Shatabdi Advantages and Disadvantages. Review on Shatabdi Express

Shatabdi Expresses are a series of passenger trains introduced in India in 1988, to serve as fast connections between cities that are relatively close to each other. They are typically operated in such a way that they depart from their respective originating stations early in the morning, reach their destinations by noon or early afternoon, and return with a 30 minute to 1 hour stopover, to arrive back at the originating station by late evening.

The name ''Shatabdi'' means centenary in Hindi - the first Shatabdi was introduced in 1988 to comemmorate the birth centenary of Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.

Shatabdi Expresses offer fast connectivity with very few stops in between. They are fully air-conditioned and are very luxurious and comfortable to travel in. Indian Railways later introduced in 2002 a lower-priced version called Jan-Shatabdi Expresses, which were mostly without air-conditioning and had lower fares.

There are many Advantages and Disadvantages traveling in Shatabdi Express trains.

Advantage:-

•Best Trains for all Business Class, Service class travellers.

•99 % the trains are always on Time. As the Same train has to do a Return Trip the other trains are kept on Siding to make way for it.

•Comfortable travel with good Music and some light snacks.

•They Have Choice of Both Veg and Non Veg Foods.

•You do not require to carry your food nor Newspaper or Water as all this is provided in the Train.

•Has an Executive Class Compartment with extra leg space.

•Tickets are generally available during off Season Days.

•Pass Holders and Daily Travelers or Second class ticket travelers cannot board this train without Reservation.

•Staff and Ticket Collectors are very Effeciant in their Duties.

•All Compartments are Internally Connected and Passenges can board the Train in any Couch and Walk internally.

•All couch have Air Condition system and Music System and a Small Pantry to Reheat the food..

•Has Extra Vigilance Ticket Checkers as no unathorised person board the train without an Geniune Ticket on his Name.

•There are Staff persons who sell Chocolates and Magazines in the Train.

No outside persons are allowed to enter the Train.

Disadvantages.

•Does not have Luggage Space or Extra Luggage Couch for Family Passengers or passengers coming from USA or UK to meet their relatives with Huge Bags. The Huge Bags are then kept in the passage causing inconvinence to fellow passengers or are kept near the Entry of the Couch in front of Seat numbers 1,2 3 & 4 or the last seats.

•They Depend on the same train for the Return Journey and do not have Separate trains for Up Journey and Down Journey. So if the Train is Delayed any one side its Effects the Nrext Journey.

•They Cannot clean the couch as there is very little stop over time available 30 to 60 min. The Train is properly cleaned only once in a week on the day its in the yard.

•As the Train is not cleaned daily and with food stuff dropped on the floors there are lots of Crockroges and ants in the train.

•The Seats in Some trains are also not Maintained and are very uncomfortable to seat.

•All the couch are Chair car so it is Difficult for old Persons or Over weight persons to get in and out of their seats.

•They cannot relax and spread their legs or take an Comfortable nap while traveling.

•The Seats are very small and the centre Seat is all allies are the worst

•They have the same Menu of food all 365 days and do not give Better choice in Food. The food also is some trains is worst. (Bombay – Ahmedabad Shatabdi.)

Today, Indian Railways operates 13 pairs of Shatabdi Expresses and 18 pairs of Jan-Shatabdi Expresses. Out of the 13 Shatabdi Expresses, 10 operate from various terminis in New Delhi, and the other three are one each from Mumbai, Chennai and Calcutta. The New Delhi to Bhopal Shatabdi Express is the fastest train in India, touching speeds of up to 140 km/h (88 mph) between Faridabad and Agra. It covers the 705 km (438 miles) distance between its two terminis in about 8 hours. This was also the first Shatabdi train to be introduced in 1988, then between New Delhi and Jhansi latter extendet to Bhopal.