6 tips on travelling India by train

There's no better way to travel through India than by train. Planning your own rail odyssey? Monisha Rajesh, author of Around India in 80 Trains, helps you navigate the subcontinent’s trains

1. Get equipped

Pack ear-plugs, an eye mask and toilet roll. While some bedding is provided with certain tickets, bringing your own sleeper sheet will help guard against occasional bed bugs.

2. Book in advance

Tickets go on sale 120 days before departure, so make reservations. It may be cheaper to buy an IndRail pass from Shankar Dandapani, the UK rep for Indian Railways; the 15-day (£116) to 90-day passes (£330), travelling in AC2-tier, are best value.

3. Don’t buy from touts

Never buy tickets from anywhere but the train station, the official site (www.irctc.co.in) or from cleartrip.com, as they’re sold through one central computerised system. The government website only accepts Amex; Cleartrip includes a small surcharge but is easier to navigate and accepts all foreign credit cards.

4. Know the trains

Indian Railways offers different services, speeds and prices. Shatabdi fast trains provide an excellent two-class, air-con chair-car service. Rajdhani services are fast and smart, linking big cities with Delhi. The Duronto services offer non-stop links between major cities. Mail and express trains are slower, older and more prone to accidents.

5. Get clued up on class

For short or daytime journeys, general class (sharing benches) is the most fun; for overnight journeys/hotter months, book a berth in AC3-tier or AC2-tier. Single females should opt for an upper berth to avoid wandering hands.

6. Eat the food

The food is one of the best reasons to use Indian Railways. It’s included on Shatabdi, Rajdhani and Duronto trains. On other services, staff will take your order; pay around Rs 100 (£1.20). You’ll return with either a stomach of steel or a tapeworm.