12GoAsia lets you do it but adds extra fees we’d rather avoid—like an extra 9 € in taxes for two Ahmedabad–Mumbai tickets that cost 38 €.
https://12go.asia/fr
The same tickets are 3360 rupees on IRCTC.
Hi,
We’ve had an IRCTC account for several years. We’re visiting India again this year, but we haven’t been able to book tickets on IRCTC. We keep getting rejected at the credit card payment stage. It seems we’re not the only ones this is happening to. We ended up using 12Go Asia instead, even though it’s more expensive and not all trains or classes are available for booking.
For me, it was impossible to create an IRCTC account before my departure because it required an Indian phone number. In the end, I decided to go about it differently. First, I asked the manager of one of the hotels we’d booked with—someone I’d gotten to know a bit on WhatsApp—to book our first train journey for us, the most urgent one, and I reimbursed him through a well-known international money transfer service that charges minimal fees. Then, once I arrived, I did things the "old-school" way and went to a station to book the rest of my tickets for the trip.
Turns out it was simpler and more fun than trying (and failing) to create an IRCTC account
Hi there,
Thanks for your feedback and experiences.
I think we’ll use https://12go.asia/en for the first leg, then play it by ear and buy tickets at the stations for each stop after that.
Alod
Be careful—booking your ticket for each leg separately can be risky because Indian trains fill up very quickly, and you might end up without a seat if you book too late. If your itinerary is set, you can buy all your tickets at once at the first station where you make a reservation. Otherwise, you can fall back on private buses (which can be booked the day before) or public buses (no reservation needed) when possible.
yes it’s possible. Registration is a bit tedious, but once it’s done you can buy any ticket
Sorry to contradict you, but from France it’s impossible for the simple reason that they send a mandatory OTP for confirmation, which can only be sent to an Indian phone number...
Hello,
We’ve had an IRCTC account for several years. We’re visiting India again this year, and we couldn’t book tickets on IRCTC. We kept getting rejected at the credit card payment stage. It seems we’re not the only ones this is happening to. We ended up using 12Go Asia, even though it’s more expensive and not all trains or classes are available for booking.
Mr. Modi banned the use of international credit cards for all official Indian websites—and even some online agencies like MakeMyTrip or Cleartrip—years ago...
I’ve had to help travelers book tickets here in India many times when they asked.
That said, don’t you think it’s completely normal for a provider like 12Go to charge a fee?
Be careful, buying your ticket for each leg at a time can be risky because Indian trains fill up very quickly, and you might end up without a seat if you book too late. If your itinerary is fixed, you can purchase all your tickets at once at the first station where you book. Otherwise, you can fall back on private buses, which can be booked the day before, or public buses (no reservation required) when possible.
Even in the past, you always had to book well in advance, but since Indians have started traveling for leisure, it’s become even worse. I’ve been on the WL (waiting list for those who don’t speak English) more than a month in advance...
As you said, you need to book your tickets as soon as you’re sure of the dates, trains, and the class you want to travel in. Tickets are refundable for a small commission, which isn’t too bad. There’s even insurance at a minimal cost that allows for a full refund.
I book all my tickets quickly using the (Indian) ixigo app.
Traveling by train has become quite complicated if you leave it to the last minute. Unless you travel in General class without a reservation, at your own risk, to find a seat.
Hello,
We’ve had an IRCTC account for several years. We’re visiting India again this year, but we’ve been unable to book tickets on IRCTC. We’re rejected at the credit card payment stage. It seems we’re not the only ones this is happening to. We ended up using 12Go Asia, even though it’s more expensive and not all trains or classes are available for booking.
Hi, I’m in exactly the same situation.
My IRCTC account, which dated back to 2014, seemed to have been wiped—plus, I couldn’t use my phone number when I tried to create a new one because the system recognized it as already in use. So I used another number, paid the $1 or so, and despite that, my credit card payments still don’t work.
I also ended up using 12Go Asia, which, on top of being more expensive (sometimes 2X), doesn’t offer all the booking options.
Thanks for all your feedback and tips!
We’ll either use 12Go Asia for the most in-demand routes that might sell out or book directly at the stations (like we used to).
Safe travels!
Alod
Hello,
We’ve had an IRCTC account for several years. We’re visiting India again this year, but we haven’t been able to book any tickets on IRCTC. We keep getting rejected at the credit card payment stage. It seems we’re not the only ones this is happening to. We ended up using 12Go Asia, even though it’s more expensive and not all trains or classes are available for booking.
Hi, I’m in exactly the same situation.
My IRCTC account from 2014 seemed to have been wiped, and on top of that, I couldn’t use my phone number when I tried to create a new one because the system recognized it as already in use. So I used another number, paid the $1 or so, and despite that, my credit card payments still don’t go through.
I also had to fall back on 12Go Asia, which, on top of being more expensive (sometimes twice the price), doesn’t offer all the booking options.
Je trouve le site de cleartrip genial mais je n arrive pas a reserve, car on me demande un numero de tel indien, que faire? QUELQUN PEUT IL M AIDER? merci
Quelqu'un sait-il comment, en étant en france, réserver une place de train en inde directement par internet (et éventuellement imprimer le billet sur son pc)?…
Je me suis inscrit sur le site irctc pour reserver des billets de train en Inde mais lorsque j'arrive sur la page du paiement, la Mastercard n'existe pas dans…
J'essaie depuis 2 jours de réserver mon train pour le 20 Octobre: Delhi - Varanasi en 2 A impossible d'y arriver! j'ai bien été enregistrée - je mets delh -…
Je souhaite reserver des billet de train Mumbai - Ahmedabad pour le 09 juillet. J'ai lu partout, sur differents forum, que le site internet pour le E-Booking…
I’m planning our very first trip to mainland France in January 2027. There’ll be 2 adults and 2 kids, and we’ll mostly be traveling by train.
Here’s our itinerary:
Paris
Rouen (Normandy)
Lyon
Aix-les-Bains (with day trips to Annecy and Geneva)
Saint-Gervais-les-Bains (with Chamonix and a day in Aosta)
Back to Paris
Do you think this itinerary is well-balanced? Any tips, must-see spots, or mistakes to avoid for a first-time visit?
I can’t seem to complete the payment for my trip on the IRCTC (Indian Railways) site. No matter which payment method I choose, my Visa card isn’t accepted.
Has anyone here managed to do it, and if so, could you share the method you used?
Thanks in advance!
Charlie
I’m planning a family trip in a year. Our goal: traveling to China (and maybe Hong Kong) by train.
I’m all set with the route up to eastern Turkey.
However, I’m just starting my research for the rest of the journey—namely the Caucasus (no trains as far as I know, so buses and/or ferries), then Central Asia and China.
So, I’d love to hear any info or tips (general and forward-looking at this stage) about the train route through Central Asia and China to reach the east coast.
I’m particularly interested in details on:
- How far in advance to book / any potential difficulties with reservations
- Whether there are PASS systems (or equivalent) between countries and/or if some tickets allow stopovers, meaning you can hop on and off as you please
- Day trains vs. night trains (the latter option lets you explore cities between two legs of the journey)
- A rough idea of ticket costs
...
A huge thank you to anyone who can share some info or experiences. It’s also a great opportunity to chat about adventure after (way too) many years away from this forum.
I’m planning a trip around Italy using only trains or public transport in October (hoping the weather stays nice!).
I’d obviously like to see some tourist destinations, but I also want to get off the beaten path a bit, and I’m hoping to find some help here? I don’t plan to linger too long in the cities.
Starting in the north, I’d like to visit Lake Como or Lake Orta, pass through the Cinque Terre for some hiking, spend a few days in Naples and Rome, then head down to Sicily.
Hi there,
I’ll be traveling to Japan this coming August. We’ve finalized our itinerary and booked our flight tickets. Now I’m at the stage of buying train tickets for the few segments we’ll need to cover:
Tokyo - Hakone
Hakone - Kyoto
Kyoto - Osaka
Osaka - Tokyo
Here are my questions:
a) Is it possible to buy train tickets for these segments from Canada?
b) If so, which website should I use to do this?
c) And if it is possible, will we be able to print our tickets from Canada?
d) If it’s not possible, where in Tokyo should I go to buy these tickets when I arrive?
Hi everyone, I wanted to take the Paris-Berlin overnight train with a sleeper berth, the new service operated by European Sleepers.
24/05/2026 17:45 Paris-Nord (actually 16:00 from Paris Bercy Seine) -> 25/05/2026 9:59 (actually 7:30 in Berlin)
05/06/2026 18:31 Berlin (actually 20:00) -> 06/06/2026 10:00 Paris Nord (actually 12:30)
Part of the journey was operated by bus instead of the promised overnight train.
For 2 people: 340 € round trip
A total disaster. Never again. I was really looking forward to taking the overnight train, but we faced last-minute changes and truly unpleasant travel conditions. Here are the details:
1) 2 days before departure: email announcing a change of departure station for the outbound trip—Bercy Seine bus station instead of Gare du Nord.
2) Change of schedule: 4:00 PM from Bercy instead of 5:45 PM from Gare du Nord.
3) Change of transport mode!! A bus from Paris to Brussels, then an overnight train from Brussels to Berlin. No functional toilets on the bus. No children under 4 allowed on the bus.
4) On the sleeper train at 9:30 PM: no functional toilets in our carriage, so we had to go to other carriages, even in the middle of the night, to find working ones.
5) The onboard staff, though very friendly, were as lost as we were. In particular, they didn’t know how to handle the lower berths, so people using them had less space (armrests and backrests). Berth numbers weren’t respected, so some passengers had to move. The staff also didn’t know who was supposed to join the compartment during the journey.
6) Arrival at 7:30 AM in Berlin instead of 10:00 AM. No arrival announcement. Passengers had to search for staff to get breakfast and ended up with just a coffee (breakfast = 15 €, not bad for just a coffee).
7) Return trip: drastic schedule change announced by email on 26/05/2026—departure at 7:30 PM instead of 6:30 PM, with arrival between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM in Paris instead of 10:00 AM. No change in transport mode announced.
8) Change in transport mode announced by email on the same day (05/06/2026)!! Overnight train from Brussels to Berlin, then a bus from Paris to Brussels. No functional toilets on the bus. Children under 4 banned from the bus, and families in this situation were asked to find another way—after being notified the same day.
9) The overnight train arrived at Berlin station with a 30-minute delay on top of its initial delay (scheduled for 6:31 PM, then 7:30 PM, finally arriving at 8:00 PM). The heating was blasting in the compartment with no way to turn it off. No functional toilets in the carriage. From that point on, customer service stopped responding to my messages.
10) Woken up at 5:00 AM with an announcement in all carriages about arrival in Liège.
11) Woken up again at 6:00 AM to be told we’d arrive in Brussels at 7:00 AM.
12) Arrival in Brussels at 7:00 AM and a one-hour wait for the bus to Paris. No functional toilets on the bus.
13) Arrival at Paris Nord at 12:30 PM, so 2.5 hours late compared to the originally scheduled time.
14) The overnight trains used are very old—I recognized the carriages from 20 years ago!! No functional power outlets, no Wi-Fi, no air conditioning. Five people per compartment is a bit cramped, but I consider these conditions expected (especially the air conditioning), so I’m not complaining about that. There’s already plenty to gripe about with the travel conditions.
I have little hope of getting even a partial refund. Customer service emails acknowledge the discomfort but only offer to reimburse the cost of a coffee on board if we send them the receipt... a bit weak.
I’m sharing this experience in the hope it might help others.
Hi there,
I’d like to take the Train of the Clouds from Lima to Huancayo.
I’ve heard it only runs during certain periods.
Does anyone have info on this?
Thanks!
HuancayoHuancayo
As part of my professional thesis, I’m conducting a study on the evolution of long-distance rail transport in France, particularly since it opened up to competition.
I’ve put together a very quick (about 5-minute) and completely anonymous questionnaire. Your answers will help me better understand users' expectations regarding pricing, frequency, and environmental impact.
We’re planning a 15-day trip to Uzbekistan in March—classic independent itinerary: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva. We’d like to take the train between each city, but I don’t want to lock down the whole trip before we leave.
So, my question is: is it absolutely necessary to book train tickets before departure, whether for the high-speed trains or the regional ones? Is booking really essential for the regional trains?
Hello,
We’re traveling as a family with two boys aged 10 and 12 to Cairo in February. During our trip, we’re planning to take an overnight train (with or without a sleeper) for the Cairo-Aswan route.
Do you know how I can book this remotely?
Also, I’m looking for:
- A local contact to sail the Nile by felucca for 3 days from Aswan
- A contact to guide us in Cairo
Looking forward to your tips, and thanks in advance!
Marie
Hi everyone,
I first traveled solo to Japan in 2019, exploring the Kyushu region (28 days), and I’m planning to return with my daughter (she’s an adult and it’ll be her first time in Asia) from April 25 to May 9.
I’m reaching out on this forum to ask for route ideas—this time north of Tokyo, but without heading to the Sapporo island (I’m saving that for a future trip).
I’d love to take advantage of the cherry blossom season and its festivities.
I’m looking to create a route that’s a little off the beaten path while staying within 5-6 hours by train from Tokyo to avoid spending too much time on transfers.
Thanks in advance for sharing your suggestions and experiences!
Michael
I'm heading to MEXICO IN NOVEMBER 2025. Since private guides and drivers are really expensive—over 300 € per day—I'm thinking of exploring the Yucatán by train. CAN YOU SHARE ANY INFO ON THIS? Thanks
Hi there!
We’re planning to visit Serbia (1 week) and then Montenegro (2nd week) with our kids from April 18 to May 4. We’d prefer to travel by train (overnight if possible), but we’re not sure which platform to book on or when to do it (is it too early?). If anyone has any tips, I’m all ears!!
I wanted to know if it’s possible to go from Tashkent to Almaty by train without passing through Kyrgyzstan. I’ve heard the border is often closed 😕 between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Thanks in advance!
Olivier
Hi there!
We’re planning to head back to Istanbul next year—obviously by plane—and then take the train from Istanbul to Antalya. Has anyone here already made this trip by train with TCDD?
I’d love any tips or info that could be useful for us!
I'd like to go to Montserrat on my own from Barcelona. Share your suggestions with me.
Which train should I take, where to get off, what to see once I arrive, etc.
I need to take a sleeper train from Bangkok to Vientiane in January.
I found some ticket options on 12Go Asia, but booking doesn’t seem possible at the moment. I’ve tried simulations for several dates, but no luck.
I’m wondering if it’s already fully booked, if they’ve stopped selling tickets… yet 12Go still features it every day 😕
Has anyone else run into this issue?
Can I find tickets on another site? (I tried Baolau, but no sleepers left for January 8th.)
Hi there,
I’m a bit late to be worrying about this, but hopefully someone can help me before I leave.
Tomorrow afternoon, I arrive at Lyon Part-Dieu on the TGV at 5:50 PM and take the TER to Mâcon at 6:16 PM. Is a 26-minute transfer doable? Are the TGV and TER on the same departure board? And are they on the same platforms too?
I’ve been to Lyon before but never had to make a connection after arriving.
Thanks
Starting November 15th, I’ll be arriving in Thailand, and during my stay, I plan to visit the north, around the Chiang Mai area, then head south to the Krabi region.
After Krabi, I’m planning to take an overnight train to Bangkok. I was wondering if there’s a train that leaves from Krabi or Trang, or if I absolutely have to go to Surat Thani?
Also, which official website can I use to book my ticket?
Next, since I’ll be arriving at dawn in Bangkok, I’ve planned to spend 2 days in Kanchanaburi. What’s the most convenient way to get there—bus or train? And if you know any companies or websites, that’d be great.
Hi there,
Does anyone know if there’s a bus from Luang Namtha to Boten to catch the train coming from China to Vientiane? If so, what’s the name of the company? Also, how long does the bus take to cover that distance? What’s the condition of the road like?
Thanks for your help!
Tom
I just realized there’s only one payment method accepted for booking the Mombasa-Nairobi express train ticket online: M-Pesa, a mobile money transfer service used in Africa. Would it be impossible to book as a European?
I’d love to know if any of you have recently eaten on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
We’ve always ordered food on the train, and it was really good (and super convenient).
But in 2022, we ended up feeling like total idiots (with our 4-year-old daughter...) when we boarded the train only to find out that this service was no longer available... (It was the first time we’d traveled right after COVID.)
That’s also when we saw once again how kind Thai people are—they all offered to share their food with us, even though we were mortified. In the end, we managed to buy some instant noodles, which was better than nothing. Anyway, that’s the little story behind it.
In the following years, we’ve always brought our own meals.
I’ve read online that meal trays are back in service (could you confirm this, please?), but that the quality is really poor. I’ve also seen multiple reports that, even though you can eat well everywhere in Thailand, the train meal was the worst food travelers had during their trip...
Could you give me a recent opinion on this?
We’ll be departing from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station—do you know if there’s anywhere to buy a meal there before boarding the train?
Thanks so much for your help,
and have a great Sunday!
We’re heading to Thailand in February 2026 and we’d like to take the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Can we book two first-class tickets? I’m only seeing second-class options.
Hi everyone,
For traveling in Rajasthan by train and bus, could you give me some info: where to buy tickets, cost, purchase locations, websites, etc.?
Any tips you have would be super helpful.
Thanks
We’re traveling to Java on October 23, just the two of us.
I’ve read that it’s best to book train tickets in advance on tiket.com.
Is that true, and how far ahead do you recommend?
Are the tickets changeable?
Hi everyone,
I’m planning to travel from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk by train this summer but I’m a bit worried about crossing the borders. How does it work? Could anyone share their experience? (I’ve found quite a few accounts of people going *from* Russia *to* Mongolia, but entering a country is never the same as leaving it—especially in this context!)
Can anyone tell me how to book train tickets online? We're planning to travel from HANOI to HO CHI MINH CITY by train, making several stops along the way. I'd also like to find the schedules and the stations where the trains stop.
There are four of us, and we've already planned stops in HANOI / DONG HOI / HUE.
