Jai Mata Ji 🙏

This blog is not just a travel story; it’s my personal experience while traveling to the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Katra. I took two different trains for my journey: 14609 / Hemkunt Express (LDH to SVDK) on 20 July 2025, and 12472 / Swaraj Express (SVDK to LDH) on 22 July 2025. What I faced during this travel opened my eyes to several persistent issues in our Indian Railways system—issues that many passengers silently endure without ever raising a voice.

My SIM card wasn’t working properly during the journey, so I couldn’t file any complaints in real time. That’s why I’ve decided to write this blog to share my personal IRCTC travel experience, not to complain, but to highlight real issues for awareness and improvement.

IRCTC Travel Experience: Sleeper Coach Issues, Dirty Toilets & Pantry Overcharging | Vaishno Devi Yatra 2025

🚆 1. Train Travel: More Stress Than Devotion

On 20th July 2025, I boarded Train Number 14609 Hemkunt Express from Ludhiana to Shri Vaishno Devi Katra. I had booked my Sleeper Coach ticket 2 months in advance, hoping for a peaceful journey. However, the reality was shocking.

By nightfall, Sleeper Coach had become no better than a General Coach. People with General tickets boarded the Sleeper Coach in large numbers, creating chaos and discomfort. They were sitting on reserved seats, blocking corridors, and overcrowding the compartment. The worst part? Ticket Checkers (TCs) were present but didn’t send these unauthorized travelers back to the General Coach.

Instead, they would just charge a small fine and allow them to stay. This was extremely unfair to passengers like us who had planned ahead and paid for a reserved seat. Why should someone pay in advance, only to travel in chaos like a general coach traveler?

It felt like Indian Railways is punishing those who follow the rules, and rewarding those who break them.

🚿 2. No Cleanliness, No Water in Bathrooms

During the same journey, I faced another serious issue: unhygienic and unusable train toilets. The bathroom was extremely dirty, and to make matters worse, there was no water available. For long-distance travelers, especially in a religious journey, clean and functional bathrooms are not a luxury—they are a basic need.

This is not just a matter of inconvenience. It’s a matter of health, dignity, and passenger rights. While Indian Railways has shown promises through campaigns like “Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat”, the ground reality is disappointing. Trains must be cleaned during the journey too, especially on such long routes.

🧾 3. IRCTC Pantry Food: Overpriced & Misleading

Another unpleasant experience was with the pantry service in IRCTC trains. Prices charged by pantry staff did not match the official IRCTC rate list.

Here’s a quick comparison of actual vs. charged prices:

Item	Official IRCTC Price	Price Charged by Pantry Staff
Water Bottle	₹15	₹20
Veg Thali	₹80	₹150
Samosa (2 pcs)	₹20	₹30
Tea	₹5	₹10

This mismatch in pricing shows how passengers are being overcharged, and most travelers are unaware of the actual IRCTC-approved prices. This needs strict monitoring and transparency.

This kind of behavior is not just unethical; it’s a form of harassment. Many passengers are unaware of the official IRCTC food rates and end up paying more without questioning.

😠 4. Pantry Staff’s Rude Behavior

Adding insult to injury, the behavior of pantry staff was extremely rude. When I politely asked why I was being overcharged for a thali, I was met with arrogance and hostility.

I strongly believe that customer service in trains needs serious reform. Just because someone is serving food on a train does not give them the right to misbehave with passengers. IRCTC must conduct regular training sessions on behavior, ethics, and pricing transparency.

🛏️ 5. Sleeper Coach Becoming Unbearable

Let me circle back to the most disappointing part of the journey: Sleeper Class becoming like a General Coach. I was not the only one feeling helpless. Many passengers had booked tickets months in advance hoping for a decent and peaceful journey. But all we got was sleepless nights, no space to move, people fighting for seats, and total mismanagement.

This issue is not new. It happens regularly on many trains, and Indian Railways seems to turn a blind eye to it. If TTEs fine these unauthorized travelers but let them stay, that defeats the entire purpose of reservation.

The rule should be simple: either travel in your designated coach or leave the train. Allowing fines as a pass to travel in Sleeper Coaches encourages this behavior.

🚩 Return Journey: 12472 Swaraj Express (22 July 2025)

I returned on Train Number 12472 Swaraj Express from SVDK to LDH on 22 July 2025. While the General-to-Sleeper issue was somewhat less, other problems remained—especially with the food and toilet conditions.

I didn’t expect a luxury experience, but I did expect the basic facilities that come with a reserved ticket. Instead, I got more chaos, delays, and overcharging.

💡 Final Thoughts: Why I’m Sharing This

I’m writing this blog not to vent, but to:

• Raise awareness among fellow travelers
• Encourage transparency and accountability in Indian Railways
• Highlight persistent issues like overbooking, rule-breaking, unhygienic conditions, and poor service behavior

Indian Railways is trying its best, no doubt. But without proper enforcement of rules and feedback-based action, change will never come.

Sleeper Coach passengers are being treated unfairly. Why pay early, plan, and still suffer like a general coach traveler? It’s not just money; it’s about respect and passenger dignity.

✍️ A Message to IRCTC and Indian Railways

• Please enforce strict checks for unauthorized passengers in reserved coaches.
• Ensure toilets are cleaned and water is refilled regularly during long journeys.
• Display food menus with official IRCTC prices in every coach to stop overcharging.
• Take disciplinary action against rude pantry staff.
• Start a real-time complaint system that works even offline or gets submitted automatically when network resumes.

This was my honest and personal travel experience on two different trains during my Vaishno Devi yatra. I hope this blog reaches someone in authority who can take real steps to make our trains better—for everyone.

Jai Mata Di 🙏