Just a few glimpses of Delhi, photography wasn’t allowed in many places, so I had to rely on memory more than my lens. But the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple truly stole the show. Its scale, serenity, and spirit moved me more than the Taj Mahal ever did. And honestly, the greatest treasure of India? The people on the streets. Their warmth, energy, and everyday grace made this journey unforgettable.
You can technically buy tickets through IRCTC, the official Indian Railways website. But full KYC (KYC stands for Know Your Customer, it is a verification process used by banks, financial institutions, and online platforms like IRCTC or PayTM to confirm a customer’s identity and address) is now required for certain IRCTC features, especially bookings.
Instead, I switched to 12go.asia, which I can honestly recommend. The tickets are about 20% more expensive, but the process takes just two minutes: instant confirmation, and the actual ticket arrives a few days later.
Once you receive your ticket, it’s important to double‑check the departure time the day before. Go to the IRCTC website or ConfirmTkt , enter your PNR number (found on the ticket) and travel date, and you’ll get the updated schedule. That part works flawlessly – no glitches at all.
Railway stations – you can also buy tickets directly at the station. Expect queues, a bit of chaos, and sometimes limited English, but it works. For foreign travelers, there’s often a Foreign Tourist Quota counter at major stations like Delhi, Agra, or Varanasi.
When you arrive at the station, you might encounter people approaching you with “helpful” advice. They’ll say things like:
All of that is a lie.
Once you have your ticket, you don’t need anything else. You simply go to the platform and board the train exactly the same way as Indian passengers. There is no special cashier, no separate queue, no mandatory guide.
On September 1st, 2025, I took the Taj Express (Train No. 12280) from New Delhi Main Station (NDLS) to Agra Cantt (AGC). The train departed at 06:55 and arrived at 09:25, covering 195 km in just under 2.5 hours. I booked a Second Sitting (2S) seat – confirmed, window side, and perfectly comfortable for a short morning ride. Return train was delay around 1h.
On September 2nd, 2023, I boarded the Swatantrata Senani Express (Train No. 12562) from New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) to Varanasi Junction (BSB). The train departed on time (21.15 in my case) at night from Platform 13, just like my Taj Express to Agra. The coach stopped exactly where the screen said it would – no chaos, no guessing.
Solo female traveller 
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