• Study all the travelers around you after the train leaves the station. Don’ t show that you are afraid of your safety and security.
• Dress comfortably and wear shoes that can be easily removed. There are no change rooms etc. on trains, the bathrooms are small and the majority of people sleep in the same clothes they boarded the train in. Of course you could still pack a pajama along with your toothbrush!
• Don’ t take out expensive electronic items in the train compartments. Many people use their laptops in trains. Avoid using it while traveling in trains.
• Keep some Rupees in small denominations in a separate pocket. This way you don’ t have to pull out all your money every time you need to spend a few Rupees or perhaps give a tip to someone.
• While there’ s not much difference in the standard of the toilets between sleeper and air conditioned class, it’ s the cleanliness that counts. There are two toilets on both the ends of every compartment. At least one of these will be‘ western style’. However, it’ s the Indian style toilets that often stay the cleanest as the western style ones are frequently used.
• Peak time for bathroom use is usually between 8 am and 9 am, so it pays to get up early before the rush starts.
• Take some hand soap, anti-bacterial hand wipes and toilet paper in your hand bag with your toothpaste and brush.
• Most of trains has charging point in trains. But it’ s better for you if you carry a portable charger with you and use your phone wisely, don’ t waste your battery on unnecessary thing, keep your data connection off when not required.
Travelnjoy | January 2017 | 15