When travelling between cities in India, do you prefer going at night or in the daytime?

Question

I would always choose daytime if possible. There are three advantages. Firstly, you get to see more of the country you are visiting. Second, you'll have a much more comfortable sleep in a hotel, than on a train. Finally, it works out cheaper. If you get a sleeper, you have to pay for that plus reservation, on top of the ticket price. You can easily find a hotel room that is cheaper than the sleeper alone. Also if you get an unreserved second class ticket in the daytime, you'll have a better chance of interacting with locals.
Enjoy your trip.

Answer 1

Namaste,

It'd be my pleasure and honour, as an Indian, to answer this question of yours. You pretty much answered your own question and I do like your choice. Enjoying the place when the lights are on; That's smart. :-)

Yes, you'd get to enjoy more of the scenic beauty, village lasses working in the fields, tractors laden with wheat crops, long rivers and colorful people if you choose to travel in the daytime. Yes, it's the better choice for someone who's only here to enjoy the colours and witness them from the first time.

However, for someone who's familiar with the scenic beauty and finds the destination more important than the path, I'd suggest night-time on grounds of comfort and ease of travel.

In the night, the berths are less congested, there is more room, there's no one asking you to adjust a little and also, it's lot more cooler. Given the scorching heat that this sub-continent is subjected to in the months of April, May, June and July; I'd rather travel in the night than in the heat of the day when the sun-rays heat up my seat and make it too hot for my bums lol.

But, thinking like a foreigner tourist, yes, I'd opt the day over the night. My reasons are pretty much similar to yours;

1- It's cheaper.

Like you said, there are hotel rooms available at negotiable low-prices. The train fares are not that high but, yea, a hotel or inn for about 200 to 300 Rupees is cheaper. Dormitories are even better.

2- It's safer.

Your luggage is safer when you're awake. You can also contact more people in the daylight during the travel.

3- It's more fulfilling.

What fun is sleeping your way through all those great river dams, ghats (valleys), jungles, fields, hills, cities and ponds anyway? I like to sit at the window seat and watch the sun of the evening chase me through the leaves of those beautiful trees at the countryside.

4- It's more comfortable.
When you sleep in General coach while leaning on the shoulder of a fellow passenger or the back of the seat, it's just not a comfortable sleep and you'll wake up next day with slumber, yawns and perhaps a bad stomach. (yikes!) Also, your neighbour will be jerking his shoulder to push your sleepy self aside and that won't be a pretty sight.

And even if you sleep in an air conditioned sleeper coach, the vibrating walls will wake you up every few minutes and you'll realize that what you're doing cannot be called "sleeping".

5- It's more interactive.
If you're travelling with a friend who's a native (or a stranger you have just befriended), you can keep bugging him by your constant queries about things that pass your way. Your experience will be more enriching and in the meanwhile, you'll get to know things that'll help you enjoy India even more.

Your visual satisfaction will get more spiritual and intellectual.

Thanks for asking this question.

Take care.

Answer 2

Well, it depends. If you are going on a leasurely trip, preferably go during the day, so that you could enjoy the scenic beauty. Moreover, during the daytime, you dont need advance reservation in trains, although overcrowded trains are better to avoid.

However, if you are going for some important work where time is important, then night travel would be more suitable. This is because the train is moving while you are sleeping (and so you save time). But for this, reservation is important. All you need to do is, get into a train and sleep. The next morning, you reach your destination.

Answer 3

Day time definitely for a number of reasons safety being the prime most specially if you are are a tourist and a foreigner. If you are the sociable sortyou will find the typical indian much more open to talk to in a train or bus.

Answer 4

In general I find it preferable to fly over the cities in India rather than move in some fashion between them.

Answer 5

its better to go at night and sleep