Comfortable Travel in AC-3 Tier Class?
A large number of middle/higher middle class passengers nowadays seem to have switched over from sleeper to AC-3 Tier (not AC-2 Tier, which is costlier!) class. The railways have also welcomed this increased demand by trying to increase number of AC-3 (Tier) coaches (& also all AC Duronto or Rajdhani/ similar class trains) and earn more revenue.
People naturally expect less overcrowding due to lesser number of seats in AC-3 vs. sleeper class, better cleanliness/toilets due to this and more comfort due to air conditioning provided in the coaches. Whereas the railway purpose of more revenue is already served, whether the passengers’ purpose of switching over to AC-3 is getting realized?
Due to large number of unconfirmed wait listed and unreserved passengers still boarding the train and also numerous people viz. hawkers, pantry car staff, the unofficial sweepers (they cannot be called beggars!), people sleeping in the passages etc., whether the overcrowding has stopped in AC-3? With more people using the toilets and railways not bothering about coach cleanliness/toilets cleaning once the train has departed from the starting station, the condition keeps deteriorating even in AC-3 till the destination is reached. What about comfort due to AC? Many times the coaches become chilling plants, much to the discomfort of senior citizens/others since setting in the AC is very low (18-20o C, which consumes much higher power unlike 24-25o C which has been made a norm in Japan for better energy conservation) and nobody is there to look after in reality (although AC coach attendants used to be there earlier (?), who were not doing anything regarding AC complaints). Many passengers have experienced shivering cold inside AC-3 coach many times, while travelling through very hot paces, where outside temperatures were in 43-45 oC range. In short the AC setting is always full and the chill unbearable sometimes even with the provision of blankets! Many times air circulation inside is also poor to the extent of suffocating to sensitive passengers, unlike sleeper class where ample natural ventilation is available in the fast moving train.
Whether the olden days ‘(non AC) First Class’ was serving the passengers better? These days, considering the above points for AC-3 based on real experiences, WHETHER
- Air travel is a better option for those booking in advance and for whom time and comfort is much better priority than cost?
- The sleeper class is a better value for money and health for other passengers, considering the other common denominators of time, and cleanliness?
People naturally expect less overcrowding due to lesser number of seats in AC-3 vs. sleeper class, better cleanliness/toilets due to this and more comfort due to air conditioning provided in the coaches. Whereas the railway purpose of more revenue is already served, whether the passengers’ purpose of switching over to AC-3 is getting realized?
Due to large number of unconfirmed wait listed and unreserved passengers still boarding the train and also numerous people viz. hawkers, pantry car staff, the unofficial sweepers (they cannot be called beggars!), people sleeping in the passages etc., whether the overcrowding has stopped in AC-3? With more people using the toilets and railways not bothering about coach cleanliness/toilets cleaning once the train has departed from the starting station, the condition keeps deteriorating even in AC-3 till the destination is reached. What about comfort due to AC? Many times the coaches become chilling plants, much to the discomfort of senior citizens/others since setting in the AC is very low (18-20o C, which consumes much higher power unlike 24-25o C which has been made a norm in Japan for better energy conservation) and nobody is there to look after in reality (although AC coach attendants used to be there earlier (?), who were not doing anything regarding AC complaints). Many passengers have experienced shivering cold inside AC-3 coach many times, while travelling through very hot paces, where outside temperatures were in 43-45 oC range. In short the AC setting is always full and the chill unbearable sometimes even with the provision of blankets! Many times air circulation inside is also poor to the extent of suffocating to sensitive passengers, unlike sleeper class where ample natural ventilation is available in the fast moving train.
Whether the olden days ‘(non AC) First Class’ was serving the passengers better? These days, considering the above points for AC-3 based on real experiences, WHETHER
- Air travel is a better option for those booking in advance and for whom time and comfort is much better priority than cost?
- The sleeper class is a better value for money and health for other passengers, considering the other common denominators of time, and cleanliness?
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Problems due to Frequent boarding and un boarding of passengers at night can be avoided by proper berth allocation to minimise disturbance to sleeping persons.
Apr 05
For me the Indian Railway connottes a colonial shuttle for the then british soldiers and generals. The Indian railways is still not in sink with the customers requirement. To start with the comparison Speed - No way in comparison with air Seat Availability- Unless you leave all your job and get ready for a running race you cannot dream of a berth in your train before four months. That means with such a slow speed transportation the rush for seat availability is a distant dream. Profit accelerating parameters- You can have waitlist and regret list but your research & development of railways cannot allow less coaches in case of less demand and more coaches in case of increased demand. Why at all you should have a wait list. Instead the railway should be able to accomodate all till 4 days prior to the commencement of train. The booking for the last four days which would be a waiting list can be again catered against the RAC. This no cryogenics. You may say that a single engine can carry these many fixed coaches; come on guys if situation demands attach one more engine and go for additional coaches. But at any time there should not be any wait lists. Provide as many AC coaches as per demand every thing will get resolved but the staff is assuming an appointment as a office of profit and relaxation Plaftorm comforts: unlike the departure arena of airports the railways doesnot have luggage trolleys reasons unknown. still we have unorganised and non standard charges of coolie. Let these basic aspect get sorted out then let us think big
Apr 03
Very nice suggestions. These should reach railways and they should reciprocate positively.
Apr 08
Best solution. Distance restrictions for travel by sleeper class coaches by attaching AC chaircar coaches for short distance travellers & by running chaircar trains at frequent intervals for short distance passengers either by day or by night. By converting AC first class & first class accommodation to AC 2-TIER & AC 3 TIER Classes so that more passengers could be accommodated. This would ensure comfortable travel to long distance passengers, as short distance passengers have sufficient accommodation by chaircars
Apr 01
In February 2018 we 2 senior citizens were travelling in AC-1 by Duronto from Pune to Howrah where the temperature was 16 deg. as confirmed by the coach attendant. When we asked for this to be adjusted especially during the night he did so but again early morning it was reduced to 16 deg. When we questioned the coach attendance his response was that passengers in another cabin had insisted on keeping such a low temperature. Let the railways fix a minimum and maximum temperature with strict instructions to the coach attendant to adhere to these guidelines and not adjust according to the demands of the passengers.
Mar 28
There is clear instruction for setting the temperarture at 24 for summer and 19 for winter. you can see the sticker in many coaches. But perception of cold may vary from person to person.
Mar 28
