Vande Bharat Express was also running on this route but I chose this coach in Pragati Express as I wanted to try something more unique.

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Introduction

Some rides happen by chance and this is an account of my chance ride from Mumbai to Pune the Vistadome way!

Background

I had to make two official back-to-back trips - one to GJ and another to MH and decided that instead of doing flights back and forth to my current base in the south, I'd rather spend the weekend in Surat and continue my next leg to Pune from there. The plan was cast - travel August Kranti Tejas Rajdhani Exp to Mumbai, transit from Mumbai Central to Mumbai CST, and take another train from there to Pune. When I was examining evening options from CST to Pune, Vande Bharat Exp was there, but when I was looking to try something more unique, pop came the options of Vistadome on Pragati Express and the Deccan Queen. I chose Pragati Exp for multiple reasons:

• Earlier departure than the Deccan Queen
• Opportunity to try the Vistadome coach
• Opportunity to explore a new route (Panvel to Karjat)

Ride#1 - Surat to Mumbai Central by August Kranti Tejas Rajdhani Express

I've travelled by this train umpteen times from when it was introduced as Air-Conditioned Express (in the early 90s) but got to experience First AC on the Tejas coaches for the first time.

What has changed

• Nice looking comforter in a neat-looking bag
• Neat carpet
• Excellent washrooms
• Complete coach cleaned before arrival at the destination
• Carpet covered with a vinyl cover to prevent it from getting soiled

What hasn't changed

• The good old foldable table used by caterers to serve beverages and meals
• The design of the berths is no different from First AC on other trains
• Coach was freezing cold - a common problem with all Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches

View of the First AC cabin - nothing different

Comforter put away in a zipper bag - quite neat

Clean carpet

Black Coffee on board

Cornflakes (milk on the way)

Followed by Upma neatly served

Crossing Vaitarna station before entering Virar

Ride#2 - Mumbai CST to Pune by Pragati Express

I'd reached the platform quite early, and so had to cool off for over an hour before the coach was opened. Before other folks could come in, I took a quick tour of the coach. The coach EV1 is at the fag end of the train on the CST - Pune sector. It makes little sense to take this coach on the Pune - CST sector as the loco would block views from the viewing gallery.

What I liked about the Vistadome coach

• Beautifully upholstered seats
• Transparent panels on the roof
• Luggage rack just outside the coach on one end - no overhead bins as in other coaches
• Wide viewing gallery at the rear end makes one feel as if one's riding in an AC caboose

What I disliked

• Washrooms (available only at one end of the coach) poorly kept
• Roof glass panels were all dirty - unobstructed view of the sky overhead was lacking
• Some passengers placed their feet on the panel in front; poor decorum

Small yet significant observations

• One can't take pictures from the Viewing Gallery in low outside light - the reflection overpowers the camera
• Best views from the Vistadome coach Viewing Gallery are enjoyed when the coach is at the rear of the train and when the outside light is good

Let the pictures speak

Vistadome coach as viewed from outside

Viewing Gallery with the loco in front - this is how the view would have been on the Pune to CST sector

Viewing Gallery - unobstructed view when the coach is at the end of the train

View of the cabin from the Viewing Gallery

View of the cabin - just Wow!

View of the roof - note that the transparent panels are letting some light in but aren't clean

Luggage rack

Some passengers who love to stretch and dirty the panel in front

Views from the Viewing Gallery enroute Panvel to Karjat

Panvel - Karjat line merging with the main Ambernath - Karjat line

Banker locos coming in to get attached - views from the Viewing Gallery will be lost, but enough shots already taken

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

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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.

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Never shy away from the common man's class; you will be pleasantly surprised with the comfort it offers, especially in winters/monsoon.

BHPian vigsom recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Introduction

Sleeper Class train travel - this would be the default mode of transport for most of us in the 80s and 90s and beyond until affordable air travel and deeper pockets spoilt us all with air-conditioned coaches and air travel. This is a brief travel account of my 300km countryside train ride in Sleeper Class a few months ago.

Why Sleeper Class?

Very simple - there was no accommodation on the AC classes on this train and I had to travel that day. While chance of confirmation of AC accommodation was slim given that I was boarding at a remote station, sleeper class berths were available aplenty. So, "Follow the Blue Ocean strategy ", I said to myself.

Palakkad Jn. - one of the cleanest railway stations I've encountered

Sleeper Class

What I liked

• Pure countryside air to breathe
• Clean coach and reasonably clean washrooms
• Berth comfortable enough for a journey in good weather
• Opportunity to savour local food enroute (vadai, sundal(chhole), superb home made tea served by lady hawkers)

What I didn’t like

• Wind in the face can make one's eyes go itchy and watery; this is especially true if one travels immediately after the monsoon or during dry spells during the monsoon
• Can get nasty if too many unauthorised passengers get in (fortunately I didn't experience that)
• Some fans need a nudge by a comb to start moving

Groundnuts at Unjalur

Home made tea sold by a hawker at Kodumudi - this was the best tea I've ever had anywhere during any travel

The coach

I chose a side upper berth so that I could keep myself away from the wind, and the pollens, as I didn't want itchy eyes, continuous sneezing and a runny nose. I was perched on top for most of the journey except when the train had stopped. There were several unscheduled halts but given the float this train had, it made it to my destination in good time.

Inside the coach - very neat

Washroom - not too bad

Halting at Uthukuli - known for its butter

Closing Comments

• Never shy away from the common man's class; you will be pleasantly surprised with the comfort it offers, especially in winters/monsoon. Travel rates - beats even ordinary buses hollow
• This is the class where one can see hawkers and their local fare; something that one rarely gets to see in the Airconditioned coaches

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The SL class is decent and 3A is top notch. The AC is cool, washrooms are clean with liquid soap available all throughout the journey.

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Off late, we are seeing numerous Train Travelogues and reviews which prompted to start sharing train related reviews.

Although a petrolhead, I am more into trains, Indian Railways, zonal level operations as a rail fan, rail enthusiast and an activist kind.

Taking the local MMTS to KCG.

So, let me present you the my travel experiences in an underrated train, Kachiguda KCG - Chengalpattu Express 17651/17652 which I used to take journey from KCG Kachiguda to TRT Tiruttani or AJJ Arakkonam.

My relatives live in Sholinghur(SHU) which is between Arakkonam and Katpadi main rail line or on Tiruttani/Arakkonam - Chittor - Kadapa NH.

This is the only daily train with excellent timings from KCG to travel this area of state after Renigunta. Hyderabad is badly connected to places after Renigunta towards Arakkonam or Katpadi side.

As usual, the dirty rail tracks after KCG curving towards Musi River and Malapit.

Zoom and observe the Dead P4 behind an EMD.

Now this train leaves at 17.00 hrs from KCG travelling via Kurnool KRNT, Dhone DHNE, Kadapa HX and RU. Although it is an express/mail category, it enjoys extremely high priority in this sections and has speeds of Superfast with very good average speed.

The rake is of Utrkrisht rake maintained by Hyderbad CDO at KCG station. The rake would be extremely clean when leaving from KCG as that is the 1st leg of the journey.

The rake has RSA Rake Sharing Arrangement with Kakinada CCT - Chengalpattu CGL Circar express which goes back ancient times in IR.

So, the pattern of rake is KCG CGL CCT CGL KCG.

The SL class is decent and 3A is top notch. The AC is cool, washrooms are clean with liquid soap available all throughout the journey. Food options are less in this section of travel and this train is no exception.

This train gets an unique set of up locos pulling it. From KCG to Dhone DHNE, there is a dead WAP4 from LGD/AJJ loco shed behind a GY WDP4/4D.

At the Dhone station, the EMD is unhooked and the rest of the journey is done by the E-loco till Chengalpattu.

This is done as the KCG Dhone isnt fully electrified thus, SCR tries to save money and time by banking a dead P4 behind the EMD till Dhone.

This train reaches Renigunta(10 kms near to TPTY) around morning 3.30 and most of the crowd gets down here.

One might wonder why should some take this train to TPTY when there are half a dozen daily direct trains to TPTY. Catch is, this train reaches with nil slack to Renigunta and if someone wants to the Alipiri steps, they can start the uphill by 4.30 and reach Tirumala by 8.30 am max. There would be buses at the Renugunta station waiting for passengers to ferry till Tirupati bustand and Aligipiri gate. It would take around 45 mins and one can start up hill journey as early as 4.30.

With other trains reaching around 5.30 with usual delays, one cannot start the uphill before 6.30-7am.

After Renigunta, one can get to stations like Nagari and Puttur in AP state and Tiruttani TRT in TN state. Tiruttani has famous Murugan temple and one access interior places like Sholinghur, Arcot and Ranipet from TRT easily.

No one travels in this train to Chengalpattu via Madras Egmore and Tambaram as they can easily get down at Arakkonam and proceed by road saving time.

For Katpadi Stretch, one can get down at AJJ and take local trains or Intercity Express going towards KPD.

All said and done, this train is so underrated that one can tickets easily when compared to Madras SF or Charminar as the route is longer when compared to other two trains if traveling to Chennai.

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Unlike the Vistadome coaches, there is really no luggage restriction in this, cabin (trolley) bags can nestle behind ones legs under the seat as well, at a pinch:

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I had my Bangalore Chennai Vande Bharat ride a few weeks ago, sharing a few pictures here

High quality, massive window blinds - make sure you ask the adjacent passenger before moving it:

Nice reading lights which work and are effective, although they have never dimmed or turned off the overhead cabin lights for this to be used:

Double glazed windows ensure a quiet ride, which I can vouch for after a near back to back trip in the Shatabdi for comparison. There is significantly less pitch/roll too, overall ride quality and NVH feels like a D segment+ car:

The regular (CC) class has a 2+1 layout, narrow armrest and you need to 'share' the sole middle one with your co-passenger. If that bugs you then EC class is the way to go, otherwise seats in the CC are quite well sized:

Phenomenal leg room for my 180 cm frame, this is where fast premium trains can trump LCCs:

One long uninterrupted luggage shelf can easily take large (check in sized) bags longitudinally, the extra large (overseas spec) bag probably needs to have a transverse layout.

Since there are no partitions, one can make incremental shifts to a long line of bags to magically get a snug fit for one's own. That said, I think the luggage shelf atop the 3 seater section can be wider for increased capacity.

Unlike the Vistadome coaches, there is really no luggage restriction in this, cabin (trolley) bags can nestle behind ones legs under the seat as well, at a pinch:

Roof cladding and ducts (finally) look world class:

I happened to get the emergency row and there was this console staring at me:

A step change from how we perceive our train travel, much like how we felt travelling in the first Volvo B7R back in the day; coming from AL and TML buses.

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Decided to go for the Executive Chair car on the Vande Bharat, though it is twice the cost and nearly as expensive as a flight to Bengaluru.

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It has been a couple of months since the Chennai - Mysuru Vande Bharat express was launched, finally got my chance to ride this train to Bengaluru. I generally try to take newly launched super fast trains very soon after they get flagged off, to get that “fresh” experience of the train. Did the Chennai - Madurai Tejas express on Day 2, but various other priorities prevented me from trying out the Vande Bharat earlier.

The perfect opportunity arose when my engineering batchmates decided to meet in Bengaluru to get together with two of the visiting America-basis. Although flying would have been more efficient this time, as the meet-up was at the Angsana resort near the Bengaluru airport, however, the draw of trying out the Vande Bharat made me choose the train over a flight this time. I would have loved to drive, especially since I had acquired a new BMW only a week ago, but since I was recuperating from a shoulder injury, which made driving slightly painful, decided against it.

On a recent journey on the Tejas express, I felt the regular Chair car was a bit cramped. As one gets on in age, subconsciously one seeks more comfort. Decided to go for the Executive Chair car on the Vande Bharat, though it is twice the cost and nearly as expensive as a flight to Bengaluru. Also, it would be a good chance to check out the seating and comfort features of this flagship class.

Took a cab and reached Chennai Central station by 5.25 am. The Vande Bharat had secured its pride of place on platform number 1! The benefit of Chennai Central is that one can walk to any platform without climbing stairs, so in a few minutes, I was at Platform 1 and had a first look at the sleek and majestic Vande Bharat.

The white and blue colour palette of the train gives it an arresting appearance during both night and daytime. The exteriors had been well washed and maintained really cleanly, I could not find any dirty areas or stains. The train has been in operation for 3 months, on a daily basis travelling 1000 kilometres, yet did not show any wear and tear, I am sure it is getting the top priority in terms of upkeep and maintenance. Also fortunately, the aam junta in these southern states don’t pelt stones at the Vande Bharat, even if it represents a shining achievement of the ruling Central Government!

Fortunately, the two Executive Chair car coaches were located in the middle of the train, which meant it would not be too close to the engine. In many trains, the topmost class coach (e.g. AC First Class H1 coach) is located almost right next to the engine, after say one sitting coach, making it very noisy during the journey, with all the honking from the engine going on. There were approximately seven regular Chair car coaches on either side of the EC1&2 coaches.

There is a clear evolution in the design of the coaches compared to the previous premium trains such as the Tejas express. The surfaces are finished better and the edges are well-rounded, to make sure there are no sharp edges or protrusions that could potentially injure passengers when moving about. There is plenty of space on either end of the couch to store luggage, making sure there is a gap between the last row of seats and the back wall. The overhead luggage rack could however have been deeper and a little lower to allow for taller luggage to be stowed.

The Executive chair car seats are wide and well-spaced out. As someone who is 6’2” tall, I found the room between my seat and the one ahead to be quite generous, even when the front seats were pushed back all the way. The seats have a good level of reclining possible, I would say nearly 15 degrees or so. The seat cushion at the base is just right, being sufficiently firm for the long journey, while not being too hard. However, the seat back is rock hard!

There is a generously sized footrest provided, which reclines at a 45-degree angle. It is really comfortable and makes all the difference to seating comfort when catching a snooze. There are generous seat back pockets where one can stow laptops, newspapers, etc.

In the middle of the cabin, there are two rows of seats facing each other, allowing families to be together. However, I am not sure how one would book these, as there were no options to select these seats while booking. This brings me to my pet peeve about the IRCTC booking process, it does not offer a seat map-based seat/berth selection. Even bus booking sites offer this and it is high time IRCTC did this. I think the fundamental reason is that the underlying booking system of Indian railways is based on the 1980s computerised booking project, which was state of the art then but very dated now.

The train set off exactly on the dot. Because of the fact that the whole rake is powered electrically through motors at different points along the rake, the traditional feel of being pulled from the front as the train accelerates is completely absent. The acceleration is very smooth and linear, and the train is moving at a substantial speed before one realises it. The ride is very plush, with very few vertical bumps coming into the passenger compartment. I found the ride to be much more settled than the normal LHB coaches on super-fast trains. Lateral movement is almost nil, for the most part of the journey, which makes the journey much less tiring.

Currently, the Chennai-Bengaluru rail line is rated for a maximum speed of 110 kph. Successful trials have been completed about 2 weeks ago for the Chennai-Jolarpet section to run trains at 130 kph. However, final approvals have not come through and so the Vande Bharat was running most of the time at the current permitted speed of 110 kph. There is a section of the track near Ambur where the train substantially slowed down and proceeded at crawling speeds for about 10-15 minutes. Displays on board the train constantly show the current speed, just like bullet trains and other high-speed trains in Japan/China etc.

The toilets on the train are spacious and the latches and bolts have smooth edges and movements. This is the one thing I always worry about in train toilets, getting my hands injured trying to slide or force stiff and sharp latches. The maintenance of the Vande Bharat toilets is impeccable, and I could see them getting cleaned even midway through the 4-hour journey. The flushes are soft touch and electronically controlled. One flush and a vacuum mechanism make sure the water usage is optimised and the bowl is fully cleaned out.

Quite a lot of food is served on the train, starting with biscuits and tea about 15 minutes into the journey. Tea and coffee severed on board are based on a 3-in-1 premix powder made by Chayzup, which contains the beverage powder, milk powder and sugar. Hot water is poured in to make the beverage. The masala tea is very good and the coffee is ok.

Soon after, cornflakes and warm milk is served in actual ceramic bowls and spoons. This is amazing, as even in western countries, plastic bowls are the standard for train service. The bowl is actually heavy and well-made. Only on business class international flights have I seen this type of cutlery being used.

The train reached the only intermediate stop, Kapadi, in around 95 minutes. After Katpadi, a full breakfast was served, consisting of soft idlis, a vada and Rava Kesari, accompanied by apple juice, a cookie and coffee. The food is of a much higher standard than what one generally gets in Shatabdi, Tejas and other similar trains. The service is very efficient and plates are cleared very soon after people finished breakfast. A banana or apple is offered as a final item of breakfast.

The train pulled into Bangalore city junction (Now called KSR Bengaluru) before the scheduled arrival time of 10.15 AM. I am sure that in the coming months, the journey will get even faster and one could probably expect to be in Bengaluru before 10 AM!

All in all, the journey to Bengaluru was very comfortable and quick, and I would prefer this to fly any day.

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We made the necessary foundation by planning a trip to be done entirely in public transport & also added some masala just so as to make it a tasty journey.

BHPian aargee recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My last memorable journey by train was somewhere in 2008/09 or so; it was endured (yes endured) just to give an experience of train for my little Son then. Post that, I might've taken train hardly some 2-3 times. WagonR, S-Cross & CBR have pampered & spoiled all of us to core. Not just Children, even we were dreading to take public transport for last few years, nevertheless we've been thinking in recent times on how to get over with it. However, we weren't scared as much as our Children due to our recent trip to DL via Duronto, but still we had our concerns due to our return journey from DL-TN. When returning our train departed nearly 4 hours late & finally 8 hours delayed when reaching Chennai due to derailment of a good train in the Jhansi sector. Only positive attribute was, due to the 8 hours delay it arrived around 5:00 Am instead owl hour of 1:00 am.

So in 2022, we decided, we will do what we need to do!! In the month of October, we made the necessary foundation by planning a trip to be done entirely in public transport & also added some masala just so as to make it a tasty journey. Besides Gustavo Petro's quote (Mayor of Bogota Columbia) always rings in my mind:

Thus the trip was planned with utmost cautiousness & we deliberately avoided AC as much as possible due to 2 reasons:

• Need to show some life's realities to children.
• Month of December means over half the world is on holiday & the weather is pleasant.

Light wallet comes free; but still the Duronto's delay left us with deep apprehension due to our tight train schedules; if there were any delays reaching some of the stations, then it would have a huge impact on entire trip.

Sat 24-Dec

Reach Chennai Central at 07:00.

• Take train 22625 (KSR Bengaluru AC Double Decker Express) at 07:25 to reach KSR Bengaluru at 13:15.
• Take Greenline Metro at 13:50 to reach Yeshwantpur at 14:30.
• Take train 17309 (Vasco da Gama Express, 2S) at 15:00 to reach Madgaon.

Sun 25-Dec

• Stay at OYO Flagship 11950.

Mon 26-Dec

• Take train 10104 (Mandovi Express, The Food Queen of Konkan Railways) at 09:00 & GET DOWN at Dadar at 21:10.
• Take train 12927 (Ekta Nagar SF Express 2S) at 23:50 to reach Ekta Nagar.

Tue 27-Dec

• SOU + stay at BRG.

Wed 28-Dec

• Take Bus/Train at 08:00 to reach Ahmedabad by 14:00.
• Take train 20902 (Mumbai Central Vandhe Bharat Express) from Ahmedabad at 15:00 to reach Mumbai Central at 20:15.
• Stay at Heraa International.

Thu 29-Dec

• Take train 22159 (MGR Chennai Central SF Express 2S) from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus at 12:45 to reach Home

Fri 30-Dec

• Reach home.

Day 1:

Took EMU to Chennai Central, had breakfast at Madras Hotel instead of regular A2B for a change (for which we regret) & then boarded the double decker train. We got the normal regular seating experience. From Bangalore Cantt when almost the entire train got empty, we switched to those empty seats & enjoyed the upper & lower deck travel to SBC.

At SBC, we took the metro to Yeshwantpur station. An elderly person who was issuing tickets at SBC ticket vending machine suggested taking a walk to Metro.

The metro was damn crowded, unbelievably crowded like a town bus which is much unlike Chennai!! Finally reached Yeshwantpur & then boarded the train to Madgaon.

Nothing particularly to note except for I couldn't sleep properly due to people talking in loud voices, loud YT shots from mobile due to which I had severe headache. These noise jokers ensured to wake me every 1 hour or so (22:53, 23:53, 00:17) until 1:00 Am!!! We had ordered food through Food on Track to deliver Sabudana Vada, beetroot cutlet. Food was extremely good & the packing was extraordinarily great as well. Worth the money!!

The train was also late by more than an hour reaching Madgaon.

Chennai to Bangalore:

At Yeshwantpur:

Sceneries enroute from Yeshwantpur to Madgaon:

Dinner at night:

Continue reading on BHPian aargee's holiday using only public transport for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

The way it picks up speed is nothing short of amazing and now the signature clack-clack sound of the tracks is almost unnoticeable. Horizontal shake has also greatly reduced.

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My experience with the Vande Bharat Express.

Likes:

• Feels modern and brand new inside out.
• Some well thought out features and attention to detail.
• Wide and comfortable seats.
• Much lower NVH and a smoother ride.
• Very spacious coach layout.

Dislikes:

• Only one WC per coach.
• Train is futuristic but staff is stuck in time.
• Overhead racks mean carrying large and heavy luggage can be an issue.
• No halt at any suburban Mumbai stations.
• Still doesn't run at its top speed (for now) making the high speed capabilities useless.

About the 20902 GNC-MMCT Vande Bharat Express:

The Gandhinagar Capital- Mumbai Central Vande Bharat was launched on September 30th and I remember the kind of fanfare it enjoyed (and continues to) when it came out and it was a very refreshing change to see. Having seen these coaches for a couple of times, I yearned to travel in them soon if only for the high ticket prices and no time to spare from my very busy schedule. So finally when I got the opportunity, I immediately booked a seat on it from BRC to MMCT this month and was delighted to see the now digestible prices as well. I'll try to do justice to it.

The journey:

This time around, it being a solo trip I decided to opt for the CC coaches. Do note that there is an EC coach as well in this train but the differences aren't that significant. It's just a 2x2 layout instead of 3x2 in CC with mildly better seats which can be rotated by upto 180 degrees. With the CC seats being awesome as it is, I don't see much value addition in the latter either.

The scheduled arrival of the train at BRC is 15:56 and while the train was a few minutes late, I have to admit I haven't seen such a stir among fellow travellers till now. Everybody was in the awe of the "bullet train" (I know it isn't one) and it enjoyed sort of a celebrity status with everybody clicking pics and videos(some even selfies with it!). Take into mind that the this wasn't the first week of the train running but a good 3 months after its inaugural run.

Soon, it came to a silent stop and the doors opened to reveal a very airy, non-Indian Railways feeling lobby. As you climb inside you notice it's no longer an uphill trek onto it. Inside, as I got settled onto my seat I could take a much closer look as it was astonishing. It still took me a few minutes to understand this was still India!

Soon enough, the train started rolling and the silence and effortlessness was mind-blowing. The way it picks up speed is nothing short of amazing and now the signature clack-clack sound of the tracks is almost unnoticeable. Horizontal shake has also greatly reduced compared to LHB coaches and you really don't notice the speeds the train is doing.

Another observation of mine were the seats. Greatly improved from ones in LHB rakes, they are now wider, have a taller backrest, great legroom, have much better and compliant cushioning and most importantly- existent thigh support! The bright blue fabric also does not feel too harsh on your skin and gives a fresh look to the interiors. Interestingly, the armrests also have padding. Note: the seat numbers with Braille embossing and ergonomically placed handles for the standees. There was also one USB port and one plug point per passenger placed under the seat.

As you move further back the coach you'll notice that the last 3 or so rows have been removed freeing up acres of space! I'm not sure if it was just on this C1 coach but there's also a single seat there for handicapped people. This area makes a perfect place to stand away for taking calls, stretching your legs etc. although I do wish a luggage rack of sorts (a là Vistadome coach) was integrated here for the heavier stuff.

Press the button and the door to the lobby opens electronically(pointless without motion sensors) and you are greeted to a very clean, minimalistic and spacious lobby. Two jump seats are also given for whatever reasons.

To enter the WC area there is another button you have to push and the door slides open automatically and there's a well-lit and fancy area to do your business in. The fittings are luxurious and there's no reason to feel claustrophobic either. A very important touch to the train is that moving in between coaches isn't the near-death like experience it used to feel like before with all the loud noises and incessant shaking with an flimsy looking connector. Have a look for yourself:

Food and service:

As part of the catering, snacks and tea were served first to everybody. After waiting for what seemed like eternity for my portion to arrive, I had to call upon the staff who conveniently "forgot" to serve it to me. The entire attitude overall was quite apathetic, a stark contrast to what I experienced earlier this year in the Tejas Express. I guess IRCTC has shifted focus away from IR run trains.

Anyways here is the what I got. Nothing fancy and the quantity was quite less as well. Lesson learnt: Bring your own food next time onwards:

Dinner wasn't anything great either and a contradiction to the king sized meals one used to get on Shatabdis pre-covid. Service otherwise too was not to be boasted about. While the train was quite clean overall, there was a lack of empathy as a whole with staff onboard- stuff you thought was behind you by 2022.

The train faced a major blockage just before Surat but made good time afterwards and managed to reduce the delay from an hour to 20 minutes while we reached the destination. No stops until MMCT meant a Mumbai local ride was in the offing. Truly an authentic Mumbaikar experience! But that story is for another time.

For now, it was time to bid goodbye to the Vande Bharat. I enjoyed the experience barring the poor service quality and typically ignorant and loud co-passengers but hey, it wasn't the trains fault! I absolutely loved this journey and look forward to traveling on this train again. As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm really proud of the direction our railways are heading in and wish them the best of luck.

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