Train to Indore : My first overnight train journey.

Train journeys have always been fun for me, in this post I will write about my first overnight train journey. This happened few years back so I won't remember the exact date, so please pardon me.

I have travelled in trains for numerous times, but travelling overnight in sleeper class in freezing cold was a thrilling experience.

This is the story from winter of 2017. Me and my mother had to go to Indore, Madhya Pradesh for the wedding of her friend. We had to go by the 22943 UP Pune-Indore Superfast Express, which departs from Pune Jn at 15:30 on day 1 and reaches Indore at 8:30 on day 2. There are total 17 stops on the route. They are, Pune, Chinchvad, Lonavla, Karjat, Kalyan, Bhiwandi, Vasai, Surat, Vadodra, Godhra, Dahod, Meghnanagar, Ratlam, Nagda, Ujjain, Deawas, Indore.

Me and my mother were accompanied by her few friends from Mumbai. We had to depart from my house in Kothrud at approx 1:30 and reach the station by 3:00. The station is approximately 45 mins away from my home, but the traffic which we have to face, takes 15 minutes. We left our home on time, but as I said, there was terrible traffic near Sasoon Hospital, we reached station 10 minutes late. But, luckily the train had come on the platform but there were 15 minutes for departure and we got our seats on time, which were in the sleeper class. I had got middle berth to sleep whereas my mother was on the upper berth. 

The train departed on time from Pune Jn. But as always there was a long maintenance halt at Monkey Hill near Lonavla, which took about an hour and the train was running 1 hour late. But, from Karjat till Vasai it was running late by 5-10 minutes. Now, it was time for dinner, which my mother had brought from home. After Vasai the train directly stops at Surat at 22:55 HRS, but the train was running late so it reached Surat 2 hours late. But, after Vasai at around 22:00 I went to bed, I slept on the middle berth and mom was on upper berth. The sleep was very challenging, the first reason being the freezing cold and the berth had become very cold. The second reason was my curiosity to look out of the window. But somehow I managed to sleep. Besides that my mother also didn't sleep well due to the tension of my safety. Soon after sleeping the Bright lights of Surat and Vadodra station brought barriers in my sleep. Fortunately, I drank a cup of tea on Vadodra Station which decreased the cold till some extent. Now, let me tell you that the train was still running late, it had reached Vadodra 1.5 hours late. But, thanks to the loco pilot who managed to coverup the distance within stipulated time and the train reached Ratlam on time(I have skipped Godhra and Meghnanagar because I was sleeping) and I woke up for a while on Ratlam station but then for a brief period of time and woke up at 6:45 Am. I enjoyed the beautiful sunrise from my window. I had breakfast at around 7:45, and yes the train was again running late and it reached Ujjain 1.5 hours late, it was around 8-8:05 Am and yes again the train halted in the Ujjain Siding for around an hour. Yes, the arrival at Dewas was also late. But, wait the struggle doesn't stop here after Dewas the train halted for around 2-2.5 hours in small small halts. In addition to this the Avantika Express which departs from Mumbai after our train had already reached Indore before its time. But ours was still running late.

Finally after the prolonged struggle of the night and the barriers in sleep we finally reached Indore, Madhya Pradesh 2hrs 45mins late from its scheduled arrival (8:50 Am) at 11:15 Am.

But, wait it deosn't end here, one of my mother's friend had lost her phone. It had slipped from the coach window, but no one noticed it. We spent another 1.5hr at the RPF office lodging the complaint.

Finally, we reached the venue safe and sound but after a prolonged struggle.

In conclusion, my first overnight train journey went horrible, I would say it was the worst experience I had with trains.

This was it for the week, meet you in the next blog with some more interesting topics till then, stay home, stay healthy and stay safe!!