Cheapest Rail Journeys in India for Tourists
The railways of India provide the most luxurious and the cheapest trips in the country in order as long as you know what routes to take and in what way to book. To see the hill scenery with a shoestring, choose the UNESCO-listed toy trains: Kalka Shimla (Himalayan Queen) and New Jalpaiguri Darjeeling (DHR): both have an unforgettable loops, bridges, and mountain views and second-class seats or chair cars a fraction of the cost of tour buses. In the south, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway between Mettupalayam and Ooty winds tea-covered hills on antique coaches, and the short NeralMatheran service is an extremely inexpensive excursion into a car-free hill-station.
In the case of sea-and-coast drama, the Chennai -Rameswaram route passes through the legendary Pamban Bridge–book a window in Sleeper or 3A and enjoy the view without the high fares. Mumbai Goa Konkan line (trains such as Mandovi/Jan Shatabdi) is cut through 90+ tunnels and skywalks; make sure to avoid weekdays when there are several holidays and use Chair Car/Sleeper to keep prices down. Vistadome coach of Visakhapatnam Araku is a minor indulgence in the east but Chair Car on the same train Vistadome coach is affordable though it still takes in the Eastern Ghats and coffee valleys.
Money-saving booking tips:
- Book on IRCTC 30-120 days ahead; get cheaper on any non-holiday day.
- Purchase Sleeper or Second Seating (2S) as it is the most economical; 3A only during long overnights.
- Alternate Jan Shatabdi/Intercity with premium Shatabdi/Vande Bharat with equivalent timings and at lesser rates.
- Where available use telescopic fares by making longer through-tickets which would permit stopovers, which can sometimes save on a per-km basis.
- Carry and bring a snack; book an early reservation and a window seat in scenic parts.
Examples of cost-effective routes:
- Kalka to Shimla (Himalayan Queen): mountains, tunnels, vintage coaches.
- New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling (DHR): tea gardens, Batasia Loop scenes.
- Mettupalayam Ooty (NMR): steep turns, foggy forest.
- Neral to Matheran: car-free hill Santuary with short distance.
- Chennai to Rameswaram: Pamban sea bridge.
- Mumbai to Madgaon (Goa): Konkan cliffs, rivers, monsoon falls.
- Visakhapatnam -Araku: Eastern Ghats tunnels and valleys.
Early reservation, smart classes and picturesque corridors will enable you to cross mountains, jungles and coastline at the cost of a city taxi- this is evidence that best views in India ride on a dime.
