Pourriez-vous me raconter vos souvenirs de voyages en train?
J'ai lu quelques passages sur des expériences à bord des trains mais je voulais savoir si c'était juste de mauvais souvenirs ou carrément traumatisant afin que je puisse me préparer physcologiquement à ce que je vais voir.
J'adore l'Inde et je suis prête à beaucoup mais mon mari était un peu stréssé à l'idée d'y aller. Il y va pour me faire plaisir et je souhaite qu'il en garde un excellent souvenir afin d'y retourner le plus souvent possible. Je voudrais juste me préparer (et surtout le préparer à l'avance) à ce que nous allons vivre même si je sais que l'inde ne nous laissera pas sans surprise 😛
J'ai réservé le Marudhar Express entre Agra et Varanasi et le Poorva Express entre Varanasi et New Delhi en Sleeper si quelqu'un à déjà testé n'hésitez pas à me donner vos impressions
J'ai fait Jaipur-Agra en 2nd, et ben j'étais content d'arriver mais trop heureux de l'avoir vécu aussi!!! 1/4 de fesse sur le siège, un gamin sur les genoux, les jeunes assis sur les ventilos au plafond ainsi que sur les étagères pour les bagages, mon sac à peine visible ainsi que ma compagne à qui on avait laissé une place entière 😛...En fait tout le wagon se demandait se que l'on faisait là mais tout le monde était au petit soin pour nous! ça restera un souvenir inoubliable!!!
La ligne Varanasi-Delhi est connue pour ses vols de bagages, faire attention après chaque départ de gare, c'est là que les vols arrivent, les voleurs sautent du train. Bon je sais, ça ne va pas rassurer ton mari 🤪.....
"On ne fait pas un voyage. Le voyage nous fait et nous défait, il nous invente." (David Lebreton)
C'est rassurant, pour moi aussi je pense que c'est mieux de se retrouver au milieu du peuple de vivre ce qu'ils vivent au quotidien et être en plein coeur de toute cette agitation mais j'ai lu des messages et même des romans sur l'horreur les 35 heures de retard et autres .. j'ai même lu le message d'un internaute qui comparaient les trains indiens aux trains de déportation dans les camps.
Je me suis dis qu'il vallait mieux avoir différents témoignages afin d'être préparé à toute situation afin de pas faire la surprise à mon mari et de lui expliquer le meilleur comme le pire avant de le découvrir pour de vrai.
Merci de m'avoir donner le meilleur comme ça je mélangerai le meilleur avec un peu de pire et ça passera comme une pillule 😛
la seule fois ou j'ai du attendre 6h sur le quai 😕, c'était en gare de Varanasi. Mais comme tous les indiens, j'ai pris mon mal en patience en m'allongeant comme tous le monde et en piquant un roupillon😉. Au lieu de 23h, le train est arrivé à 5h, et avec le remue-ménage sur le quai à l'arrivée du train c'était impossible de le rater🙂
C'est la seule fois ou j'ai du attendre aussi longtemps, mais j'ai entendu dire que c'était assez fréquent à Varanasi🤪 Mais franchement on n'a pas de quoi s'ennuyer car les gares en Inde sont de véritables fourmillières; c'est un spectacle fascinant😉😏
Autrement la classe sleeper est extra, vous aurez votre place réservé, donc pas de problèmes. Les indiens sont sympas car souvent ils partagent leur repas avec vous et s'intérèssent à votre voyage. Pour moi, je n'ai que des bons souvenirs de mes voyages en trains; y compris les rencontres avec d'autres voyageurs de tous horizons: Japon, Portugual, Espagne...
Donc au pire, ne vous affolez pas et profitez, essayez de tirer du positif du négatif et vous en sortirez enrichis😉
Bon voyage et bonne journée, Kathy
"Le voyage est une espèce de porte par ou l'on sort de la réalité, comme pour pénétrer dans une réalité inexplorée qui semble un reve." -G. de Maupassant
"Dans un voyage le plus long c'est d'arriver à la porte". -Varron
Delhi Jaipur en sleeper...
nous étions 5, mais 4 couchettes par cabine, je me vois donc attribuer une couchette séparée de mes invités dans la cabine d'un monsieur indien qui portait le même nom que moi !!!
On a fini à 5 dans la même cabine, crises de fou rire, et pas beaucoup dormi, mes amis dont c'était le premier voyage en Inde perturbés par les toilettes du train, et du défilement des rails sous leurs fesses ! que des bons souvenirs !
le dernier voyage en train : Trichy - Rameshwaram, infesté de cafards, ils etaient partout. Par terre, c'etait le royaume des souris, mais, il y avait de quoi manger - les Indiens jettent les restes la ou ils peuvent ...
No stress,
3 voyages en Inde et expériences train très positive!
Pas cher et confort suffisant pour dormir (je ne dors pas dans les bus😕)
Je préfere aussi prendre mes provisions...
Les réserv par internet fonctionnent très bien.
Le sel : les rencontres....
Les bestioles? quelques souris🤪...les réactions des européens font bien rire les Indiens😉
A refaire? surement!🙂🙂🙂
Les retard? on est en vacances non?
A chaque voyage au Tamil Nadu je prends le train et j'adore ca:)) je prends le train à Chennai pour me rendre à Sattur (10 h minimum) et j'y fais chaque fois des rencontres sympas, les indiens sont souvent très curieux et la conversation s'engage vite, ils partagent volontier leurs repas, ou vous offrent un thé ou un café lorsque les vendeurs passent dans le wagon. Un jour un indien a téléphoné à sa femme pour lui dire qu'il parlait avec une française!! il en était très fier, il me l'a même passée mais, hélas je parle très peu le Tamil:)). J'y ai rencontré beaucoup de gens gentils, quelques fois des vieilles femmes ronchons qui veulent dormir rapidement donc tout le compartiment doit se taire. le train te permet de voir tranquillement le paysage sans te demander, comme lorsque tu prends un taxi, si le chauffeur ne va pas s'endormir tellement il parait fatigué.
Au hasard de ces rencontres j'ai été invitée à séjourner chez beaucoup de voyageurs, dans différents états de l'Inde, c'est drôle comme ils t'ivitent sans te connaître!!! invitation de pure politesse bien sur.
Il y a toujours quelques bêbêtes qui courent de-ci de-la, mais it is India!!! la prolifération des téléphones portables est parfois un problème dans les trains, ils sont tous accrochés à leurs téléphones et ils papotent durant des heures, même en pleine nuit quand toi tu voudrais bien dormir un peu:))
malgré les quelques inconvénients moi j'adore monter dans un train indien, et j'ai hâte d'y retourner.
J'ai pris le train en 2nd Class unreserved (c'est une classe en dessous de la Sleeper Class donc à priori ça ne t'arrivera pas mais qui sait?) plusieurs fois durant mon voyage en Inde (c'était mon premier voyage là-bas).
La montée dans le train est plutôt sportive et il est quasiment impossible d'obtenir un siège en dur, on voyage pris en sandwich, des personnes en-dessous et des personnes au-dessous de nous, pendant de longues heures (deux voyages de 8heures et un de 6 pour ma part, donc prévoir d'aller aux toilettes avant). La descente est marrante aussi, on embarque la moitié du wagon pour se frayer un passage et je ne compte pas le nombre de pieds/jambes/mains que j'ai du écraser sauvagement.
Mais mon dieu au niveau des rencontres, j'ai adoré! Les gens sont au petit soin pour toi (seul Blanc du wagon) et te proposent bouffe et boisson à volonté (c'est toujours drôle quand tu vois les vingts personnes qui se passent le petit morceau de pain qu'un Indien situé à 10m de toi t'a gentiment proposé!). Et puis la situation dans laquelle tu te retrouves favorise les échanges: comment ne pas rigoler avec le pauvre Indien qui n'a rien demandé et qui se retrouve écrasé contre la paroi à cause de ton sac à dos surchargé ou avec le gosse de 6 ans qui découvre pour la première fois un Blanc? Je garde des souvenirs inoubliables de ces rencontres, encore plus que dans la Sleeper Class. D'ailleurs mon prochain voyage se déroulera sûrement principalement en 2nd Class Unreserved, même si je dois sacrifier beaucoup de temps!
chaque année, nous voyageons par le train ( chennai- trivandrum_chennai, chennai Pune, pune_delhi non stop par duronto express!! par IIac ou des fois I AC( nous sommes des seniors et une bonne reduction!)vos impressions sont parfaits;sans exagération. un peu sale, des insects dans le trains meme dans II AC! surtout dans le sud; mais les passagers sont sympas! tres rarement en retrad, 30 min retard quand le voyage dure 17h!!
mais chennai -trichy à l'heure rockfort express!
suryanarayanan, paris
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!)
