Ha! That was the video I watched before this one, and I agree that he'd have been BEGGING for curry in a private compartment by day three on Greyhound in the middle of nowhere.
That is a shith@le comparison. This is a luxurious train. Greyhound is overall filthy and does not have any security. Are you guys homeless or so? Stay away from Indian railways.
In both cases, the experience is designed to generate actual gratitude for all the hassles and expense involved in flying instead. It's hard to conceive of where the world would be at this point without the airplane, as a mode of public transport, having been invented.
When I was 20 I did a Chennai to Tiruchi night train in sleeper class. We shared a cabin with a really nice family, so it actually went pretty smooth. But it also wasn't 30 hours and the "bed" was a sheet of plywood with a thin vinyl covering.
Me and my wife took the train from Dehli to Agra back in 1979, in first class with Air Con, the train itself was an old steam locomotive. Never forget that old experience in travel. No complains to service or Indian rail, very superb and memorable experience
Hi, I am from Manchester, England and I have had 2 independent holidays on Indian Railways around 20 and 25 years ago. I found Indian Railways a lot better than I expected. The trouble is you never can let your brain turn off in India. Most of the journeys we did were on overnight sleeper trains, first class. Great video, thank you
I agree about "never letting your brain turn off'. I travelled Northern India for over two months some time back with my wife including Kashmir, and it's just always full-on! An absolutely amazing country, full of chaos (that just generally kinda works!), crazy long haul car, 4x4 and train rides and plenty of beautiful people. We caught a train from Varanasi to Gaya - not a long ride at all - but ended up having to get off in Patna instead, as, not speaking the language, we didn't know that the train had been rerouted away from Gaya to Patna because of a derailment. Cue 10 hours at Patna station then finally a train down to Gaya. Loooooong eventful day only to find the arranged hotel room was non-existent, so it a as a search at 130am for lodging then on our own to arrange everything from there. Bit of an annoying day but a travelling experience! Met many interesting people at Patna Station and a wonderful group of families and travellers on the train from Patna to Gaya who rearranged themselves, luggage, children etc to give over a sleeper bunk for my wife and I to use.
Whats the reasoning behind not being able to turn your brain off in india? Is it similar to the reasons someone in new york city might say the same? Only asking because you implied something that im not grasping because i kind of skipped through the video and only got some highlights. Totally interested in your opinion
This is the nicest Indian train I've ever seen! Also, wanted to clarify to your viewers this isn't actually "sleeper" class, but looks like 1AC. Just so people don't make the mistake of booking "sleeper," which is entirely different, including quite a bit more packed and no glass (just bars) on the windows. But some people may enjoy the experience!
Sleeper coach is much better than ac coaches because it's very enjoyable wind blasting over your face is just the best feeling it's better than the ac coach
Noel, " ill be careful what I eat on this train, not wanting to do a number 2". Next scene, he's trying everything they are giving him.🤣🤣🤣🤣👍. I expect nothing less Noel.
I thought the same , LOL. And to think he was worried if even he would have food ... that he downloaded an app for some take away that may or may not arrive at one of the stops. Noel is a tough fellow. I'm starting to think he was in the elite British military unit ( SAS) before youtube. After all, he does live by their motto: " Who Dares Wins".
We travelled on an overnight train in China and yes it was an experience! The toilet however was unforgettable. It was a squatting toilet and I will never forget being greeted with a massive lump of poo with a cigarette still smoking on top of it like a candle. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as we had 10 hours until we got off the train.
I wouldn't say that was brutal but thank god for western standards. The moment the guy keeps knocking on my locked door while I'm trying to sleep I would've lost it.
28:27 I couldn't help but crack up at the idea of Indian Railway employees constantly entering your room while you were sleeping to either bring you food or snap selfies!
As a young man, in 1989 I travelled all around India by train. Trains were hauled by both steam and diesel locos at that time. I often went sleeper, saving money on hotels. I rarely had a room to myself. However I had some wonderful conversations with a wide variety of people! My comfort level was far beneath this experience, but I have to say it was the happiest time of my life! I think you've missed out on something here... PS Ordering food on IR has always been by advance booking, in the old days a man would come around and take your orders which were telegraphed to the station preparing and distributing the food.
"I think you've missed out on something here..." this is Noel though xD he gets on these experiences and complains about how uncomfortable it all is, we watch to see him suffer.
you want to know the worst train to travel 18047 train sharimar to goa, and kanyakurmari express from kanyakumari to dibrugarh. i bet you get the worst experience in these trains
I've used the trains a lot in India - it is truly an experience! You're never sure what you're going to come across next, but what ever it is it usually makes you smile. I find the people so pleasant, even if they are waking you up at some ungodly hour, and helpful. It's a while since I last took the plunge but all the things that you experienced I recognised straight away, including whatever you do don't drop your mobile down the toilet, its the last you'll see of that!
Well....this is a bit awkward, but you misidentified the toilet. Like Noel. That is not a "poop on the train tracks through a hole in the train floor" toilet. Its a Bio-toilet, which have finished replacing the previous variety in ALL Indian trains by 2021. So if you drop your mobile down it, it will be found in the bio-digester tank on that particular train coach.
@@Mike-rx5uu Then isn't that the case for _any_ toilet at all? And if so, why even bring up that topic in an Indian Railways related video unless you are specifically using "last I'd see of the phone" as a euphemism for "hole in the floor toilets suck".
In 1989 I took a second class air-conditioned train from Agra to Trivandrum. It was a wonderful, really impressive 49 HR long journey I will never forget. Amazing India
I died laughing at the " well ..good morning .. from .. somewhere in India " ... looking somewhat traumatized. Priceless. Then the guys taking the photo of handing you the breakfast sent me over the edge.
I really enjoyed travelling on the sleepers. Did a 30hr run from Mumbai to Patna in 2nd cl AC, sharing the compartment with a really interesting group of friendly and helpful strangers. Being able to order food ahead using phone app from restaurants en route to deliver to the train window when you pulled in is a classic bit of Indian tech/food/trains ingenuity. Also did a trip on first class, but that was tedious as nobody to talk to.
Only 30 hours! When I was nine years old, I spent, with my family three days and two nights on a steam train from Delhi to Calicut. For me at that age, it was tremendous fun. And air conditioning on Indian trains was unknown 55 years ago.
Actually the first air conditioned train in India was the Frontier Mail from 1934 , but the first FULLY AIR CONDITIONED Train was Deluxe Express (present Poorva Express) inaugurated at 1956 , then came the HOWRAH NEW DELHI RAJDHANI EXPRESS at 1969 which was also fully air conditioned
That trip looked pretty civilised when I compare it to the journeys I made on Indian Railways in 3rd class in the late 70's. A hot year, just before the monsoon, 115 in the shade, and packed like sardines, sitting on the floor of the carriage, waiting for ages for it to move off. That is brutal! But, the trains were huge steam locos, and chai wallas and other people would get on at the stops flogging mangoes, bananas, Bombay mix etc, so these were hugely colourful experiences.
you want to know the worst train to travel 18047 train sharimar to goa, and kanyakurmari express from kanyakumari to dibrugarh. i bet you get the worst experience in these trains
I have travelled quite expensively on Indian Railways right up to to the age of seventy, I would call it a bit rugged but hardly brutal, on really long journeys I would try to get an upper berth where I could stretch out and relax during the day time if I felt tired, only trouble I missed seeing the passing countryside
As a British Indian, watching Noel try viciously to open an Indian crisp packet how we do in Britain knowing gave me intense panic that the whole thing was going to blow!
I've lived in SE Asia for eight years. Watching him trying open that packet I was thinking "dude... rookie move". Use your teeth or tear the packet open vertically. You're not in Kansas anymore Dorothy! 😂
It all looks so clean and modern now, when I first traveled by train in 1974, I rode third class, which was box cars with wooden plank benches or box cars with straw on the floor. When I went back in 1979-80, third class had been abolished so we took second class coaches which had wood platforms to sleep on if you paid for a sleeper. We avoided first class because all the best pickpockets rode those. Took some three-day rides each time, we learned not to sit in the front half of the train because of all of the cinders from the locomotive blew in the windows which just had bars and no glass, Indian trains are a trip!
Started smiling at the part about the unwanted nighttime intrusions, but the corn flakes episode finally cracked me up. Because I knew what was coming.... hot milk😅
@@Quebecoisegal You WANT them to be mushy?? Mushy cornflakes are the worst! Ugh, that mushy texture.. That's why at least in my country, cornflakes are always eaten immidiately after pouring the milk so they are still good and crunchy :)
Every month must feel like planning a Top Gear special for this guy. Many congratulations for crafting a career that you love and being excellent at it!
Indian railways the lifeline of transport in India. People watching from Europe just for some perspective. Indian Railways transports more people in a year than the entire population of some European countries. And it does it efficiently and cost effectively.
@@Progan666 They are old. But compared just 15 to 17 years ago, there has been extreme improvement. I remember when I was 5 there were cockroachs and garbage on the berths. They went on a massive cleanup campaign for the insides of all trains around 2005 to 6, the trains became extremely clean and the food became good. The pandemic has had a bad effect(there was dirt in the ledges), but it's still much better than 2005.
@@Progan666 Also, until very recently, they used to endeavour to give you your moneys worth by keeping the trains at 16 degrees Celsius. We had to wear sweaters on the trains. They've toned that down recently too.
@@Progan666 That's a load of BS... Not In the 9 EU countries i used trains before. Especially not in this horrific unhygienic condition. Just look the stains on his window.... Even in communist times in the 80's it wasn't that bad. Also guaranteed that you WOUNT find a single squatting toilet anywhere in a European train. Squatting toilets are as common in Europe as unpolluted rivers in India.
i was in india in for 3 months and i used the sleeper cars all the time and i loved them. eat dinner, get on the train, sleep, wake up in my destination the next morning. never had a problem. And bloody hell, i was not in one of these cars, i was in the regular cars, open cars, no air con.
I spent 38 h in normal sleeper class in india, the journey of my life. What noel had is super luxury .That chaos at indian trainstations is also well known to me. Love your vlogs, just the best what YT has to offer
Each coach has 4 toilets, two on each end. One of them is a western style commode. You just need to find it. There would be toilet availability indicator above the door of your coupe
He forgot to read.....he was so engrossed in his blog......that's why I said that he isn't welcome to India.....if he has some sense of decency he should ask forgiveness from all us Indian's for his ignorance...but the British blood doesn't have that sense.
19:25 a lot of bloggers bitch and complain the whole time, and it's understandable when you're uncomfortable and there's no relief.. What I like about Noel is that he may complain, but he ALWAYS tries to find a silver lining, which is much more respectful.
Your travel videos make me want to travel the world! The news and government wants us to hate one another, but it’s our job as individuals to go out there and travel and meet new people and experience new cultures and extend the hand of friendship across the globe! :)
Love the fact you described India as an ice cream cone...which makes Sri Lanka not a teardrop but rather a drop of melted ice cream running off the cone and it's a perfect description 💀 Accidentally read that as Italian sleeper and was like "In what world is a sleeper to Sicily over 30 hours"...hope you one day DO actually go on a Rome-Palermo sleeper since you get to ride on a train ferry when crossing into Sicily. And if you're willing to do another Asian journey, the Reunification Express between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City would be nice, if you really wanna see Vietnam this is the way to do it
13:30 in the Netherlands, the last of the trains that dump the toilet contents right onto the rail have only very recently been refurbished and fitted with toilets that don't dump on the rails. As a kid, i always tried to go to the toilet exactly when we'd pass over a bridge with a road under it. I'm not proud of it but it still makes me smile. The toilets had signs requesting you wouldn't use them at stations, but i've seen turds on the rail at Amsterdam Central more than once. Eventually, the trains did get systems that could automatically block the flush system - so you wouldn't flush it in a tunnel, where there is no rain water to slowly wash way the crap.
That looked like luxury to me, In 1976 I went by train from Bombay to Calcutta, I think it was a steam train and took 2 days and nights. The food was delicious, cooked fresh on the train.
@@sid2372 I would love to visit India again, my main reason for visiting India in the first place was that my father (his name was Sid) was in the army and stationed at Colaba barracks just before the outbreak of the second World War. I wanted to see India 🇮🇳 for myself. I am now living my retirement in Cambodia 🇰🇭 not so far away, so it is possible I will return to see the changes.
@@rogerchesson176 yup.. What I believe more is.. The world would be different if all thr Asian people.. Especially South, eastern Asia join together and form an union.... Just like EU.... Because we all have similar culture, food, we share similar history.... 😍😍
@@AdityaSingh-fu5dl I am afraid my father was not an officer, he was just another ordinary British soldier of the many that came to India before the outbteak of the second world war and before India gained independence from British rule.
Noel, I happened upon your channel randomly and I must say, after watching several vidoes, you have a new fan. Your zest for life’s experiences is something to live through vicariously. Thank you for doing these very interesting, entertaining and educational videos. I am looking forward to spending my afternoon binge watching them. From rainy Seattle, Washington. 😊😊
I worked in an Indian hospital in Karakonum for a month back in 2012. I really enjoyed it and ate everything that was cooked for me. I wasn’t ill once the entire time I was there 🙂 It definitely is a very different over there and I stuck out like a sore thumb with my pale skin, freckles and blonde hair 😂 I’d love to go again!
Hi tixie, I don't know why your reply is hidden but from clicking on your profile, I see you said you worked as a radiographer. I am from Kerala myself, what about you? I'm just curious why a foreigner would come here and work in hospitals when the wages are low compared to western countries. Did you work in Karakonam medical College?
Took 2nd Class sleeper from Delhi to Patna and back with friends a little over 50 years ago. It wasn't as posh as a double. But understand and appreciate your experience. Thanks!
I like that he doesn’t have any filters and it’s an honest review. I wish we had some sleeper trains that were as good as the European ones. I love night trains. Indian railways need to privatise at least few of the trains and allow them to upgrade the amenities. I don’t mind paying extra for better facilities.
I spent two weeks on a Brit-Rail pass in May 1992, there were plenty of toilets that dumped onto the tracks because the warning signs said not to flush when stopped in a train station. I remember being able to see the tracks through the hole, but of course they were Western toilets. I remember it being very noisy in those toilets because it was open to the outside air!
Ah! - The toilets!! Noel possibly did not notice them - but AC First Class Sleepers have both Western Style and Squat Style Eastern toilets. In fact they also have a shower. Noel probably thinks India is still a British Colony - wake up! we are not - and Indians love their squat toilets! Being an Englishman, I was surprised to see that Noel did not recognize Lentil soup - also called Dal - in his lunch. Interesting considering the fact that England is full of curry houses and Dal is a common dish. Sure he does not live under a rock - he travels the world! There are a ton of eCatering Apps - Noel does mention them but does not use them. That way, you don't have to eat the Railway Catering food - or get dinner at 11PM. Basic rule of travel - anywhere in the world - ask the locals - and do what the locals do. Finally, if the journey says - overnight, it does not mean a couple of hours - its overnight! Download some movies on an ipad! I challenge Noel to find a similar service anywhere in the world - like the Indian Railways AC First class - and - At the price point that Indian Railways charges. Book 2 AC first class tickets for around US $ 128 or GBP 104 - for a distance of 2000 km / 1300 miles. We can then talk. The only thing that really bothered me is - India for some reason is just unable to give up its obsession with the White Skin!! They kept disturbing him at all hours of the day and night - to take selfies! I really hope that we, as a nation, is able to grow over this obsession. We - Indians - Love our Trains, Proud of them, proud that we still can provide cheap long distance travel to the millions. And Noel - next time, take a flight.
Lots of insecurities and pretty uncharitable interpretations of this guy's experience, in this thread. There's nothing wrong with noticing differences when you travel! It's not disparaging or hateful to do so - just natural human curiosity.
I remember taking a trip on a Pennsylvania railroad passenger train in the 1960s, and they still were dumping toilet contents onto the tracks, and had the sign not to use it while was stopped in a station. But in India, fecal matter is viewed differently.
Seeing any country by train is the absolute best way to see it! Thanks for sharing and experiencing this with/for us. I may never get to India (maybe someday?) and I love Indian food (even the wicked spicy stuff). Videos like this allow me to see the beautiful country...and experience some of the transportation. Would I take the train? If I was there for a pleasure trip and had the time, yes. If I had to work (and I work daily with co-workers in Bengaluru and Chennai), then no, I wouldn't. On to the next video! Also...loved the cool thanks to us watching....but make sure to give a BIG thanks to your awesome wife! She's keeping things moving at home while you're away working. Time to take her on a cool trip when you get home.
Poor Noel. That probably wouldn’t have been such an exhausting journey for him if the train staff had left him alone for five minutes. Seriously...waking him up in the middle of the night like that was pretty out of order. I think I’d have lost my temper a couple of times if I’d been in Noel’s shoes.
@@BillyT886 The surest way not to get any of THIS white man's money is to wake him up multiple times in the middle of the night and THEN have the audacity to panhandle for tips. That's uncalled for even by Indian standards.
In 2017 I spend half a year traveling India, I LOVED the train and the sleeper bus!! I slept in third class, holding my backpack to me, no AC, people everywhere, jumping down to have a cigarette everytime the train stops. Or watching each others back when having a smoke in the bathroom :D
12:52 "that's literally the train line underneath us". what's train supposed to run on, roads. If you're talking about you can see train line through the hole, every train of Indian railways has installed with bio- toilet, so there's tank under that toilet. how can you see track through the tank?
He was clearly misrepresenting it for his viewers in order to play to their biases about India literally being covered in poo everywhere. One can clearly see in the video that it is a bio-toilet, yet he claims to see the track underneath it.
@@onkarthakur3096 Honestly I think he just didn’t want to examine it to much and just assumed it was a hole out of the carriage. Also most people in the uk don’t think India is a dirty place, I can see why you might think that though.. most of our media coverage of India focuses on the super rich or super poor areas so we only tend to see the extremes
FYI ...Howrah isn't in Calcutta, it's another district and the Howrah station was established way way back in 1854...you boarded the train from the new complex of the station, hence the locals might have referred to it as the new station. There are two toilets at both ends of each coach, one Western and one Indian...only if you had opened the door of the other restroom you would have found a Western toilet in there.
@@ritabratamaitra7707 Hole in the ground toilets are something I've even seen in France. It's common many places in the world. In general the squatting position is actually better than a regular toilet when doing number two. But I must admit I really prefer regular sitting toilets myself :)
@@rowaystarco thought this type of toilet is available in the subcontinent only....but yeah agree with you the squatting position help one to discharge the waste better. But, even in India as people grow older and develop all sorts of ailments and aches they prefer the Western toilet.
@@rowaystarco thank you for pointing this out. So many who have not had too many stamps a passport might not understand this. But squat toilets have been around longer than porcelain thrones. As a traveler I understand, and I'm fine with both where I am. But admittedly it is the oddest sensation in the world, as a female, to be in squat position and see the ground speed by underneath the train!🧐😆
Cheers Noel 😎👍🏻. Bhubaneswar is the capital of the state of Orissa. I was there in 2019 and the people are awesome. It's got so many old beautiful temples. Mujhe Bharat se sachcha pyaar hai 😍🇮🇳. Keep doing your best mate. Enjoy Incredible India.
You don't have to thank me for watching your video's Mr Philips. You provide myself with sheer unadulterated entertainment and show us sights and sounds that I will probably never see. I thank you Sir for the joy you give me and you are practically an A-Lister now so no wonder people want photo ops with you. Keep up the fantastic work.
THIS GUY HAS THE VERY BEST JOB ON THE PLANET, DAY AFTER DAY, YEAR AFTER YEAR GLOBETROTTING IN JETS AND TRAINS AROUND THE WORLD, GETTING PAID FOR IT. BRUTAL!!! SERIOUSLY, YOUR SHOWS ARE OUTSTANDING. CARRY ON!!!
I spent two weeks working a show in Bengaluru (Bangalore) many years ago, and yes given the vast population, any white person tends to be a minor celebrity, and because the show was music related, we were automatically thought of as world pop stars. We were anything but 😂 Part of me never left India, a truly beautiful country when you ignore the things that people from the west tend to mention first.
But in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh aka North Western Indian Himalayas the local population has many white passing people. They look clearly South European. In Kashmir, you will be depressed because people will not give attention to you unless you are blonde otherwise many of the locals there especially in Kashmir resembles Mediterraneans.
A pair of scissors are always good to have on a long train trip like that. They'll help to open the most stubborn bag of chips or any snack that's packaged in cellophane!
I love travelling on Indian trains. If you want a really gritty experience, try the Rangoon (Yangon) to Mandalay night train. Wouldn’t have missed it for the world but would never do it again!
That's a good trip. I did it twenty years ago and remember the train being delayed for hours at a tiny station in the middle of nowhere during the night. Most of the passengers realised that we would be there for a while and slept on the platform wrapped up in their lungis among a friendly but scabby assortment of local dogs. It was hot but with a refreshing breeze and I eventually nodded off to sleep. Sometime later I thought I was tripping when I began faintly picking out English being spoken in an excited manner so I stepped my way over the sleeping passengers to satisfy my curiosity and tucked away in a little waiting room I sat down and watched the rest of the Leeds United verses Wimbledon match on Sky Sports. The bloke in this video is a joke. The last time I was in India 1990/91 I travelled over ten thousand miles on Indian trains and I had a fantastic time all on second class. Thanks for reminding me candleman54.
Noel - there is no fork because traditionally, you use your hands. Loved the video. You are way to polite to not say bugger off to the people wanting a selfie in the middle of the night!
@@noelphilips People in India regularly cut their nails, very rarely will you see that. Also we wash our hands before & after eating the food, way more hygienic.
@@noelphilips Naan bread or chapattis. I occasionally eat a curry in this way and it makes it taste way nicer than with a fork and spoon for some reason.
This may have been my favorite vid of all that Noel's done .. and it didn't even involve a train. What a journey! That Bombay Mix struggle, his loo review .. and (i'm not gonna lie) the shirtless scene .. well, those were all highlights for me! ;) GREAT vid.
It’s nearly half past 2am here in NY and I’m trying my hardest not to wake anyone, that is until the part with the bag of crisps! I can’t stop laughing! 😂
Ha! Hit the nail on the head with the prediction that we all wanted a loo review… but what we REALLY REALLY wanted was a loo review about 20-30 hours into the trip!
An inspiration to us all, Noel! Although I don't think I'll be following in your footsteps on this particular journey, you did make me miss India. I used to visit for work regularly - loved watching the world go by and glimpsing an India I'd never otherwise see, loved the food (of course), and loved the super-polite but oddly lingering interactions I'd have with locals
Pretty certain the coaches have had "bio-toilets" for a few years now where the poo is stored in chemically treated tanks and not dumped straight onto the tracks. So no there's no way you were able to see the tracks through the hole, if at least that is what you were implying.
i've been to India twice because i had a 10yr visa. my GF had no intention of going back for the second time. 😁 they provide fresh sheets and blanket wrapped in paper on sleeper. you need to have your passport to purchase a train ticket and that's an ordeal in itself. there was blackout everywhere we went, even the capital.
Hello Noel, very nice video again. Thanks. By the way: Did you look to the toilet at the other side of the sleeping car? I remember when I took the train Chennai to Bangalore there was 1 floor toilet and 1 European toilet at the opposite side of the corridor.
But these toilets 🚽 have no tank it just goes off directly on the rail line , Wherever the train 🚂 goes it just spread massive shit across the railway from stations to cities to river shit everywhere
Different Countries, different cultures. Amazing! I LOVE the respectful, kind way (especially re charging a random mans, ringing phone), that you behave. No wonder they are caring for you so well. Nice one!
Hi Noel, I am from the city of Kolkata and it’s so much fun to see you describe your journey on one of our trains. 😃 P.S- Kharagpur has the world’s third longest railway platform..
@@noelphilips actually 1st ac trains in India have western style toilets and shower room but u didn't know I think it will be on opposite side of coach like every ac1st coach have 2 western toilet one Indian and one shower room
I took a train from Nuevo Laredo to Mexico City in 1977. The toilet on that train also dumped on the track below. You could also see the track beneath but at least it wasn't a squat toilet. There was an open air observation deck on the last car of the train. Occasionally when on the deck you would feel a little mist that at first was refreshing until I remembered how the toilet dumped on the track! Arggh! No more observation travel after that.
Indian railways have both. Squat and western. He went to the squat. About the track system , There are older stock and newer ones. The one he travelled on is 30 years old. So yeah
Be glad that you bought both billets! To be honest, other than the toilets, it didn't look THAT much worse than the AMTRAK trip. That looked pretty miserable to me, too.
Amtrak is not at all comparable to this train. Western trains are a couple generations ahead in ride comfort, services available, and stuff like that which you can't decipher by watching videos.
Noel: There's loads of people up here and there's not many people in my coach so I'm imagining that the quieter end of the platform might be where it is! Morgan Freeman: It's on the other end of the platform, isn't it? Noel: It's right at the far end of the platform now so all the way down, back down we go Morgan Freeman: *Told ya* The Indian railway network is pretty much the British railways on steroids with its chaos and it's oh so beautiful
I was watching this last night and read some of the comments, when I fell asleep, I dreamt I was also on this train, but it wasn't as private, it was all bunk beds... Then I wanted some snacks and the train became an indoor market with loads of antique shops... It was very strange :)
I can’t wait to watch this video in a bit. Such a fan of your content. I have to say these ones where you put yourself through suffering are my favorite lol! I loved your around the world videos as well. You suffer for our entertainment! Thank you and have a great Sunday. Cheers
Thanks! Next time, I would advise a little googling to check if food is served on a particular train and try the next toilet which is almost always a western toilet. For the tip issue, feel free to tweet to #IndianRailways to set them a lesson
I would advise studying up ANYTIIME you go to another country. And following their customs. And eating what they give you with gratitude. And never comparing.
30 hour journey displayed to us in less than 40 minutes! Howrah is an chaotic experience on its own haha! Glad you are going through all the corners of India! Keep it up!!!
I cant hold back myself from commenting:man,the video is so hilarious,first time seeing you and i cant stop laughing with your adventure with that train....earned a sub,i am gonna enjoy more videos from you,greetings from Greece!!
Few things Noel, just an FYI, in the toilets, we have a western toilet and an Indian toilet. usually at the beginning of the journey it is the cleanest it'll be. And it was not train tracks under the loo hole, these are bio-loos so no train tracks. Secondly most of the information you are looking for is available online. It'll be easier for your next trips you might have planned. The snack packets are to be opened from the zigzag end, there's a mark mostly. Safe travels.
Thirty hours journey in a first-class compartment can get boring at times as there's no one to talk to. I've traveled in all types of compartments and the fun part is having conversations with fellow travelers, lower the compartment, like 3 tier or sleeper, friendlier the people.
If you have money then you can try this Indian luxuries train . 1. Maharajas’ Express 2. Palace On Wheels 3. The Deccan Odyssey 4. Golden Chariot 5. Royal Orient Train 6. Fairy Queen Express 7. Heritage On Wheels
You should try the sleeper from Cairo to Luxor. Did it a year or so ago. Machinegunner in the central carraige in case of terrorists and bullet holes in the windows, And the food was strange also,
Try to keep yourself more open-minded next time you travel through India. Here are a few pointers just to give you perspective about what you were travelling through: 1) We are talking about one of the largest Electrified Train Networks in the World which hauls an entire Australia every year. 2) If you would have tried a little bit, you would have found the English Style toilet as well. 3) The train is fitted with Bio - Toilets. So... No, the excreta doesn't directly fall onto the tracks but is properly disposed of at a safe location after the journey. 4) You have to go and wait at the door of the coach to get your food ordered online. 5) You can ask the coach attendants not to disturb you until and unless it is something important. 6) You can always Tweet your problem and the local railway zone will reply and get things straight at the next stop of the train.
Brings back many memories. Ive done that journey 3 times. Love it. It is actually a good experience to share with others in a 4 or 6 sleeper compartment. I once had my family in a 3 sleeper compartment. Wife and daughter 10 son 9. Once we got over the fear and culture shock of being surrounded by poeple who were different culture, looking and speaking ad all interested i us, it was quite comfortable and very interesting.
I was in Sri Lanka a couple of years ago, and of course we went all over the country using their railway system. Yes, it's quite the culture shock when you're first on board, but within moments I was in love. The pace of life, the hanging out the doors, the stopping for no given reason, the scenery. We were lucky enough to have a catering coach (of sorts) on our trains, but given the time we were stopped at stations, we had time to use the platform food stalls, which were consistently excellent. If you've never been on a Sri Lankan train, I can only highly recommend considering do so.
I have to say the train ride looks a lot better than the Greyhound from New York to California.
Ha! That was the video I watched before this one, and I agree that he'd have been BEGGING for curry in a private compartment by day three on Greyhound in the middle of nowhere.
@@glennmartin8664same. 😮 i literally went from greyhound to this.
Comparing a legendary train with a Greyhound bus?? Man, you haven't heard of apples and oranges, my guess.
That is a shith@le comparison. This is a luxurious train. Greyhound is overall filthy and does not have any security. Are you guys homeless or so? Stay away from Indian railways.
In both cases, the experience is designed to generate actual gratitude for all the hassles and expense involved in flying instead. It's hard to conceive of where the world would be at this point without the airplane, as a mode of public transport, having been invented.
Try going on the actual “sleeper” class coach next time for 30 hours. Should be S1, S2 etc coach name. That would be BRUTAL.
Amen,. This was an absolutely first class trip in comparison!
Uhhhh that would be like Hell on wheels for him.... 😂🤣🔥🔥 Lol...
When I was 20 I did a Chennai to Tiruchi night train in sleeper class. We shared a cabin with a really nice family, so it actually went pretty smooth.
But it also wasn't 30 hours and the "bed" was a sheet of plywood with a thin vinyl covering.
thatd give him something to wing abouit lol ... its india ffs . next time head to Blackpool .
I would only go on Sleeper. Once did one of the AC cars for 24 hours from Kolkata to Dehli and it was a much worse.
Me and my wife took the train from Dehli to Agra back in 1979, in first class with Air Con, the train itself was an old steam locomotive. Never forget that old experience in travel. No complains to service or Indian rail, very superb and memorable experience
That sounds a wonderful experience, unforgettable.
wow,
43 years ago
💖👌
So basically you’re old af
Hi, I am from Manchester, England and I have had 2 independent holidays on Indian Railways around 20 and 25 years ago. I found Indian Railways a lot better than I expected. The trouble is you never can let your brain turn off in India. Most of the journeys we did were on overnight sleeper trains, first class. Great video, thank you
India is poor partly because of your ancestors
I agree about "never letting your brain turn off'. I travelled Northern India for over two months some time back with my wife including Kashmir, and it's just always full-on! An absolutely amazing country, full of chaos (that just generally kinda works!), crazy long haul car, 4x4 and train rides and plenty of beautiful people. We caught a train from Varanasi to Gaya - not a long ride at all - but ended up having to get off in Patna instead, as, not speaking the language, we didn't know that the train had been rerouted away from Gaya to Patna because of a derailment. Cue 10 hours at Patna station then finally a train down to Gaya. Loooooong eventful day only to find the arranged hotel room was non-existent, so it a as a search at 130am for lodging then on our own to arrange everything from there. Bit of an annoying day but a travelling experience! Met many interesting people at Patna Station and a wonderful group of families and travellers on the train from Patna to Gaya who rearranged themselves, luggage, children etc to give over a sleeper bunk for my wife and I to use.
@thedrummerboy1215 Done that too 👍
Whats the reasoning behind not being able to turn your brain off in india? Is it similar to the reasons someone in new york city might say the same? Only asking because you implied something that im not grasping because i kind of skipped through the video and only got some highlights. Totally interested in your opinion
😂😂U have not travelled in general class of Indian railways.
This is the nicest Indian train I've ever seen! Also, wanted to clarify to your viewers this isn't actually "sleeper" class, but looks like 1AC. Just so people don't make the mistake of booking "sleeper," which is entirely different, including quite a bit more packed and no glass (just bars) on the windows. But some people may enjoy the experience!
Actually there is a glass shutter that you need to pull down when you need it.
It has much better train now in India depend on your route.
Sleeper coach is much better than ac coaches because it's very enjoyable wind blasting over your face is just the best feeling it's better than the ac coach
@@ajoyprannavn.s.6144 second this definitely!
Actually there is glass
Noel, " ill be careful what I eat on this train, not wanting to do a number 2". Next scene, he's trying everything they are giving him.🤣🤣🤣🤣👍. I expect nothing less Noel.
@Terry Martin if we are all honest we love the ones where he's most uncomfortable like this one. As long as he's safe then it's okay..
Have you seen his video hen he got a ferry to Amsterdam.. He raids the mini bar and gets completely arseholed.. so funny
@@philipwalton4877 I shall watch it and have a laugh then. Cheers 🍻
I thought the same , LOL.
And to think he was worried if even he would have food ... that he downloaded an app for some take away that may or may not arrive at one of the stops.
Noel is a tough fellow.
I'm starting to think he was in the elite British military unit ( SAS) before youtube.
After all, he does live by their motto: " Who Dares Wins".
@@philipwalton4877 I love that video - he's a character
We travelled on an overnight train in China and yes it was an experience! The toilet however was unforgettable. It was a squatting toilet and I will never forget being greeted with a massive lump of poo with a cigarette still smoking on top of it like a candle. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as we had 10 hours until we got off the train.
yes the chinese are just as scruffy as the indians
Lolol
did they know it was your birthday
😅😅
When was it ???
I wouldn't say that was brutal but thank god for western standards. The moment the guy keeps knocking on my locked door while I'm trying to sleep I would've lost it.
28:27 I couldn't help but crack up at the idea of Indian Railway employees constantly entering your room while you were sleeping to either bring you food or snap selfies!
As a young man, in 1989 I travelled all around India by train. Trains were hauled by both steam and diesel locos at that time.
I often went sleeper, saving money on hotels.
I rarely had a room to myself. However I had some wonderful conversations with a wide variety of people!
My comfort level was far beneath this experience, but I have to say it was the happiest time of my life!
I think you've missed out on something here...
PS Ordering food on IR has always been by advance booking, in the old days a man would come around and take your orders which were telegraphed to the station preparing and distributing the food.
"I think you've missed out on something here..." this is Noel though xD he gets on these experiences and complains about how uncomfortable it all is, we watch to see him suffer.
I can imagine... and relate and understand that it was the happiest, magical and unforgettable experience than you cherish for life
Food order is still same here in India
you want to know the worst train to travel 18047 train sharimar to goa, and kanyakurmari express from kanyakumari to dibrugarh. i bet you get the worst experience in these trains
Ever hear of something called research the one does before undertaking a journey? Finding pros and cons for modes of transport??
I've used the trains a lot in India - it is truly an experience! You're never sure what you're going to come across next, but what ever it is it usually makes you smile. I find the people so pleasant, even if they are waking you up at some ungodly hour, and helpful. It's a while since I last took the plunge but all the things that you experienced I recognised straight away, including whatever you do don't drop your mobile down the toilet, its the last you'll see of that!
much like the Hanoi to Saigon journey...
Well....this is a bit awkward, but you misidentified the toilet. Like Noel. That is not a "poop on the train tracks through a hole in the train floor" toilet. Its a Bio-toilet, which have finished replacing the previous variety in ALL Indian trains by 2021. So if you drop your mobile down it, it will be found in the bio-digester tank on that particular train coach.
@@death_parade If my phone ended up in the bio-digester... that would still be the last I'd see if the phone!
Try "Vande Bharat" trains next time, it will be a totally different experience and you will not loose your mobile even if you drop it in the toilet
@@Mike-rx5uu Then isn't that the case for _any_ toilet at all? And if so, why even bring up that topic in an Indian Railways related video unless you are specifically using "last I'd see of the phone" as a euphemism for "hole in the floor toilets suck".
Absolutely hilarious! Sorry you had all those interruptions but I was chuckling away at your despair 😂
In 1989 I took a second class air-conditioned train from Agra to Trivandrum. It was a wonderful, really impressive 49 HR long journey I will never forget. Amazing India
U r welcome again sir 🙏
I live in Trivandrum. How was Trivandrum at that time? Did you enjoy your journey here?
@@Ashamoons kerala is God's own country...ofcourse yes, who don't like heaven ? 🙌
@@Healthierthanyesterday_forever Do you crap in the street, or do you prefer to do it on the sidewalk?
Even more “amazing” if you were a woman. Those Indians sure know how to treat girls nice down there.
I died laughing at the " well ..good morning .. from .. somewhere in India " ... looking somewhat traumatized. Priceless. Then the guys taking the photo of handing you the breakfast sent me over the edge.
And then the smooth segue to the merch
Looks like u spent the night with him..same bed, under same blanket..rest i dont need to explain 😆😁😆😁
@@AshishGupta-gb5iv the only thing we are out to steal is your hearts my guy. Have a lovely day :D
🤣 ''Welcome Aboard'' the next day
@@ClaireMcHardy wow a true britisher..who accepts that they r thief..rightly so..but answers in a pathetic way..."Mierda"...
I really enjoyed travelling on the sleepers. Did a 30hr run from Mumbai to Patna in 2nd cl AC, sharing the compartment with a really interesting group of friendly and helpful strangers. Being able to order food ahead using phone app from restaurants en route to deliver to the train window when you pulled in is a classic bit of Indian tech/food/trains ingenuity. Also did a trip on first class, but that was tedious as nobody to talk to.
did they want to photo you every five minutes too?
@@karlcx ha, not the people on the train, but walking across the bridge at Patna several groups of randoms did. Very weird...
@@joegrey9807 don't worry about it just some colonial hang over. ☺
@@souvikdas4833 I'm not sure why. But I'm certainly not proud of a lot of the UK's colonial history.
@@joegrey9807 stockholm syndrome
Only 30 hours! When I was nine years old, I spent, with my family three days and two nights on a steam train from Delhi to Calicut. For me at that age, it was tremendous fun. And air conditioning on Indian trains was unknown 55 years ago.
Actually the first air conditioned train in India was the Frontier Mail from 1934 , but the first FULLY AIR CONDITIONED Train was Deluxe Express (present Poorva Express) inaugurated at 1956 , then came the HOWRAH NEW DELHI RAJDHANI EXPRESS at 1969 which was also fully air conditioned
@@ImPhOenIx148it’s amazing that someone know this. Y
That trip looked pretty civilised when I compare it to the journeys I made on Indian Railways in 3rd class in the late 70's. A hot year, just before the monsoon, 115 in the shade, and packed like sardines, sitting on the floor of the carriage, waiting for ages for it to move off. That is brutal! But, the trains were huge steam locos, and chai wallas and other people would get on at the stops flogging mangoes, bananas, Bombay mix etc, so these were hugely colourful experiences.
Now it completely changed
you want to know the worst train to travel 18047 train sharimar to goa, and kanyakurmari express from kanyakumari to dibrugarh. i bet you get the worst experience in these trains
@@shreyasbabar not really.
Hi
3rd class is practically suicide
29:56 got me weak asf. 😂
Great video as always Noel and thank you for taking us along on your journey. Quite an adventure you had!
I have travelled quite expensively on Indian Railways right up to to the age of seventy, I would call it a bit rugged but hardly brutal, on really long journeys I would try to get an upper berth where I could stretch out and relax during the day time if I felt tired, only trouble I missed seeing the passing countryside
You were travelling in relative luxury, I allways travelled in shared compartments
hello how are doin well i mean hello good morning
Now the entire countryside is filled with trash. Plastic has been a curse on this country.
As a British Indian, watching Noel try viciously to open an Indian crisp packet how we do in Britain knowing gave me intense panic that the whole thing was going to blow!
Why did'nt he used his teeth??? That is how we do in Sweden😅😂
hello
I've lived in SE Asia for eight years. Watching him trying open that packet I was thinking "dude... rookie move". Use your teeth or tear the packet open vertically. You're not in Kansas anymore Dorothy! 😂
never heard of a british indian whats that ?
@@TheRealCoronatus The world's chock-a-block with things you've never heard of, young nub cutlet.
It all looks so clean and modern now, when I first traveled by train in 1974, I rode third class, which was box cars with wooden plank benches or box cars with straw on the floor. When I went back in 1979-80, third class had been abolished so we took second class coaches which had wood platforms to sleep on if you paid for a sleeper. We avoided first class because all the best pickpockets rode those. Took some three-day rides each time, we learned not to sit in the front half of the train because of all of the cinders from the locomotive blew in the windows which just had bars and no glass, Indian trains are a trip!
Started smiling at the part about the unwanted nighttime intrusions, but the corn flakes episode finally cracked me up. Because I knew what was coming.... hot milk😅
Best with hot milk, with cold milk you need to steep them for an hour to get good and mushy.
👍😂🤣😁🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I laughed over the spicy curry 🤣
@@Quebecoisegal my dad puts cold milk on flake cereal and then microwaves it.
@@Quebecoisegal You WANT them to be mushy?? Mushy cornflakes are the worst! Ugh, that mushy texture..
That's why at least in my country, cornflakes are always eaten immidiately after pouring the milk so they are still good and crunchy :)
Every month must feel like planning a Top Gear special for this guy. Many congratulations for crafting a career that you love and being excellent at it!
Noel gonna be on the next Indian rail commercial
Indian railways the lifeline of transport in India. People watching from Europe just for some perspective. Indian Railways transports more people in a year than the entire population of some European countries. And it does it efficiently and cost effectively.
Obviously, that's going to happen because their population is 1.38 billion and the whole of Europe is only 740 million.
honestly this carriage doesn't look bad at all. It's obviously old but we have a lot of that in many parts of europe too.
@@Progan666 They are old. But compared just 15 to 17 years ago, there has been extreme improvement. I remember when I was 5 there were cockroachs and garbage on the berths.
They went on a massive cleanup campaign for the insides of all trains around 2005 to 6, the trains became extremely clean and the food became good. The pandemic has had a bad effect(there was dirt in the ledges), but it's still much better than 2005.
@@Progan666 Also, until very recently, they used to endeavour to give you your moneys worth by keeping the trains at 16 degrees Celsius. We had to wear sweaters on the trains.
They've toned that down recently too.
@@Progan666 That's a load of BS... Not In the 9 EU countries i used trains before.
Especially not in this horrific unhygienic condition. Just look the stains on his window....
Even in communist times in the 80's it wasn't that bad.
Also guaranteed that you WOUNT find a single squatting toilet anywhere in a European train.
Squatting toilets are as common in Europe as unpolluted rivers in India.
i was in india in for 3 months and i used the sleeper cars all the time and i loved them. eat dinner, get on the train, sleep, wake up in my destination the next morning. never had a problem. And bloody hell, i was not in one of these cars, i was in the regular cars, open cars, no air con.
I sometimes get the feeling that Noel sets himself up to encounter difficulties to make his vids unique. 🤣🤣 And I still come back for more 👍😂
Not really, he was in fact in first class (1AC), not Sleeper class. Aka super comfort class.
Wow..actually your ride seemed luxurious, compared to some! Thank you for sharing as usual. :)
Yeah but if you aren’t used to it, it’s much tougher.
Indian railways are going a massive upgradation. I think you should read about that in the internet. A quick Google search will clarify it.
12:55 there’s bio toilet equipment underneath the loo so no way you can see tracks!
Yusss
I spent 38 h in normal sleeper class in india, the journey of my life. What noel had is super luxury .That chaos at indian trainstations is also well known to me. Love your vlogs, just the best what YT has to offer
Really enjoyed this Noel, it's great that we can all join you on the trip, good fun without the stress lol
Noel made this trip so that the rest of us wouldn't have to.
@@scottevans2685 In fact a lot of them may cancel their plans 😄 after watching this video.
You are one of the most likeable YouaTubers I’ve seen. Love your channel. ❤
Thank you so much 🤗
Each coach has 4 toilets, two on each end. One of them is a western style commode. You just need to find it. There would be toilet availability indicator above the door of your coupe
@@smukerji7065 Even older LHB as well as ICF coaches have a western type toilet
He is just plain ignorant and blind
He only wants to project India and its services in a poor light. Biased blog
He forgot to read.....he was so engrossed in his blog......that's why I said that he isn't welcome to India.....if he has some sense of decency he should ask forgiveness from all us Indian's for his ignorance...but the British blood doesn't have that sense.
@@surajitchakraborty7201 cocky much? jfc
I think I would have been pleased with that experience. Plenty of space and food for you plus lots of positive attention from the Indian staff.
Service is best. People are best. For the price, its a good experience. Fancy trains offer cutlery, crockery, bars, lounge. But then they cost more.
Positive attention? Banging on your room door all night? Ridiculous!
Indian crisps are IMPOSSIBLE to open. The seal is always superglued.
I liked the way he called Bhuvaneswar a small town :)
It's not actually a small town But a big city of eastern India
19:25 a lot of bloggers bitch and complain the whole time, and it's understandable when you're uncomfortable and there's no relief.. What I like about Noel is that he may complain, but he ALWAYS tries to find a silver lining, which is much more respectful.
Your travel videos make me want to travel the world! The news and government wants us to hate one another, but it’s our job as individuals to go out there and travel and meet new people and experience new cultures and extend the hand of friendship across the globe! :)
Love the fact you described India as an ice cream cone...which makes Sri Lanka not a teardrop but rather a drop of melted ice cream running off the cone and it's a perfect description 💀
Accidentally read that as Italian sleeper and was like "In what world is a sleeper to Sicily over 30 hours"...hope you one day DO actually go on a Rome-Palermo sleeper since you get to ride on a train ferry when crossing into Sicily. And if you're willing to do another Asian journey, the Reunification Express between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City would be nice, if you really wanna see Vietnam this is the way to do it
I'm surprised you didn't ask him to do the Trans-Siberian's Pyongyang Branch.
what are ur thoughts on russia ukrain mr Jong-un
Then you could ride on the only trainferry line left in Europe.
13:30 in the Netherlands, the last of the trains that dump the toilet contents right onto the rail have only very recently been refurbished and fitted with toilets that don't dump on the rails. As a kid, i always tried to go to the toilet exactly when we'd pass over a bridge with a road under it. I'm not proud of it but it still makes me smile.
The toilets had signs requesting you wouldn't use them at stations, but i've seen turds on the rail at Amsterdam Central more than once. Eventually, the trains did get systems that could automatically block the flush system - so you wouldn't flush it in a tunnel, where there is no rain water to slowly wash way the crap.
Noel is a master at making an unpleasant experience sound not so bad - but his facial expressions don’t lie. 😂
Saw your comment before watching the actual video. Man that was a good one! Got me laughing a lot while watching
It looks teyyyyrible.
@@littlecarmine4932 I can literally smell this video
Makes it up for sounding like the staff did something wrong when they told him he's not allowed electronics in luggage on Air India 😂
@@MegaBISP when he first walked on that airless carriage I was just imagining the stench
I once spent 39 hours on a sleeper train in India. I loved it.
That looked like luxury to me, In 1976 I went by train from Bombay to Calcutta, I think it was a steam train and took 2 days and nights.
The food was delicious, cooked fresh on the train.
Thank you sir.. Please Visit India again.. It's now completely changed 😍
@@sid2372 I would love to visit India again, my main reason for visiting India in the first place was that my father (his name was Sid) was in the army and stationed at Colaba barracks just before the outbreak of the second World War.
I wanted to see India 🇮🇳 for myself.
I am now living my retirement in Cambodia 🇰🇭 not so far away, so it is possible I will return to see the changes.
@@rogerchesson176 yup.. What I believe more is.. The world would be different if all thr Asian people.. Especially South, eastern Asia join together and form an union.... Just like EU.... Because we all have similar culture, food, we share similar history.... 😍😍
@@rogerchesson176 your father was a British officer ?
@@AdityaSingh-fu5dl I am afraid my father was not an officer, he was just another ordinary British soldier of the many that came to India before the outbteak of the second world war and before India gained independence from British rule.
Noel, I happened upon your channel randomly and I must say, after watching several vidoes, you have a new fan. Your zest for life’s experiences is something to live through vicariously. Thank you for doing these very interesting, entertaining and educational videos. I am looking forward to spending my afternoon binge watching them. From rainy Seattle, Washington. 😊😊
Thank you for your kind words & Welcome aboard!
I’ve never laughed so hard at one of your videos. Banging on the door during the night to mop the floor. And those selfies!
I worked in an Indian hospital in Karakonum for a month back in 2012. I really enjoyed it and ate everything that was cooked for me. I wasn’t ill once the entire time I was there 🙂 It definitely is a very different over there and I stuck out like a sore thumb with my pale skin, freckles and blonde hair 😂 I’d love to go again!
Worked as what?
@@CosmicCanvas666 as a radiographer ☢️
Hi tixie, I don't know why your reply is hidden but from clicking on your profile, I see you said you worked as a radiographer. I am from Kerala myself, what about you? I'm just curious why a foreigner would come here and work in hospitals when the wages are low compared to western countries. Did you work in Karakonam medical College?
Took 2nd Class sleeper from Delhi to Patna and back with friends a little over 50 years ago. It wasn't as posh as a double. But understand and appreciate your experience. Thanks!
he was full-on negative mood on shiting everything Indian......
But its completely different from 50 years back with Vande Bharat semi high speed trains.
I like that he doesn’t have any filters and it’s an honest review. I wish we had some sleeper trains that were as good as the European ones. I love night trains. Indian railways need to privatise at least few of the trains and allow them to upgrade the amenities. I don’t mind paying extra for better facilities.
Hopefully vande bharat express trains will do that
Have you tried any European sleeper trains??
I spent two weeks on a Brit-Rail pass in May 1992, there were plenty of toilets that dumped onto the tracks because the warning signs said not to flush when stopped in a train station. I remember being able to see the tracks through the hole, but of course they were Western toilets. I remember it being very noisy in those toilets because it was open to the outside air!
Ah! - The toilets!! Noel possibly did not notice them - but AC First Class Sleepers have both Western Style and Squat Style Eastern toilets. In fact they also have a shower. Noel probably thinks India is still a British Colony - wake up! we are not - and Indians love their squat toilets!
Being an Englishman, I was surprised to see that Noel did not recognize Lentil soup - also called Dal - in his lunch. Interesting considering the fact that England is full of curry houses and Dal is a common dish. Sure he does not live under a rock - he travels the world! There are a ton of eCatering Apps - Noel does mention them but does not use them. That way, you don't have to eat the Railway Catering food - or get dinner at 11PM. Basic rule of travel - anywhere in the world - ask the locals - and do what the locals do.
Finally, if the journey says - overnight, it does not mean a couple of hours - its overnight! Download some movies on an ipad!
I challenge Noel to find a similar service anywhere in the world - like the Indian Railways AC First class - and - At the price point that Indian Railways charges. Book 2 AC first class tickets for around US $ 128 or GBP 104 - for a distance of 2000 km / 1300 miles. We can then talk.
The only thing that really bothered me is - India for some reason is just unable to give up its obsession with the White Skin!! They kept disturbing him at all hours of the day and night - to take selfies! I really hope that we, as a nation, is able to grow over this obsession.
We - Indians - Love our Trains, Proud of them, proud that we still can provide cheap long distance travel to the millions. And Noel - next time, take a flight.
@@DuttaSamrat no they do notice , I have many such videos by foreigners and they always show the squat style
Every train have so called western and squat style and they are not hole in the ground anymore
Lots of insecurities and pretty uncharitable interpretations of this guy's experience, in this thread.
There's nothing wrong with noticing differences when you travel! It's not disparaging or hateful to do so - just natural human curiosity.
I remember taking a trip on a Pennsylvania railroad passenger train in the 1960s, and they still were dumping toilet contents onto the tracks, and had the sign not to use it while was stopped in a station. But in India, fecal matter is viewed differently.
Seeing any country by train is the absolute best way to see it! Thanks for sharing and experiencing this with/for us. I may never get to India (maybe someday?) and I love Indian food (even the wicked spicy stuff). Videos like this allow me to see the beautiful country...and experience some of the transportation. Would I take the train? If I was there for a pleasure trip and had the time, yes. If I had to work (and I work daily with co-workers in Bengaluru and Chennai), then no, I wouldn't. On to the next video! Also...loved the cool thanks to us watching....but make sure to give a BIG thanks to your awesome wife! She's keeping things moving at home while you're away working. Time to take her on a cool trip when you get home.
Poor Noel. That probably wouldn’t have been such an exhausting journey for him if the train staff had left him alone for five minutes. Seriously...waking him up in the middle of the night like that was pretty out of order. I think I’d have lost my temper a couple of times if I’d been in Noel’s shoes.
And kicking the door.. out of order
Hoping for tips. They see a white person and think money
@@BillyT886 The surest way not to get any of THIS white man's money is to wake him up multiple times in the middle of the night and THEN have the audacity to panhandle for tips. That's uncalled for even by Indian standards.
We have zero respect for indians after this video
I’m glad I was left alone on Amtrak…
In 2017 I spend half a year traveling India, I LOVED the train and the sleeper bus!! I slept in third class, holding my backpack to me, no AC, people everywhere, jumping down to have a cigarette everytime the train stops. Or watching each others back when having a smoke in the bathroom :D
12:52 "that's literally the train line underneath us".
what's train supposed to run on, roads.
If you're talking about you can see train line through the hole, every train of Indian railways has installed with bio- toilet, so there's tank under that toilet. how can you see track through the tank?
He was clearly misrepresenting it for his viewers in order to play to their biases about India literally being covered in poo everywhere. One can clearly see in the video that it is a bio-toilet, yet he claims to see the track underneath it.
@@onkarthakur3096 Honestly I think he just didn’t want to examine it to much and just assumed it was a hole out of the carriage. Also most people in the uk don’t think India is a dirty place, I can see why you might think that though.. most of our media coverage of India focuses on the super rich or super poor areas so we only tend to see the extremes
@@onkarthakur3096bro please respect us britishers. We are the founding fathers of your country. Respect us. Or we will invade you again
FYI ...Howrah isn't in Calcutta, it's another district and the Howrah station was established way way back in 1854...you boarded the train from the new complex of the station, hence the locals might have referred to it as the new station.
There are two toilets at both ends of each coach, one Western and one Indian...only if you had opened the door of the other restroom you would have found a Western toilet in there.
And what's an Indian toilet?
@@markpalmer8083 the one he showed in the video
@@ritabratamaitra7707 Hole in the ground toilets are something I've even seen in France. It's common many places in the world. In general the squatting position is actually better than a regular toilet when doing number two. But I must admit I really prefer regular sitting toilets myself :)
@@rowaystarco thought this type of toilet is available in the subcontinent only....but yeah agree with you the squatting position help one to discharge the waste better. But, even in India as people grow older and develop all sorts of ailments and aches they prefer the Western toilet.
@@rowaystarco thank you for pointing this out. So many who have not had too many stamps a passport might not understand this. But squat toilets have been around longer than porcelain thrones. As a traveler I understand, and I'm fine with both where I am. But admittedly it is the oddest sensation in the world, as a female, to be in squat position and see the ground speed by underneath the train!🧐😆
Cheers Noel 😎👍🏻. Bhubaneswar is the capital of the state of Orissa. I was there in 2019 and the people are awesome. It's got so many old beautiful temples. Mujhe Bharat se sachcha pyaar hai 😍🇮🇳.
Keep doing your best mate. Enjoy Incredible India.
Noel: " ill be careful what I eat on this train, not wanting to do a number 2."
Noel, (5 mins later) "ALL YOUR CURRY ARE BELONG TO US."
You don't have to thank me for watching your video's Mr Philips. You provide myself with sheer unadulterated entertainment and show us sights and sounds that I will probably never see. I thank you Sir for the joy you give me and you are practically an A-Lister now so no wonder people want photo ops with you. Keep up the fantastic work.
A-lister? i’ve never heard of him until YT randomly suggested his video to me today lol.
THIS GUY HAS THE VERY BEST JOB ON THE PLANET, DAY AFTER DAY, YEAR AFTER YEAR GLOBETROTTING IN JETS AND TRAINS AROUND THE WORLD, GETTING PAID FOR IT. BRUTAL!!! SERIOUSLY, YOUR SHOWS ARE OUTSTANDING. CARRY ON!!!
I spent two weeks working a show in Bengaluru (Bangalore) many years ago, and yes given the vast population, any white person tends to be a minor celebrity, and because the show was music related, we were automatically thought of as world pop stars. We were anything but 😂 Part of me never left India, a truly beautiful country when you ignore the things that people from the west tend to mention first.
western media like BBC, CNN, all of this ruined India's image .This hurts very much.
But in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh aka North Western Indian Himalayas the local population has many white passing people. They look clearly South European. In Kashmir, you will be depressed because people will not give attention to you unless you are blonde otherwise many of the locals there especially in Kashmir resembles Mediterraneans.
A pair of scissors are always good to have on a long train trip like that. They'll help to open the most stubborn bag of chips or any snack that's packaged in cellophane!
I love travelling on Indian trains. If you want a really gritty experience, try the Rangoon (Yangon) to Mandalay night train. Wouldn’t have missed it for the world but would never do it again!
That's a good trip. I did it twenty years ago and remember the train being delayed for hours at a tiny station in the middle of nowhere during the night. Most of the passengers realised that we would be there for a while and slept on the platform wrapped up in their lungis among a friendly but scabby assortment of local dogs. It was hot but with a refreshing breeze and I eventually nodded off to sleep. Sometime later I thought I was tripping when I began faintly picking out English being spoken in an excited manner so I stepped my way over the sleeping passengers to satisfy my curiosity and tucked away in a little waiting room I sat down and watched the rest of the Leeds United verses Wimbledon match on Sky Sports.
The bloke in this video is a joke. The last time I was in India 1990/91 I travelled over ten thousand miles on Indian trains and I had a fantastic time all on second class.
Thanks for reminding me candleman54.
I did that journey 37 years ago. Very bumpy! Will always remember it.
You're a brave man Noel Philips!
No he's not !
Lol enjoyed watching this. Parts of it cracked me up Noel - love the humour. Also Indian countryside looks amazing..
Haha I just noticed your shirt finally at 21:56. The Office is the best TV show Ive ever watched!
This is one of your best videos! Please keep the international train content coming!
Noel - there is no fork because traditionally, you use your hands. Loved the video. You are way to polite to not say bugger off to the people wanting a selfie in the middle of the night!
I have so many questions. How do you eat curry with your hands! Wouldn't it just run out of your fingers? And get stuck in your nails 😂
@@noelphilips People in India regularly cut their nails, very rarely will you see that. Also we wash our hands before & after eating the food, way more hygienic.
@@noelphilips using naan helps a lot. You can kinda wrap it up in the bread.
Yes, naan is the secret to eating curry without utensils.
@@noelphilips Naan bread or chapattis. I occasionally eat a curry in this way and it makes it taste way nicer than with a fork and spoon for some reason.
This may have been my favorite vid of all that Noel's done .. and it didn't even involve a train. What a journey! That Bombay Mix struggle, his loo review .. and (i'm not gonna lie) the shirtless scene .. well, those were all highlights for me! ;) GREAT vid.
It’s nearly half past 2am here in NY and I’m trying my hardest not to wake anyone, that is until the part with the bag of crisps! I can’t stop laughing! 😂
I was literally laughing so hard and its 3 am here hahaha 😂
Ha! Hit the nail on the head with the prediction that we all wanted a loo review… but what we REALLY REALLY wanted was a loo review about 20-30 hours into the trip!
There’s usually a western style toilet opposite the Asian style ones in Indian trains.
This was so hilarious with all the photo shoots and other incredible stuff 🤣
I loved this one too! The random phone on charge and constantly ringing 🤣
An inspiration to us all, Noel! Although I don't think I'll be following in your footsteps on this particular journey, you did make me miss India. I used to visit for work regularly - loved watching the world go by and glimpsing an India I'd never otherwise see, loved the food (of course), and loved the super-polite but oddly lingering interactions I'd have with locals
The suspense whilst awaiting those Mumbai snacks to explode everywhere was anticlimactic 🤣
You had me rolling at 21:30 trying to open the bag of chips. You are the man!!! 👍 😝
Pretty certain the coaches have had "bio-toilets" for a few years now where the poo is stored in chemically treated tanks and not dumped straight onto the tracks. So no there's no way you were able to see the tracks through the hole, if at least that is what you were implying.
I mean he does show it in the video
@@algorythm4354 I don't think @ByteSizedTech even watched the video properly to be fair otherwise he wouldn't make such stupid comments.
i've been to India twice because i had a 10yr visa. my GF had no intention of going back for the second time. 😁
they provide fresh sheets and blanket wrapped in paper on sleeper. you need to have your passport to purchase a train ticket and that's an ordeal in itself.
there was blackout everywhere we went, even the capital.
@@algorythm4354 no he didn’t. He showed a toilet. There was no sign of an actual track underneath it
@@lilmane1070 I could definitely see it. I'll give you a timestamp when I can watch the video again
Hello Noel, very nice video again. Thanks. By the way: Did you look to the toilet at the other side of the sleeping car? I remember when I took the train Chennai to Bangalore there was 1 floor toilet and 1 European toilet at the opposite side of the corridor.
But these toilets 🚽 have no tank it just goes off directly on the rail line ,
Wherever the train 🚂 goes it just spread massive shit across the railway from stations to cities to river shit everywhere
Different Countries, different cultures. Amazing! I LOVE the respectful, kind way (especially re charging a random mans, ringing phone), that you behave. No wonder they are caring for you so well. Nice one!
Hi Noel, I am from the city of Kolkata and it’s so much fun to see you describe your journey on one of our trains. 😃
P.S- Kharagpur has the world’s third longest railway platform..
I guess hubli junction has the second longest? idk tbh
Just read on Wiki Kharagpur is the fourth longest railway platform in the world.
Noone asked
@@vishnuvijwani I guess they don't have to wait for someone to ask. Do they?
It used to be the longest for many years. Now it's not.
I miss the beautiful chaos of Indian railways. This bought back some memories; it has to be one of your best videos!
Thank you Simon! It’s chaos but it all seems to just work!
@@noelphilips im indian and i feel sad for you Indian trains suck, ur country england is sooo much better than india
@@noelphilips actually 1st ac trains in India have western style toilets and shower room but u didn't know I think it will be on opposite side of coach like every ac1st coach have 2 western toilet one Indian and one shower room
@GameHouse 101 released early for Channel Members/Patreons.
@@noelphilips pls one video vande Bharat train
I took a train from Nuevo Laredo to Mexico City in 1977. The toilet on that train also dumped on the track below. You could also see the track beneath but at least it wasn't a squat toilet.
There was an open air observation deck on the last car of the train. Occasionally when on the deck you would feel a little mist that at first was refreshing until I remembered how the toilet dumped on the track! Arggh! No more observation travel after that.
Indian railways have both. Squat and western. He went to the squat.
About the track system , There are older stock and newer ones. The one he travelled on is 30 years old. So yeah
India is the most regressive country. Who dumps on tracks ?
Be glad that you bought both billets! To be honest, other than the toilets, it didn't look THAT much worse than the AMTRAK trip. That looked pretty miserable to me, too.
Amtrak is not at all comparable to this train. Western trains are a couple generations ahead in ride comfort, services available, and stuff like that which you can't decipher by watching videos.
Noel: There's loads of people up here and there's not many people in my coach so I'm imagining that the quieter end of the platform might be where it is!
Morgan Freeman: It's on the other end of the platform, isn't it?
Noel: It's right at the far end of the platform now so all the way down, back down we go
Morgan Freeman: *Told ya*
The Indian railway network is pretty much the British railways on steroids with its chaos and it's oh so beautiful
We learnt from the best ;)
I was watching this last night and read some of the comments, when I fell asleep, I dreamt I was also on this train, but it wasn't as private, it was all bunk beds... Then I wanted some snacks and the train became an indoor market with loads of antique shops...
It was very strange :)
Noel you take dry humour to stratospheric levels😂😂
😂😂😂😂 True
I saw your Amtrak video. This one looked less brutal than that one. imho😂
A very entertaining 40 minutes. Thankyou Noel and keep up the good work.
I can’t wait to watch this video in a bit. Such a fan of your content. I have to say these ones where you put yourself through suffering are my favorite lol! I loved your around the world videos as well. You suffer for our entertainment! Thank you and have a great Sunday. Cheers
Thanks! Next time, I would advise a little googling to check if food is served on a particular train and try the next toilet which is almost always a western toilet. For the tip issue, feel free to tweet to #IndianRailways to set them a lesson
Thank you for the Super Thanks!
I would advise studying up ANYTIIME you go to another country. And following their customs. And eating what they give you with gratitude. And never comparing.
Absolutely loved your vlog Noel….the crew were crazy 🤪
Glad you enjoyed it
30 hour journey displayed to us in less than 40 minutes! Howrah is an chaotic experience on its own haha! Glad you are going through all the corners of India! Keep it up!!!
I cant hold back myself from commenting:man,the video is so hilarious,first time seeing you and i cant stop laughing with your adventure with that train....earned a sub,i am gonna enjoy more videos from you,greetings from Greece!!
I appreciate that
Few things Noel, just an FYI, in the toilets, we have a western toilet and an Indian toilet. usually at the beginning of the journey it is the cleanest it'll be. And it was not train tracks under the loo hole, these are bio-loos so no train tracks.
Secondly most of the information you are looking for is available online. It'll be easier for your next trips you might have planned.
The snack packets are to be opened from the zigzag end, there's a mark mostly.
Safe travels.
@Gaurav Sharma In all fairness, I would also be irritated if someone was banging hard on the door at 11PM. I can live with the rest in the video.
I think that package of snacks was not meant to be open, it says on the package "Diet"😭🤣
Thirty hours journey in a first-class compartment can get boring at times as there's no one to talk to. I've traveled in all types of compartments and the fun part is having conversations with fellow travelers, lower the compartment, like 3 tier or sleeper, friendlier the people.
If you have money then you can try this Indian luxuries train .
1. Maharajas’ Express
2. Palace On Wheels
3. The Deccan Odyssey
4. Golden Chariot
5. Royal Orient Train
6. Fairy Queen Express
7. Heritage On Wheels
Good❤
But you forgot one other luxurious train "Maitree Express"
You should try the sleeper from Cairo to Luxor. Did it a year or so ago. Machinegunner in the central carraige in case of terrorists and bullet holes in the windows, And the food was strange also,
Try to keep yourself more open-minded next time you travel through India.
Here are a few pointers just to give you perspective about what you were travelling through:
1) We are talking about one of the largest Electrified Train Networks in the World which hauls an entire Australia every year.
2) If you would have tried a little bit, you would have found the English Style toilet as well.
3) The train is fitted with Bio - Toilets.
So... No, the excreta doesn't directly fall onto the tracks but is properly disposed of at a safe location after the journey.
4) You have to go and wait at the door of the coach to get your food ordered online.
5) You can ask the coach attendants not to disturb you until and unless it is something important.
6) You can always Tweet your problem and the local railway zone will reply and get things straight at the next stop of the train.
It looks like their trains are a smooth ride, unlike those I took as a kid in the US.
Its a shithole.
Great video! Still laughing about the prison meal 😂. Great work Noel love the videos
Brings back many memories. Ive done that journey 3 times. Love it. It is actually a good experience to share with others in a 4 or 6 sleeper compartment. I once had my family in a 3 sleeper compartment. Wife and daughter 10 son 9. Once we got over the fear and culture shock of being surrounded by poeple who were different culture, looking and speaking ad all interested i us, it was quite comfortable and very interesting.
Why fear?
India has one of the most ancient civilizations in the world and they are civilized at most. They are human beings after all.
I was in Sri Lanka a couple of years ago, and of course we went all over the country using their railway system. Yes, it's quite the culture shock when you're first on board, but within moments I was in love. The pace of life, the hanging out the doors, the stopping for no given reason, the scenery. We were lucky enough to have a catering coach (of sorts) on our trains, but given the time we were stopped at stations, we had time to use the platform food stalls, which were consistently excellent.
If you've never been on a Sri Lankan train, I can only highly recommend considering do so.