JUMPING OUT OF TRAINS
You won’t see people riding on the top of trains in India but if a conductor doesn’t open the door at your stop you may need to jump out of one.
There are things I’d do in the US that were unusual…to extend a vacation and save a night on a hotel I’d crash at an airport (always backfires because at small airports security will kick you back out to the ticketing area) - unusual but not necessarily crazy. In India proposing to spend a night at a train station (the Indian equivalent to an airport) the idea crosses over from unusual to ludicrous to the point that you’ll be brandished an absolutely crazy person by the rickshaw driver offering to provide a ride to his commission affiliated hotel. However, even by my standards this wasn’t too crazy - arrive in Agra Cantonment at 1 am, take a rickshaw to Agra Fort, then catch a train to Fatephur Sikri at 5 am - done, all tickets booked online in advance - I’m set.
Upon arrival at Agra Cantonment I quickly dismiss the rickshaw driver who tells me my train out of Agra Fort has been delayed an hour and he has a hotel he can take me to - full rate for five hours - no thanks, I’ll hang out at the station, grab a bite to eat (try the french fries), then head over to Agra Fort. I spend a little more time at Agra Cantonment than expected because it’s a major station and presumably has nicer facilities than Agra Fort. Around 3 am I walk outside the station and I kid you not, the same autorickshaw driver is waiting for me…this time my train has been delayed two hours. He makes a similar offer to take me to a hotel. The hotel will cost 400 rupees (USD) but for a five hour nap this is an exorbitant fee - I tell the driver - just take me to Agra Fort. As I pay and start to walk away he simply says, you’re crazy.
Agra Fort is not exactly the sort of place you’d want to spend the night so I’m thankful I showed up at 3 am instead of 1 am. It’s January in Agra and incredibly cold - people are setting up makeshift fires on the platform to keep warm. I sneak into the “upper” class waiting room and find a small nook in the back to rest. In my mind I’m thinking four more hours, that’s the original time I planned and by six the sun will be up so really it’s only about three hours I need to spend here in the freezing cold. The next three hours are uneventful - some waiting passengers find the nook and join me but otherwise it’s very quiet.
At 6:30 I make my way out of the waiting area and to the schedule board - now the train is delayed two and a half hours - 7:30 departure. Ok I’ve made it five and a half hours so far, an extra half hour is nothing. Unfortunately this pattern of delay continues, at 7 the train is delayed until 8…at 7:30, the train still has an arrival at 8, but then at 7:45 - arrival pushed back to 8:30. It reminds me of interactions with India IT staff - they seem to tell you the answer you want to hear, not the real answer - “You can handle this over the phone?” - “Yes” - “Really? Because last time this took three hours to fix?” - “Of course, no problem”…five minutes later “Could you please hang-up this will take two-three hours to resolve?” - “Sure, that’s what I thought.”
Adding insult to my craziness “injury” through inquiry with other Indian passengers I realize there’s a local train (and bus) that go to Fatephur Sikri every half hour - had I simply gone to a hotel, I could have enjoyed a nice sleep, ate breakfast, and rode to Fatephur Sikri without any delay: I swear this isn’t outlined in any guidebook but this is why you need to ask me for info - because I do the stupidest things and someone should learn from my mistakes.
The local train to Fatephur Sikri is about 25 rupee (vs. 450 rupee I paid) - so I decide I’ll eat the original ticket fare and catch a local train. As the next local train arrives I see the conductor and explain my situation. He looks at the train schedule above, looks at my ticket, and says - “you already have a ticket for a train arriving in 15 minutes” - “yes but this train has been delayed half an hour every half an hour” - “you already have a ticket for a train arriving in 15 minutes” - this exchange went on for quite some while before I resigned to wait for the next train out of fear of being hauled into some Indian Police inquiry room to repeat the same conversation as I had with the train conductor only this time with people who could throw me in jail for being crazy.
My train arrives an hour later. I quickly find my berth and sit down - I begin the standard chit chat with the Indians - where I’m from, how long I’ve been in India and you immediately realize that no matter how frustrating traveling in India can be it’s still a great experience - the conversation turns to where I’m going - “Fathepur Sikri” - “You could have taken a local train for 25 rupee, why are you riding this train” - “I didn’t know better, but this ticket I could book in advance”. They seem to buy my explanation but add - “I’m not sure the train stops at Fatephur Sikri - this is an express, that’s a local stop”.
The conductor stops at our berth and I’m able to confirm that yes the train does stop at Fatephur Sikri - no additional information as to how long it will take to reach this stop, where to disembark, there may not be an exit in this car, etc.
We continue along for about forty-five minutes - the train comes to a stop and one of the Indian’s in my birth says - “This is Fatephur Sikri” - “Really, I don’t even see a station, you sure we’re not just stopped?” - “This is Fatephur Sikri”. I grab my bags bid farewell and head for the closest door…and it’s closed. Not too unusual sometimes only one set of doors are opened at the smaller stops - I head back into the car and make my way to the other exit - there’s a series of obstacles: luggage, old women, etc. and as luck would have it, this door is closed as well.
At this point I hit full panic mode - if I continue to the next car and it’s doors are locked as well I’m in trouble and on my way to the next stop. I decide to head back into my car and head towards the direction the conductor was walking thinking he would have opened a door in the next car - I dodge the same set of obstacles but again no luck - at this point I think I’m in trouble but I’ve stumbled into the kitchen car. I see a chef behind a counter and stammer out - “Is this Fatephur Sikri?” - He raises his shoulders in a questioning motion (either he doesn’t know or doesn’t speak English) but looks at two co-workers who are smoking cigarettes out of an open door. They nod yes and I quickly make my way to the open door to look out - maybe this is Fatephur Sikri.
With that the train whistle blows the all aboard alert. I look out the door and I’m about five feet off the ground - I have two bags and there’s a soft landing spot below so this is certainly doable. The kitchen car gives a jerk indicating that the engine is full speed ahead. I take a parting glance at the kitchen staff and their faces seem to have an expression of - “This guy’s crazy, he’s going to jump out a train.”
I leap…and land with a thud but I do stick the landing without any hand support. I turn to look back and the kitchen car door has moved ahead leaving me behind in thick grass and a misty, overcast morning. I can see the station and start walking to the back of the train. Once I reach the station sign I’m relieved to see it’s Fatephur Sikri - I’ve hardly noticed there’s a light drizzle and overcast sky, not exactly the ideal conditions to be view a Mughal palace but I’m here so let’s bring on the craziness.
There are things I’d do in the US that were unusual…to extend a vacation and save a night on a hotel I’d crash at an airport (always backfires because at small airports security will kick you back out to the ticketing area) - unusual but not necessarily crazy. In India proposing to spend a night at a train station (the Indian equivalent to an airport) the idea crosses over from unusual to ludicrous to the point that you’ll be brandished an absolutely crazy person by the rickshaw driver offering to provide a ride to his commission affiliated hotel. However, even by my standards this wasn’t too crazy - arrive in Agra Cantonment at 1 am, take a rickshaw to Agra Fort, then catch a train to Fatephur Sikri at 5 am - done, all tickets booked online in advance - I’m set.
Upon arrival at Agra Cantonment I quickly dismiss the rickshaw driver who tells me my train out of Agra Fort has been delayed an hour and he has a hotel he can take me to - full rate for five hours - no thanks, I’ll hang out at the station, grab a bite to eat (try the french fries), then head over to Agra Fort. I spend a little more time at Agra Cantonment than expected because it’s a major station and presumably has nicer facilities than Agra Fort. Around 3 am I walk outside the station and I kid you not, the same autorickshaw driver is waiting for me…this time my train has been delayed two hours. He makes a similar offer to take me to a hotel. The hotel will cost 400 rupees (USD) but for a five hour nap this is an exorbitant fee - I tell the driver - just take me to Agra Fort. As I pay and start to walk away he simply says, you’re crazy.
Agra Fort is not exactly the sort of place you’d want to spend the night so I’m thankful I showed up at 3 am instead of 1 am. It’s January in Agra and incredibly cold - people are setting up makeshift fires on the platform to keep warm. I sneak into the “upper” class waiting room and find a small nook in the back to rest. In my mind I’m thinking four more hours, that’s the original time I planned and by six the sun will be up so really it’s only about three hours I need to spend here in the freezing cold. The next three hours are uneventful - some waiting passengers find the nook and join me but otherwise it’s very quiet.
At 6:30 I make my way out of the waiting area and to the schedule board - now the train is delayed two and a half hours - 7:30 departure. Ok I’ve made it five and a half hours so far, an extra half hour is nothing. Unfortunately this pattern of delay continues, at 7 the train is delayed until 8…at 7:30, the train still has an arrival at 8, but then at 7:45 - arrival pushed back to 8:30. It reminds me of interactions with India IT staff - they seem to tell you the answer you want to hear, not the real answer - “You can handle this over the phone?” - “Yes” - “Really? Because last time this took three hours to fix?” - “Of course, no problem”…five minutes later “Could you please hang-up this will take two-three hours to resolve?” - “Sure, that’s what I thought.”
Adding insult to my craziness “injury” through inquiry with other Indian passengers I realize there’s a local train (and bus) that go to Fatephur Sikri every half hour - had I simply gone to a hotel, I could have enjoyed a nice sleep, ate breakfast, and rode to Fatephur Sikri without any delay: I swear this isn’t outlined in any guidebook but this is why you need to ask me for info - because I do the stupidest things and someone should learn from my mistakes.
The local train to Fatephur Sikri is about 25 rupee (vs. 450 rupee I paid) - so I decide I’ll eat the original ticket fare and catch a local train. As the next local train arrives I see the conductor and explain my situation. He looks at the train schedule above, looks at my ticket, and says - “you already have a ticket for a train arriving in 15 minutes” - “yes but this train has been delayed half an hour every half an hour” - “you already have a ticket for a train arriving in 15 minutes” - this exchange went on for quite some while before I resigned to wait for the next train out of fear of being hauled into some Indian Police inquiry room to repeat the same conversation as I had with the train conductor only this time with people who could throw me in jail for being crazy.
My train arrives an hour later. I quickly find my berth and sit down - I begin the standard chit chat with the Indians - where I’m from, how long I’ve been in India and you immediately realize that no matter how frustrating traveling in India can be it’s still a great experience - the conversation turns to where I’m going - “Fathepur Sikri” - “You could have taken a local train for 25 rupee, why are you riding this train” - “I didn’t know better, but this ticket I could book in advance”. They seem to buy my explanation but add - “I’m not sure the train stops at Fatephur Sikri - this is an express, that’s a local stop”.
The conductor stops at our berth and I’m able to confirm that yes the train does stop at Fatephur Sikri - no additional information as to how long it will take to reach this stop, where to disembark, there may not be an exit in this car, etc.
We continue along for about forty-five minutes - the train comes to a stop and one of the Indian’s in my birth says - “This is Fatephur Sikri” - “Really, I don’t even see a station, you sure we’re not just stopped?” - “This is Fatephur Sikri”. I grab my bags bid farewell and head for the closest door…and it’s closed. Not too unusual sometimes only one set of doors are opened at the smaller stops - I head back into the car and make my way to the other exit - there’s a series of obstacles: luggage, old women, etc. and as luck would have it, this door is closed as well.
At this point I hit full panic mode - if I continue to the next car and it’s doors are locked as well I’m in trouble and on my way to the next stop. I decide to head back into my car and head towards the direction the conductor was walking thinking he would have opened a door in the next car - I dodge the same set of obstacles but again no luck - at this point I think I’m in trouble but I’ve stumbled into the kitchen car. I see a chef behind a counter and stammer out - “Is this Fatephur Sikri?” - He raises his shoulders in a questioning motion (either he doesn’t know or doesn’t speak English) but looks at two co-workers who are smoking cigarettes out of an open door. They nod yes and I quickly make my way to the open door to look out - maybe this is Fatephur Sikri.
With that the train whistle blows the all aboard alert. I look out the door and I’m about five feet off the ground - I have two bags and there’s a soft landing spot below so this is certainly doable. The kitchen car gives a jerk indicating that the engine is full speed ahead. I take a parting glance at the kitchen staff and their faces seem to have an expression of - “This guy’s crazy, he’s going to jump out a train.”
I leap…and land with a thud but I do stick the landing without any hand support. I turn to look back and the kitchen car door has moved ahead leaving me behind in thick grass and a misty, overcast morning. I can see the station and start walking to the back of the train. Once I reach the station sign I’m relieved to see it’s Fatephur Sikri - I’ve hardly noticed there’s a light drizzle and overcast sky, not exactly the ideal conditions to be view a Mughal palace but I’m here so let’s bring on the craziness.