Shalu Sharma's Blog

India travel tools • Indian Railways • IRCTC Indian Train Ticket Status Explained: GNWL, RLWL, PQWL, RAC and WL Decoder You have booked a train in India. Instead of a confirmed seat number, your ticket says GNWL 18, RLWL 7, PQWL 12 or RAC 4. What does that actually mean? This guide explains Indian Railways ticket status codes in plain English, including what happens when a waitlisted ticket is not confirmed. Use the free interactive decoder below, read practical examples, and print a simple one-page railway ticket reference sheet. TRAIN TICKET PNR STATUS GNWL 18 Original illustration: understanding your train ticket before you reach the station. Important boarding rule If every passenger on an IRCTC e-ticket is still waitlisted after chart preparation, that fully waitlisted e-ticket is not valid for boarding the train. A confirmed or RAC booking is different. Mixed-status group bookings need individual checkin...

Varanasi is considered the holiest of the seven holy cities in India. It is also the oldest city which is known to be continuously inhabited anywhere in the world. Earlier known as Kashi and then Benaras or Banaras , the pilgrimage center is situated on the banks of the Ganga (Ganges) the holiest of the 7 holy rivers of Hindu religion . The city is of religious importance to Jains and Buddhists in addition to being the salvation ground of Hindus. Sarnath, the place where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon is situated close to Varanasi. The city has seen its days of glory and also destruction at the hands of invaders. Today, it stands out in the world map as the center of Indian philosophy, spirituality, mysticism and Indian religious beliefs. Besides the temples, tourists are attracted to 84 Ghats of Varanasi where people make ablutions on the banks of the rivers. People often travel to the city of Varanasi from all over India and the world as well since it is well connected t...

At the moment the whole world is fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. It is best to avoid all public transport if you can. It does not make sense to enter places that have large gathering of people. The metro can be very crowded with limited ventilation. Also the surfaces within the stations and trains are prone to being touched by hundreds of people which is a major source of infection. Keep an eye on the Delhi Metro website here http://www.delhimetrorail.com If you are visiting Delhi , then my suggestion is that you avoid Delhi metro even when it reopens. If you must, then you should wear face masks that has at least 3 layers. These facemasks not only protect others but prevents air droplets getting through your mouth and nose and infecting you with the coronavirus. In such a situation, the best is to use a car or a taxi. This will limit the number of people you will come in contact with. When renting a private hire car in Delhi, you must ensure that the vehicle is sanitized before you ...

Groping in India is nothing new. Nothing has changed since the Delhi gang-rape , no securities have been provided in Delhi or any other metros in India. Women continue to get groped on India’s public transport . The way they do it is by deliberately touching body parts and pretending that it is an accident in the crowd. The most common parts where women are likely to be touched are the bottom and the breasts. In western nations; when someone sits on the seat next to you, they will try not to touch you at all. But in India, it’s completely opposite. When a man with bad intent sits next to you, they will cosy up to you and deliberately touch you. In these circumstances, you will need to shout at the man to stop touching you. There are good people all around and many will want to help you. Many of these men do it on purpose as they know that they can get away with it without being caught as the victim do not raise any voice against them for the fear of reprisal. Plus in a male dominated...

Many travelers visiting India are combining their tours to Nepal. Taking that into account, let’s look at the best ways to travel from Delhi to Kathmandu in Nepal? Depending on your budget and the time you have to spare; there are several options, ranging from an adventurous and very long bus ride, to direct flights, to train-and-local transport combinations. Here, we cover the more popular and quicker options from Delhi to Kathmandu – by air and by road. By Air You can get on a direct flight from Indira Gandhi International Airport , New Delhi to Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, which takes approximately one and a half hours. You have a choice of about five airlines with six flights including both government-owned and private operators. There are 7 flights per day. As value for money options, Indigo Airlines and SpiceJet offer cheap airfares and decent flight times. You can also choose the more up-market private airlines, Jet Airways. The Indian government-owned Air India...

A new scam has come to light. I got to read about this in a major Indian newspaper. They reported that 4 single women got sucked in this scam in the city of Bangalore . This is how it goes. As soon as the auto takes off, the driver hands the woman, two 500 Rupee notes in exchange for ten 100 Rupee notes. When the woman takes the notes then the driver suddenly takes the wrong route and asks for an extremely high fare. When you the woman demands the driver to stop, he threatens her with violence. There is nothing much one can do in such a situation. Only sane thing anyone can do is to comply with the driver, pay the fare they want and try get out of it. Here are some tips to avoid getting into these situations: Make a note of the registration number and ask the name of the driver. Take a photo of the registration number on your mobile if have to. Never take the money from the driver. Tell them you don’t have change. As soon as you feel as if the driver is going to do something wrong star...

The bicycle rickshaw is a widely used in many Asian countries for short distance travel, especially in eco sensitive areas and cities. The mode of transport is similar to carts pulled by horses; the sole difference being here is that the muscular animal is replaced by usually impecunious men whose impoverished condition has forced them to look for a physically strenuous job for some extra money. In India the rickshaw pullers are often people who have moved to urban areas to look for some extra money due to failure of income from their agricultural labour jobs. The lure is off course only the money they can make though the task is more physically demanding. The strenuous work of pulling the passengers in the cart, especially when they are going uphill takes its toll on the health of the rickshaw pullers who finally end up spending their earning on hospitals and medications.

Mumbai is one of the most populous cities in India. Travelling in the heavy traffic all the time is a headache to many people living here. Therefore, choosing the right mode of transport at right time in day is very important. So Let’s take a look at how to travel in Mumbai. Trains are one of the best ways to travel within the city as they are speedy. Only drawback about it is, they are too rushy during peak hours i.e. from morning 7.30am to 11am and then from 6pm to 10pm.

To explore any city in India one must be aware of the various modes of commutation that are available at hand. In most cities in India you would find the local state transport buses and hired cabs or taxis. In addition to these, larger cities such as Mumbai,  there is the option for “local trains” and Kolkata has the “trams” while Delhi has the “ metro “. However, the one mode of transport that is vital across most of India is the auto rickshaw . In fact, in cities and towns across the country, the black-yellow or the green-yellow rickshaws are the backbone of city transport. They are called “autos” by the locals. The seating capacity of a normal auto is 4, including the driver. There are also six-seater rickshaws in certain towns and cities. Normally their fare rates of these autos controlled by the government.

Often the best way to travel to any destination within India, especially for foreigners is by flights. I prefer the trains as there is no other way to see India then by trains and coaches. But if you’re short on time, it not only reduces the travel time but can be a safer and viable option. With the advent of many private players in the Indian Airline Industry, flying has become cheaper and hassle free in India. You can choose from government owned airline services and many privately owned carriers. However, the suggestion would be to avoid the government owned carrier for the quality of service is not up to the mark of those that are provided by the private carriers.

Travelling by train is the best way to learn about Indi a, its people, its culture , the villages, the smaller towns and the simple lives of the Indian people. A trip to India would not be complete without a train journey on the Indian railways. However a traveller to India must be warned of the severe overcrowding in Indian trains. India has one of the biggest, the busiest and is the most connected rail networks in the world. With a population that is creeping towards 1.5 billion, it is no surprise that trains often runs overcrowded. Overcrowded Indian train

The Indian Railways constitute one of the largest rail networks in the world. The first passenger train in India left Mumbai (then Bombay) on 16 April, 1853 for Pune. The rail network in the country has come a long way since. Currently it employs over one-and-a-half million people, links 28 states and three union territories, operates over 6,000 locomotives running on more than 60,000 km long tracks spread across the country and ferrying over 10 billion people (more than the planet’s population) every year. This gigantic network offers an unmatched variety of trains – from notoriously crowded trains whose photos you often see on the web to cruise trains that offer an  unrivalled luxury  – and unique way to discover India . Indian railways

After gaining popularity among teens practising extreme sports at the risk of their own lives in South Africa, Russia, Germany and other European countries; train surfing has arrived in India . Hanging outside the trains is not new to Indian citizens, as it is a necessity for them at times when the trains are overcrowded and next available train is not scheduled for hours. Train surfing is different in a way, that instead of hanging there with their hearts in their mouths, these youth treat it as wave surfing, skiing or bungee jumping and enjoy it to the fullest even at the cost of risking their own lives. Train Surfing in India

Is there any other way to explore the marvels and the rich cultural heritage of India than in style, this is exactly what the Maharaja Express has to offer. The maharaja express is one is one of the most luxurious trains on offer by the Indian Railways  and the Indian Tourism Departmen t. It happens to be the most expensive as well. Think of it as the “Orient Express of Europe”. As a matter of fact, it was voted in the top 25 trains of the world by the “Society of International Railway Travellers”. Indeed, it has the best onboard accommodation and dining facilities, off-train excursion programs fit for a king hence the name “Maharaja”.