j'aimerais avoir des infos pour un futur trip en Inde.
Vol A-R pour delhi.
3-4 semaines
Mon projet serait de faire Delhi - Agra - Jaipur _ Delhi entre février et juin 07.
Transport uniquement à pied ou en train. Il paraît que le réseau ferroviaire indien est très développé.
Logement à l'hôtel pas trop miteux mais pas cher quand même.
Si vous pouvez me conseiller avec vos expériences.
D'avance merci
C'est à la difficulté que l'on mesure le plaisir, proverbe tibétain (je pense)
Une remarque : séjourner dans cette région fin avril mai juin n'est pas le meilleur choix car c'est la canicule et la sécheresse avant l'arrivée de la mousson; début février, il fait certes meilleur qu'en Belgique mais froid la nuit. Enfin, pourquoi pas.... A mon avis, la meilleure saison serait après la mousson, c'est à dire septembre, octobre car la nature est verte et le climat excellent.
Oui, le train est un excellent moyen pour visiter l'Inde, non seulement pour les déplacements (pas chers, réseau très dense) mais aussi parce qu'on y vit avec les indiens. De plus, si on est amateur de chemin de fer, c'est vraiment intéressant d'observer l'organisation de cette énorme entreprise (archaïque mais efficace) que sont les indians railways. Deux difficultés les premières fois : acheter un billet et trouver son train et sa voiture dans les immenses gares de Delhi et d'ailleurs.
Pour acheter son billet : de France (de Belgique), sélectionner un ou plusieurs trains pour une destination à l'aide du site internet de l'Indian Railways; depuis l'Inde, acheter dans un kiosque à journeaux, à la New Delhi railway station par exemple, le time table "Trains at a glance" et se familiariser avec; les premières fois, choisir la classe 2AC (ou Chair Car sur les trains Shatabdi); après avoir sélectionné avec précision son ou ses trains (nom, numéro, date et heures de départ, gares de départ et d'arrivée, classe), acheter ses billets au premier étage de la New Delhi railway station (depuis la cour de la gare on voit une grande affiche "Tourist office"); s'attendre à ce que les trains soient parfois complets (les premières fois ne pas accepter de waiting list); en avoir sélectionné au moins deux au préalable; si l'on est perdu pour trouver son train et sa voiture, ne pas hésiter à solliciter un porteur (facilement reconnaissable à son habit rouge). Il portera bien sûr les bagages (environ 15 roupies par bagage) mais il vous conduira directement à votre place; dans les autres gares, demander aux indiens où trouver un formulaire, en prendre plusieurs, remplir au préalable le côté en anglais (remplir deux formulaires avec deux trains différents, au cas où le premier train serait complet), et faire la queue (les queues paraissent longues mais on y arrive facilement avec un peu de patience et en acceptant que les règles et la discipline soient différentes de celles auxquelles on est habitué, ne pas s'énerver envers les indiens qui vous passent devant, ça ne sert à rien....).
Pour les hôtels, quand on ne connaît pas l'Inde, se munir du guide "Lonely planet" de l'Inde du nord. Il n'est pas difficile de trouver un hôtel à Delhi ou à Jaipur. A Agra, c'est plus difficile dans le sens où il n'y en a pas près de la gare qui est excentrée par rapport à la vieille ville et aux lieux touristiques.
Agra est une ville vraiment sous-développée où le touriste est une véritable "vache à lait", à cause de la renommée du Taj Mahal (c'est à ma connaissance le seul endroit en Inde où existe ce phénomène). Le prix d'entrée du Taj est exhorbitant pour les non-indians (mais après tout, ce n'est pas plus cher que l'entrée de n'importe quel monument parisien). Les vendeurs de souvenirs sont les plus pénibles que je connaisse : s'armer de patience, marcher le plus lentement possible et les ignorer (c'est difficile), ne pas leur répondre ou regarder leur marchandise, s'asseoir et attendre en regardant les gens ou en buvant un chaï, en résumé être le plus zen possible : ils ne sont pas agressifs et sont mêmes sympathiques, ils veulent simplement vendre à tout prix leur service, mais ils sont vraiment "usants" et gacheraient presque la visite du Taj et du Fort (il faut le savoir et en prendre son parti). Pour les rickshaws, c'est un peu la même chose mais on en a besoin (ne pas avoir d'état d'âme et faire jouer la concurrence); une calèche depuis le Taj jusqu'à la gare est très agréable et coûtera un peu plus de 50 roupies.
2. cliquer sur 'trains between important stations'. Normalement, tu trouveras les gares origine et destination dont tu as besoin
3. sélectionner gare départ / gare arrivée et la classe souhaitée (nb.1.tous les trains ne proposent pas nécessairment toutes les classes) (nb.2 voir le site http://www.seat61.com/India.htm pour une idée sur les différentes classes
ensuite cliquer sur 'get it'
4. une page s'affiche avec les différents trains proposés ( mais parfois un seul). en sélectionner suivant les horaires qui te conviennent le mieux et aussi suivant les jours de circulation
5. cliquer sur 'get fare' et le prix s'affichera.
Il est aussi possible en cliquant sur 'get availability' et en sélectionnant le jour de voyage souhaité ainsi que le 'genral quota' ou 'tourist quota' de voir les places disponibles.
Je suis du même avis que Stalingrad (dont le message ci-dessus est excellent) : ne pas se lancer sur des places en waiting list pour une première approche.
Tu peux déjà télécharger un formulaire de réservation sur le site http://www.indianrail.gov.in/ dans la section helpfu links, où il est écrit home en rouge, tu sélectionnes reservation forms et ensuite Reservation Form Image & Print
ou encore lorque tu es à la page proposant les différents trains entre 2 gares, cliquer sur 'reservation form'
Pour les tarifs des trains, Mosquito a répondu. Pour les endroits où se rendre depuis Delhi c'est très subjectif et je connais mieux l'Inde du sud que l'Inde du nord. Je dirai simplement ceci : quand j'arrive à Delhi et que j'ai quelques jours à "perdre", je ne peux pas m'empêcher de prendre le train pour Amritsar (6 heures en train Shatabdi), d'y séjourner environ deux jours pour me rendre plusieurs fois et passer plusieurs heures dans le Golden temple des sikhs (il compte parmi les dix endroits que je préfère en Inde). Un autre endroit facile d'accès en train avec une ambiance hindoue cette fois : Haridwar et Rishikesh (je suis allé jusqu'à Gangotri et jusqu'à une des sources du Gange = Gaumukh mais j'étais avec des amis indiens, seul cela m'aurait moins plû). Je ne connais pas la vallée du Gange après Rishikesh, seulement Varanasi (Bénares) : je n'ai pas été frappé au point d'y revenir (d'autres voyageurs, si).
Le Rajasthan en période chaude et sèche, je déconseille. Par contre, un itinéraire (en train de préférence) de Delhi jusqu'à Bombay en s'arrêtant par exemple à Agra, Ajmer (lieu de pèlerinage soufi très intéressant), Mount Abu (extraordinaire temple jaïn et bouffée de fraicheur en saison sèche), Sanchi près de Bhopal, Ajanta et Ellora près de Aurangabad (impressionnant), est à mon avis une bonne idée. Nota : je n'ai cité que les lieux que je connais mais il y en a des dizaines d'autres (exemple : Gwalior).
J'ai trois questions d'ordre pratique qui concernent le voyage en train.Les pipi rooms sont-ils pratiquables?Nous avons reserve deux places dans une couchette AC3. Les couvertures sont-elles fournies? Ou faut il anticiper en piquant cette de l'avion?Nous prenons le train entre Delhi et Jaisalmer. Il y aura un arret de 40 mins a la gare de Jodhpur (rassurez vous nous y repasserons au court de notre periple...) que nous conseillez vous de faire. Je pensais a un bon petit dejeuner. Que me conseillez-vous?
Tout d'abord, merci à tous les participants réguliers, qui m'ont permis en parcourant les conversations d'obtenir pas mal d'informations déjà. Et surtout des…
J'ai réussi a créer un compte sur le site irctc, mon email est vérifiée, j'ai payé la taxe de 100roupies pour mon numéro de téléphone français, mais...je ne…
Je compte partir avec un copain, sac a dos, 3 semaines a partir du 10 novembre pour l'inde du sud. le circuit n'est pas encore fait. déjà compliqué pour…
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?
Hi! I’d like to make stops across France, starting from Reims, and travel by train using the Intercités. I want to discover the landscapes and picturesque villages, and make some stops along the way. Could you give me some tips? Thanks!
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!)
