Bangalore-New Delhi Rajdhani Express: My AC 2-tier travel experience

I booked the side lower and upper berths since I wanted at least 1 window seat.

BHPian DigitalOne recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Short review

AC 2-tier journey by the 22692 Bangalore - New Delhi Rajdhani Express

My last long-distance train journey was by the same train by AC 1-class back in 2015. Four of us had travelled then, and by a quirk of seat allotment we didn't get the same cabin - 3 berths were in one cabin while 1 berth was in another. The fourth passenger refused to switch berths, so it turned out to be a minor irritant. Otherwise, I recall that the journey was quite pleasant.

So the itch of a long-distance train journey had to be scratched. When an opportunity presented itself in the form of a wedding of a relative, I took it a booked an AC 2-tier in advance. I booked the side lower and upper berths since I wanted at least 1 window seat.

Pros

• Clean toilets; this was our biggest apprehension before the journey.
• General cleanliness was maintained. The cabins were being cleared of garbage regularly. Not so much near the vestibule but I guess they had to wait for the stations to clear the garbage out.
• Our train reached on time even as many trains/flights got delayed due to fog in North India that week.
• Large windows.
• The ride quality was quiet and smooth.
• Consistent and steady speeds over 100 kmph.
• Clean linens.
• AC worked perfectly. While the outside was biting cold, it was quite pleasant inside. Getting down at H.Nizamuddin station at 5.30 AM during a 'cold wave' was an experience by itself.

Cons

• Food was okay, but got monotonous by the second meal. It probably is a better idea to take the "No Food" option and book food via IRCTC delivery. I saw some passengers getting Domino's pizza delivered at Nagpur.
• Choosing side seats turned out to be a minor mistake. The seats are narrower, and it is not very comfortable to sit for long durations.

Other observations:

Pretty impressive infrastructure being developed along this North-south trunk route. All along the Secunderabad - Kazipet - Balaharshah - Nagpur - Itarsi route, a 3rd and 4th line is being built vigorously. I think the Itarsi- New Delhi stretch is already trebled(?). I guess in another 2-3 years this entire route would be trebled/quadrupled thus separating goods and passenger traffic and offering better speeds for both.

Dark blue liveried Alstom WAG 12 engines look seriously hot.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.