Traveling by train and bus in Rajasthan (page 2 of 3)

I think I misread your reply.

You mentioned that prices were fixed in India, right?

Sorry about my France price history reference—something people under 40 probably don’t know about...

(Edit: our replies crossed)

Yes, I was talking about trains in India!

About the price thing, forget it—I just don’t agree with you. Just because haggling is a hassle for you doesn’t mean it is for everyone: for me, it’s one of the pleasures of travel. But as I’ve already told you, I usually visit places where prices are more or less the same for everyone... Maybe other travelers don’t see things the way you do and want to get an idea of the real prices. Plus, you’re kind of dodging all the examples I gave, which doesn’t make the discussion very constructive. But personally, I don’t mind that you like paying more—it doesn’t bother me at all!

So why keep coming back to price and money questions? Great point! Because, like in this discussion for example, there are people who’ve never been to India and are asking for advice. It might be more helpful for them to know the real cost of things and form their own opinion about what they want to pay on the spot, rather than telling them, "Do like me, pay 3 times the price—it doesn’t matter to know the real prices because it ruins the trip."

Hi everyone, Originally, my question was mainly about trains and buses in India. So, the SNCF... 😄 Thanks anyway to all of you for your info

I didn’t say I was paying three times the price for things.

I just said I don’t exhaust myself in a quest for the "real" price.

Either the price works for me and I go for it, or it doesn’t and I move on.

I don’t try to haggle it down, and I don’t hunt for the deal of the century—which usually ends up being the worst one from my perspective.

The price that doesn’t work for me might be the actual price (an iPhone, for example—I don’t see the point in spending that much on a phone).

The price that works for me might be expensive for the country: the Indian TGV, a great meal in a wonderful setting.

I’ve finally learned to delegate (= middlemen) for things that save me time (Kate’s website, for example) and that ultimately cost nothing compared to the overall price of a trip.

The right price is the one you’re willing to pay. 🙂

That’s exactly what I understood, which is why I replied with details on all the train and bus classes available in India—their prices, differences, how to find schedules, fares, and buy tickets. Stick to that 😉

Yeah, we get carried away quickly on this forum.😉

You still have a few leads, right?

I also used MakeMyTrip for my trips to India.

If anyone can confirm if it’s still being used recently?

I think MakeMyTrip is now closed to non-Indians... The best options are really ixigo.com for trains and redbus.in for buses.

Ixigo also seems to be limited.



Why keep things simple when you can make them complicated seems to be the motto adopted by Indians...

😮😮😮 Wow, this is really recent because I used it just a few days ago to check routes... Now we're left with just the good old IRCTC website...

So why all the discussion about prices, getting ripped off, the best deal, etc.?

Honestly, these little debates about haggling weren’t really necessary. Pagal was just sharing tips for buying a train ticket at the best price. I know I paid top dollar. But it was my first time in India, first days in India, and I had a meet-up in Agra I couldn’t miss… so I went for the simplest option since I wasn’t aware of any alternatives.

Haggling is an endless debate, and it’s very personal. I actually enjoy it—it’s part of the travel experience for me, and I see it as a game.

You didn’t pay full price—just 0.5 euros more. Taking a rickshaw to the station or a shop would’ve cost you more. That’s what I call wasting energy for nothing...

The Agra-Delhi express train in executive class costs 1,490 rupees, which is 14.45 €. 1h55 journey.

The cheapest price I found is 95 rupees—barely a euro. But at that rate, it’s an old-school train: 4h30 travel time, no AC, little chance of leaving or arriving on time, etc.

These are the fares without commission.

That’s everything, Kate, thanks!

I managed to access the schedules, availability, and fares. It’s really useful though.

I also found a train that was more expensive than the one you took. Well, it’s still only 50 cents more...😄

But you're going to India?

Not tomorrow, no! But this kind of discussion can be useful.

I’m looking into Sikkim.

Ladakh is too high up—my partner gets altitude sickness.

😮😮😮 Well, this is quite recent because I used it just a few days ago to check routes... All we have left is the good old IRCTC website...

I just used it right now !🙂

Hello everyone, Originally, my question was mainly about trains and buses in India. So the SNCF...😄

After reading everything that’s been said here, I was also wondering what the SNCF had to do with your question...

I think MakeMyTrip is now closed to non-Indians... .

Not really... it's not a question of Indians vs. non-Indians. These are political decisions I won’t go into here... But if you're in India—not in France or elsewhere—you can totally access MMT (MakeMyTrip) and book whatever you want: buses, trains, hotels, etc. And I don’t hold back... You can also do it from France with a VPN ;) as if you were in India... "India for Indians" like... soon...

Ixigo also seems to be limited.



Why make it simple when you can make it complicated seems to be the motto adopted by Indians...

Hi, no problem using the app (Android for me). The website has been blocked for several years. Best,