Riding a train in India has always seemed to me like a traveler's rite of passage. Admittedly, I had romanticized the notion a bit, imagining it to be something between the eclectic scenes of Wes Anderson's 2007 fictional film "The Darjeeling Limited" and the slightly more chaotic and realistic version portrayed by Anthony Bourdain in his Travel Channel show, "No Reservations."
In reality, taking the train in India is definitely a colorful experience, but depending on the route, train stations and class of cars, it can also be surprisingly efficient and even somewhat relaxing.
First, let's start with some of the inevitable chaos that taking the train can entail. My first encounter with India's rail system took place in New Delhi, before the crack of dawn. Like many journeys in India, it all started innocently enough. Myself and a group of fellow travelers on an excursion with tour operator Haimark piled into a caravan of cars headed to the rail station.
As we neared the station, the cars became engulfed by a growing number of vehicles funneling into the station's lot. Before we knew it, we were in gridlock. That's when low-level stress, the worry of possibly missing our train, began to seep in.
But there was no reason to be overly concerned. We slowly inched our way toward the station entrance, where we hopped out and began quickly weaving our way toward the platform.
The station was a scene unto itself. Countless people were sleeping or lying on the floor, as there seemed to be few, if any, seats in the station. I glanced up at the signs to see if I would be able to navigate without the help of a guide. I'm sure I could have eventually figured out where I was supposed to go but was happy to not have to.
Out on the platform, more interesting scenes unfolded. Large parcels and motorcycles wrapped in burlap lined the waiting areas. More people were scattered about the ground. Passengers peered between the grated open-air windows of ramshackle trains, while others lined the steps and entrances to the cars, hanging onto the railings as the trains pulled out of the station. I tried to snap photos capturing the otherworldly hustle and bustle that is India's rail network, but there was just too much to point my camera at. I put my camera down and chose instead to simply take in all the sights, sounds and smells.
We were booked in a first-class car to Jaipur; I wasn't sure what to expect. When the train pulled in, it didn't look much different from the others lining the tracks. But upon closer inspection, the first-class cars had glass-paned windows that sealed in a very vigilant and welcome air-conditioning system. Once inside, the car resembled many other trains I've been on around the world. It actually looked like a slightly more worn version of a standard first-class carriage.
The central aisle was lined with pairs of cushioned reclining seats, outfitted with pull-down tray tables and outlets dotting the walls. A potpourri of Indian businessmen, families and foreign tourists claimed their assigned seats, and not long after the train started moving, a seemingly endless continuum of meal services began, including a tea service during which each passenger received their own large thermos of tea.
In between the intermittent food and beverage services, the rhythm of the train lulled some passengers to sleep, while others read or worked on their laptops. When it came time to use the restroom, I was admittedly a bit nervous, but even those facilities were adequate.
Our group took the train twice, once from New Delhi to Jaipur and then from Jaipur to Agra. The ride from New Delhi to Jaipur takes about five hours, and from Jaipur to Agra it takes about four hours. Transit times can vary widely depending on which train you're traveling on. A quick search for train times online yields complex tables of trains and times (another advantage of traveling in India with a good ground operator that sorts these things out for you).
The mayhem we experienced at the New Delhi train station — part of the experience and fun, as far as I'm concerned — seemed a distant memory when we pulled out of the train station in Jaipur en route to Agra. Sure, there was your average, low-level commotion, people moving this way and that, but not the hoards of people trying to move about in New Delhi.
For those who want to experience taking a train in India but have time constraints, I would recommend the easier rail commute between Jaipur and Agra. But for those who want the real rail experience, a trip from New Delhi is a must.
As happy as I was with the first-class rail experience, a part of me will forever remain curious about what it's like to ride in those jam-packed second-, third- and fourth-class cars. I somehow feel that's the real rite of passage, not the comfortable commuter cars I rode on. But hey, I'm not complaining.
For those who would like to spend a bit more time engaging in the Indian rail experience (and are not so curious about those lower-class cars), there are several luxury overnight passenger rail products that throwback to India's opulent colonial days, including the Maharajas Express (www.the-maharajas.com), Palace on Wheels (www.palaceonwheelsindia.com) and the Deccan Odyssey (www.deccan-odyssey-india.com).
Follow Michelle Baran on Twitter @mbtravelweekly.
The correct website for Maharajas Express is www.the-maharajas.com. An incorrect URL was listed in a previous version of this article.