Indian Rail Handbook; Includes timetables and 80 maps

by Nick Hill, Royston Ellis & Bryn Thomas with foreword by Mark Tully

• ISBN13: 9781873756874
• ISBN10: 1873756879
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2011-04-01
• Publisher: Trail Blazer Pubns

Summary

India has the most comprehensive railway network in the world, with almost all tourist attractions accessible by rail. For most visitors, travel by train is the preferred means of transportation: the ideal way to see the country. This handbooks features the following: >Rail travel for all budgets--how to book tickets, where to buy an Indrail pass, which class to travel >Rail atlas with gazetteer--all 7326 railways stations in India covered on 80 rail maps >Railway history >Special trains--Palace on Wheels, Royal Orient Express, Darjeeling Toy Train, Matheran Hill Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and Kalka-Shimla Railway >Timetables >Getting to India--rail holiday specialists >Thirty color photographs

Author Biography

Nick Hill headed off into Asia after completing a design degree at university; several fascinating years later he had crossed the continent overland four times. He has contributed to several Trailblazer guides and he coauthored this guide as well as researching and drawing all the maps. He currently lives in Bangkok.

Royston Ellis first won fame as a poet in the 1960s performing "rocketry" (rock 'n' roll poetry) on stage with musicians who later became known as The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. Under the pen name of Richard Tresillian he is the author of several novels including The Bondmaster and numerous guidebooks including The Bradt Guide to Mauritius and The Bradt Guide to the Maldives. An honorary member of the Institute of Rail Transport (India) he was consultant for the National Geographic television special on Indian Railways. He wrote the guidebook, India by Rail, from which this book was developed.

Sir Mark Tully, for many years the BBC's correspondent in India, wrote the foreword. He is the president of the Indian Steam Railway Preservation Society.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Planning Your Trip Getting to India, Making a booking, Before you leave, Rail travel in India, Obtaining information, Reservations, Fares, Classes, Rail passes, The Indrailpass, Major routes and services, Travelling the network, Scenic routes,The trains, Other long-distance trains, Suburban and interurban trains,Tour and itinerary options, Introduction, Planning a 14-day itinerary, Some 14-day itineraries,Itineraries for an Indrailpass, Pre-planned packages, Planning your own itinerary,Itinerary variations and side trips

India Facts about the country, Geography, Climate, Environment, History, Practical information for the traveler, Arriving in India, Getting around, Where to stay - Accommodation and eating out, Time, Post and telecommunications, Electricity, Banks and money matters, Tipping, Holiday periods, Culture and leisure activities

The Railway System History,Trends and the future

Special Trains

Atlas & Gazetteer 80 rail maps, gazetteer

Appendices

Timetables

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.