—it’s significantly faster (on the Udupi to Gokarna route, the train took 2 hours less than the bus) and cheaper. For example, fares: Udupi to Gokarna for 85 INR. Gokarna to Margao for 60 INR. The prices are low, but these are "mail" trains—quite slow and with basic comfort. Have a great trip! !

Hi there,

Like Poto, I’d recommend the train (I’ve already done the route between Canacona/Patnem and Gokarna).

You can find all the info you need about traveling by public transport in India, which’ll make your searches easier. For all the details on trains in India (travel time, classes, fares, routes, etc.), ixigo is super handy. I find it more readable than Indiana Rail Info, which is also great. For buses, Redbus is just as good.

Happy planning!

Hi Porto Thanks for your reply 👍 Did you book your ticket at the station or on a website? Several days in advance? Have a good day

Hi Pagal, and thanks for the links 😊 I hope taking the train during the day will be easier than what we see in movies or documentaries 😅😅😅 Have a great day

Hi, For this type of train, no reservation is needed. You buy the ticket at the counter in the station before leaving. The trains I took earlier this year had a huge number of free seats. So it’s super easy! Have a nice day.

Thanks buddy! 😊

Hello,

Like Poto, I’d recommend the train (I’ve already done the route between Canacona/Patnem and Gokarna).

You can find all the info you need about public transport routes in India, which will make your search easier. For all the details on trains in India (travel time, classes, fares, routes, etc.), ixigo is super handy. I find it more readable than Indiana Rail Info, which is also great. For buses, Redbus is just as good.

Happy searching!

You stole my answer!!! IXIGO is perfect. But just to clarify, at the very last step—even after payment—you’ll be asked for the password of the IRCTC account you opened on their site to confirm the booking. So, you need to have an IRCTC account and remember the password or keep it handy... Redbus is great too, but sometimes not all possible buses are shown, especially those from KSRTC. Just make sure to distinguish between K(erala)SRTC and K(arnataka)SRTC ;)

Hello, For this type of train, no reservation is needed. You buy the ticket at the counter in the station before leaving. The trains I took earlier this year had a huge number of free seats. So it's really easy! Have a nice day.

Hi there, True, but it’s so much easier to do it from your phone without leaving your room... So easy that many of my Indian friends ask me to buy the ticket for them. ALL tickets can be booked on IXIGO. It saves you from standing in line! ;)

Good evening, Of course, I’ve got nothing against online bookings—they’re super useful, especially in big cities. In Gokarna, there were just 2 or 3 of us buying tickets, so it was really quick. Maybe I got lucky... In Udupi, I now remember buying it at a small agency. No one else around, quick and easy.

Hi Pagal, and thanks for the links 😊 I hope taking the train during the day will be easier than what we see in movies or documentaries 😅😅😅 Have a great day

Hi there, No problem—train travel in India is still a great adventure, even if, because of mobile phones, the classic 10 ritual questions aren’t really a thing anymore!!! Too bad. Safe travels

Hi Prem :-) The usual 10 questions??

Hi JM Oh okay :-) Thanks for the info So I’ll try to open this kind of account already, or else I’ll have to wait until I’m in India? Have a good day

Hi Prem :-) The 10 ritual questions ??

Hi Sandado, Before mobile phones, when a foreigner boarded a train, all the neighbors would come and ask the usual questions: what is your country? Where are you from? Are you married? How many children? What is your dharma (religion)? Your job? How much money do you earn? Etc... etc. For many foreigners, it’s annoying, but it’s actually a great way to make connections. However, be careful—Indian society has very codified relationships between men and women. If you’re a woman, it’s better to keep your distance from men and seek the company of Indian women, which isn’t possible for a foreign man.

Hi there Oh yeah, those kinds of questions 🤔🤔 Thanks for the reminder. It’s true that things like that aren’t interpreted the same way as they are here. Have a great day