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Vande Bharat Express Train from Delhi to Agra - India Train Travel
Updated: Jun 16
In what was our first train ride as foreigners in India, we take the Vande Bharat Express directly to Agra from Delhi. In this post we will show you what the train was like, how we got tickets, what to do at both stations, and other things you may need to know.
Thank you for stopping by, and a warm welcome to our India series here on Jenn & Leon Travel Blog. We had always wanted to visit this country, officially the 7th oldest in the world, and not only was the time finally upon us, but it came with our good friends and fellow Youtuber's Jackson and Marjo!
If you missed our earlier posts and would like to catch up, head over to our dedicated INDIA page or look out for the links in this blog.
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How to book tickets for the Vande Bharat Express
The booking process can be pretty overwhelming as the IRTC website is not very user friendly for first-timers like we were. There are so many stations, trains and options, and the interface is complex and dare we say it, very dated. That being said, it is functional and does work, but there are some important steps to take for this to go smoothly.
1. Create a user account on the Indian Railways website: You can do this by clicking on the "Create New User Account" link on the homepage. You will need to provide your name, email address, and a password.
2. Verify your user account: Once you have created an account, you will need to verify it by clicking on the link in the confirmation email that is sent to you.
3. Log in to your account and select your journey details: Enter the origin and destination stations, the date of travel, and the number of passengers.
Important: Once you have registered, you must click trains, and then 'tickets for foreigners'. If you go directly to the search, you will not be able to book the tickets.
4. Select the train and class of travel: There are different types of trains available in India, including express trains, passenger trains, and mail trains. The class of travel determines the level of comfort and amenities that you will have on the train. Be sure to choose the A/C Car for the best comfort.
5. Enter your passenger details: You will need to provide the name, age, and gender of each passenger.
6. Make the payment: You can make the payment using a credit or debit card, or through net banking (some foreign cards are not accepted, ideally use credit).
7. Receive your e-tickets: Once the payment is successful, you will receive your e-tickets via email. You can print out your e-tickets or show them on your mobile device at the time of travel.
Additional tips for booking train tickets in India as a foreigner:
◆ Book your tickets in advance: Trains in India can fill up quickly, especially during peak travel times. It is advisable to book your tickets at least a few weeks in advance, especially if you are traveling during the holidays.
◆ Be aware of the different types of trains: There are different types of trains available in India, each with its own set of amenities and features. Make sure to choose the type of train that is right for you and your budget.
◆ Choose the right class of travel: There are different classes of travel available on Indian trains, each with its own level of comfort and amenities. Choose the class of travel that is right for you and your budget.
◆ Be prepared for crowds: Indian trains can be very crowded, especially during peak travel times. Be prepared to deal with crowds when you are traveling by train in India.
◆ Have your e-tickets ready: You will need to show your e-tickets at the time of travel. Make sure to have them ready at the checkpoint.
Read on for more on what was included in our ticket, what to do at the respective train stations, and our overall experience rating.
The train station in Delhi (Hazrat Nizamuddin)
We took a taxi to the station from our hotel and it was relatively easy, bar some traffic and the usual incessant drone of horns. The station itself is a little rundown on the outside, and there are many homeless people that seem to be living along the sides of the road leading up to it. We were dropped off at the front, just past them, but it was really sad to see.
There is no wheelchair access here so you do have to carry your luggage up some stairs, before making it to the ticket counter area. This is basically just a large empty space, where many people were hanging out, sleeping and waiting. It seemed strange that there were no chairs or anything, and this practice of being on the floor turned out to be quite common in most areas of the station.
We wanted to check in at the desk to make sure we were in the right place, and to confirm our platform. It was very easy to get to, pretty much just a direct route straight from the entrance, heading over the tracks. Even though the station is a little rundown it is indeed well organized and there are plenty of signs, in English too, to help you along the way.
There are several snack stalls on the platforms, so you can grab a drink or a quick bite while you wait. We got there pretty early and we were grateful this was here as we were very thirsty!
As we were in the 2nd class A/C car, we needed to head nearer to the end of the platform to wait. There is no shade from the sun there though so we decided to wait in the middle area of the platform, which of course happened to be the busier part too. If you look above you will find that there are digital signs that indicate the numbers of each car as and when the train arrives, so keep an eye out for those so you can identify where you need to be.
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What was included in our ticket
We booked the A/C car and that is what we got; it was wonderfully cool and definitely a nice break from the heat outside. It was one below the highest class but absolutely worth it. The seats were comfortable, there was overhead storage, and bathrooms too (a squat and western toilet). It was perhaps not the cleanest of trains, but certainly manageable.
When you are booking the tickets you will be asked for your preference of vegetarian / non-vegetarian options. We were not entirely sure as to what this was for on the IRTC website, as it did not make it clear that there would be food.
As it happens we were pleasantly surprised to have been given a really good variety of snacks! This also included water, apple juice and a ginger tea. You can see it all in more detail in our YouTube video below.
The interesting thing about this is prior to the food being served, there were several staff touring the coaches and offering chocolates and chips for 40 rupees each. This happened right at the beginning of the journey, and even though we knew we had selected our preferences for food online, we did not know if that meant we were actually going to get food.
So we did indulge and bought some, and it was very cheap in any case. However, it seems odd to us in hindsight that this happened, given we were served all of what you see in the photo. It kind of feels a little scammy, and we had a fair few comments on our YouTube video deriding this! We only spent a dollar on them, so no harm done. Perhaps we should have just been more patient!
Watch our YouTube video to check out the inside of the train
Check out the inside of the train and more on the food in our YouTube video! We start the video from outside Hazrat Nizamuddin and show you where to go once you are there. We document the train journey, test the food, and also show you Agra Cant station.
If you enjoy our video and want to follow more of our adventures please do like and subscribe! Your support truly is invaluable to us and we will always strive to produce the best content we can from around the world!
The train station in Agra (Agra Cant Station)
Agra Cant is not the last station on this line, so if you are getting off here be sure to pay attention to the train announcements, and be ready to disembark as the train will not wait here for too long (we say this as we thought it was the last stop, and almost did not make it off the train!).
This station is very much like Hazrat Nizamuddin, although perhaps not as big. It is pretty straight forward to find the exit, and there is no need to present your tickets on the way out. The most interesting point of note for this station was actually monkeys, yes monkeys! There were a fair few of them hanging around, mainly in the rafters. They did seem pretty harmless, although you can never be too sure. Do be careful with your belongings just in case!
While getting out of the station was easy, the hard part of this journey had only just begun. Once outside, it was crazy! Like moths to a flame we were quickly, and most annoyingly, swarmed by taxi hawkers. It can be easy to exaggerate but honestly in all of our travels, we have never encountered anything quite to the level of what we experienced in Agra. Within what seemed like seconds we were totally surrounded by at least a dozen people, all trying to push us into taxis and rickshaws. We could not get a moment to even talk to each other! It was a relentless bombardment and they would not take no for an answer.
We wanted to book an Uber as we prefer the security and protection that the app gives. We appreciate that the taxi drivers just want to try and get business, but they would not even give us a second to breathe. Jenn was trying to locate a pick up point, and the whole time we were being harangued and hassled. It actually got to a point where we started getting a little angry, as even when we tried to move to a different spot, we were just being followed.
It was all just too much, so we decided to just try and get out of the main station car park area, onto the main road. This was likely where the Uber would come, although it was still a tricky spot as it was not very clear on the app. We had to wait a good ten minutes or so, and as you can see in the video we still had an audience. Most of the hawkers had resigned to just standing close by and staring, which was fairly intimidating to say the least! We could not wait to get out of there, away from this chaotic place!
It may sound like we are moaning a little, and we appreciate these guys are just trying to earn a living. But the way they are going about it is all wrong in our opinion! Swarming, harassing and intimidating tactics that simply made us want to resist them as much as we could. This was definitely one of those times that we were grateful to be a foursome. If it were just us two, it would have been super hard to fend them off. And we cannot even imagine how tough it would be for sole travelers! You have been warned...
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Our Vande Bharat Express experience rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
In comparison to using buses / coaches in India, the Vande Bharat Express was has to be the smoothest process we encountered. Booking online was slightly complicated but from there everything is very straight-forward.
The train stations were fairly easy to navigate and the train ride itself was super smooth. The complimentary food is a very nice touch, albeit not the greatest quality. The train car was relatively clean and comfortable though which was the most important thing. Maybe more expensive than taking a bus, but definitely a great option that is still very affordable. We highly recommend this method of transport in India!
Coming up: Drama in Agra: Great hotel, a very rundown area, Delhi Belly, and Jenn missing the Taj Mahal
For all of our excitement in going to visit one of the world's most famous monuments, there was a major problem that threatened not only our journey to seeing this wonder of the world, but also our entire India adventure. Two words... Delhi Belly.
With Jackson already sick, we seemed to be doing okay. That soon changed on the night we arrived in Agra, with us both of us spending the entire evening on and off the toilet. With only a couple of days planned in Agra it was a fight with our bodies just to be able to make this famous mausoleum. Sadly, Jenn could not make it, and our stomach issues ultimately ended up almost derailing our entire India trip. Indeed, we did end up cutting it in half.
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Our New Delhi itinerary
Check out all of the places we visited in Delhi courtesy of this interactive map from Wanderlog. Tap any of the numbers for more information including directions, our blog posts, links to reviews and much more.
Wanderlog is a free travel planning app for iOS and Android devices that allows users to create trip itineraries, organize flights, hotel and car reservations, view places to visit on a map, and collaborate with friends. It is super handy and has made a big impact on our travel planning. It saves time and is super easy to use!
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