Away With The Steiners

Delhi to Jaisalmer: All about the overnight train to Jaisalmer.

Sarah Steiner

I’m going to start with the absolute conviction that if you are traveling to India; you must visit Jaisalmer.  This incredible Golden City is slightly off the main and most popular Golden Triangle of Rajasthan.  But if you are thinking of making the journey and wondering about taking the train from Delhi to Jaisalmer you are in luck.  Prepare for a well-worth-it train-riding-adventure across the desert state of Rajasthan.  And get yourself deservedly excited to visit one of the most fascinating and spectacular cities of India!

Yes, there is a flight from Delhi to Jaisalmer – but the catch is the flights to Jaisalmer are only operational from November to March.  Any other time of the year your best plan (only plan?) is to take the train to Jaisalmer.  

Ready to board?

Here is everything you need to know about taking the train from Delhi to Jaisalmer, India. 

Is there just one train from Delhi to Jaisalmer?

There are three regular direct trains running from Delhi to Jaisalmer. 

RANIKHET EXP (15014) departs daily from Delhi (DLI) at 04:30H and arrives at Jaisalmer (JSM) at 22:30H, covering the distance in 18 hours.

RUNICHA EXP (14087) departs daily from Delhi (DLI) at 08:55H and arrives at Jaisalmer (JSM) at 04:00H. 

SHALIMAR EXP (14646) departs Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from Delhi (DLI) at 11:00H and arrives at Jaisalmer (JSM) at 05:30H. 

The Shalimar Express train to Jaisalmer.
The SHALIMAR EXP arriving at Old Delhi Railway Station (DLI).

Buying tickets for the train from Delhi to Jaisalmer

Once you have decided on which train to Jaisalmer, the next step is tickets. 

Because trains in India get booked in advance I recommend buying tickets online before you travel.  (Preferably before you arrive in the country). Alternatively if you have a friend or contact in India it might be easier to book through them ahead of time.  

Otherwise there are three options for you to book and buy tickets for a train to Jaisalmer: 

Because there aren’t a huge amount of options for train travel between Delhi to Jaisalmer, I recommend booking online through ticketing agency 12go.asia.You can type in the different options for dates, days and classes of travel and pay by credit card. 

To use the IRCTC website you will need a VPN to book train tickets from outside of India.  But the website is useful to see exactly when and which days there are tickets available for the train from Delhi to Jaisalmer. 

How long is the train from Delhi to Jaisalmer? 

Traveling from Delhi to Jaisalmer by train takes between 18 – 20 hours.  Although, as with all train travel in India it does pay to allow at least a buffer of a few hours in case of delays.  

Which train should I book?

We have travelled by train from Delhi to Jaisalmer and return on both the Shalimar and Ranikhet Express.  We most recently made the journey on the SHALIMAR EXP. 

Following the electronic carriage signs at Old Delhi (DLI).

Are there different classes of train travel between Delhi and Jaisalmer?

There are 8 classes of train travel in India. 

Different classes of travel can be recommended for different options of distances and comfort (and adventure) around India.  

These are the classes listed below in descending order according of price per fare. 

However, not all of these classes are available on every train.  

Classes of travel on the train from Delhi to Jaisalmer  

We most recently travelled from Delhi to Jaisalmer on the SHALIMAR EXP in Second AC / 2-Tier AC (2A).  We have made the return journey by train from Jaisalmer to Delhi on both the SHALIMAR EXP and the RANIKHET EXP in First Class (1A). 

Inside our Second Class (2A) berths somewhere between Delhi and Jaisalmer…

How much does it cost to get from Delhi to Jaisalmer by train? 

Fares vary for train travel in India depending on class and distance.  Train ticket prices are also higher when booking through a third party (like 12GoAsia).  

Booking the SHALIMAR EXP (14646) from Delhi (DLI) to Jaisalmer (JSM) is quoted on 12GoAsia in USD: 

And before we get any further ahead – in case you are concerned you might have missed out on the 20 First Class (1A) tickets on any train from Delhi to Jaisalmer (remember there are only two First Class carriages).  Don’t panic!  Hopefully it won’t take much convincing but read on, because truthfully travel in Second Class (2A) is the best experience.  (Have we mentioned the iconic calls of the Chai Wala? And the vendors that we wait in suspense on their calls in Hindi to see each time what they are selling?!). 

Departing by train from Delhi to Jaisalmer 

Delhi is well connected by a network of roads and railways with all the major cities in India. (But YES. It is important to check which railway station your train from Delhi to Jaisalmer is departing from). 

There are three main railway stations in Delhi:

RANHIKET EXP, RUNICHA EXP and SHALIMAR EXP all depart from Old Delhi Railway Station (DLI).  

There is a waiting room at Old Delhi Railway Station (DLI) for customers booked in any of the AC classes.  The charge is 200 Rs for two hours.  It is signposted but otherwise ask at an enquiry counter (or any security guard will point you in the right direction).  Look for signs for the ‘Executive Lounge’… 

An included screening of a gripping Bollywood drama on repeat in the Executive Waiting Lounge.

Taking the train from Delhi to Jaisalmer – about the journey 

We took a taxi from our hotel in Paharganj (near Connaught Place) to Old Delhi Railway Station (DLI) planning on the 11:00am departure on the SHALIMAR EXP train from Delhi to Jaisalmer.  We have had a good run with trains in India and feel like they generally run close to time. And even for non-training-riding New Zealanders like us, we find it the best way to travel in India. 

However, we quickly realized that the SHALIMAR EXP train comes all the way Jammu and Kashmir in the north and thus it has already been travelling for more than 12 hours.  

We use the app IXIGO and even before we left the hotel, we could see that our train from Delhi to Jaisalmer was delayed by at least an hour.  (Highly recommend downloading that app by the way). 

So, we delayed our departure from the hotel by 30 minutes or so and arrived early at the station.  It costs 200 INR for two hours inside the Executive Lounge which we happily paid and sat back to wait for our train. 

There are large electronic departure boards inside the station to keep an eye on the expected time of arrival of each train as well as the departure platform. 

Departure boards at Old Delhi Railway Station (DLI) just outside the Executive Waiting Lounge.

Boarding the train to Jaisalmer

We had booked tickets for Second Class (2A) and found our carriage and 4x berths.  Each carriage and class are staffed by a railway attendant.  And it turned out our bunks were right next to where Vikram, our friendly carriage attendant was based.  Just after we pulled out of Delhi, Vikram gave us each a bedding package and clean pillows and pillowcases.  

We settled in with our snacks for the afternoon journey towards Rajasthan.  

Around dinner time we heard orders being taken for train dinners and vendors walking through the carriage with snacks and thalis between stations.  We opted for snacks this time and happily set up our beds early and kicked back to relax.  

We all slept well in our bunks.  And it was a beautiful golden morning waking up with sunrise as we got closer to Jaisalmer. 

It was sometime around 07:00am when we arrived at Jaisalmer Railway Station (JSM).  Slightly later than scheduled but a beautiful time to arrive in the golden city.  And Padam, our host from Wanderlust Guesthouse was waiting at the station to pick us up. 

Sunrise on arrival at Jaisalmer Railway Station (JSM).

Are meals and bedding included in the ticket price? 

Unfortunately, on each of these trains from Delhi to Jaisalmer there are no meals included in the ticket price. 

A package of bedding is included and (in theory) will be ready and waiting on your bunk or delivered to your carriage upon departing Delhi.

A package of bedding: 2x sheets, 1x hand-towel.

Is food available for purchase on the train from Delhi to Jaisalmer? 

Depending on which class you travel on there are vendors that board the train at different stations.  And India Railways has staff that move up and down the entire train selling chai and coffee, snacks and taking orders for breakfast, lunch, or dinner (depending on the time of travel).  

In our honest opinion, the biggest downside of travel in First Class (1A) is that there are generally less vendors that walk through the First Class carriage.  This is mainly because in First Class (1A) each cabin has a lockable door and vendors can’t be seen.  In the Second and Third Class (2A + 3A) carriages there is a steadier stream of food and drinks vendors, and it is part of the India train experience…

Snacks available with a railway vendor on board the train to Jaisalmer.

Is it safe to take the overnight train in India? 

We have always felt safe taking the overnight trains in India.  After all, millions of passengers travel overnight every day around the country.  We travelled most recently by train from Delhi to Jaisalmer in Second Class (2A) on the Shalimar Express and had a great experience.  

Each carriage or class has an attendant present to oversee and coordinate the journey.  We ended up with a fantastic train attendant in our Second Class (2A) carriage on the journey from Delhi to Jaisalmer.  Vikram made sure we were well looked after; we had fresh sheets and pillowcases, and he even gave us the heads up of station stops that were longer in case we wanted anything.  

If you are traveling in First Class there are four bunks inside a lockable cabin. This does make it more relaxing not having to worry or think about your luggage. Or if you are travelling in Second or Third Class overnight you might want to bring a small padlock for peace of mind. As always with any travel anywhere keep your passport and valuables on you at all times. And it is always good to get to know your neighbours.

Toilets on the train from Delhi to Jaisalmer

Ahhh, yes.  The all-time least favourite topic of train travel in India is certainly the toilets.  

I’ll keep it short.  But the gist of things is; don’t panic. The toilets on the train are functional.  The journey is only 18 hours.  And if you are travelling by train from Delhi to Jaisalmer in either First, Second or Third Class (1A, 2A or 3A) there will be a squat toilet and western toilet in your train carriage. 

Trust us; you will be just fine.

Arriving in Jaisalmer

Regardless of which direction you are arriving from, Jaisalmer is the end of the line.  And therefore, regardless of which time of day you are arriving you can relax a little in the assurance you don’t need to leap off the train within a couple of minutes. 

Hopefully if you are arriving in Jaisalmer you are booked to stay at the wonderful Wanderlust Guesthouse and either Padam or Nabu will be there waiting at the train station to pick you up.   Wanderlust is a beautiful guesthouse and one we highly recommend.  It is our favourite place to stay in India! 

Now enjoy your adventures in the beautiful golden city of Jaisalmer.  And whether you are heading off next to explore the Fort or out to the desert to sleep underneath the stars; don’t forget to pat yourself on the back for a great adventure made taking the train from Delhi to Jaisalmer…

Welcome to Jaisalmer by the way!

Where to stay in Delhi and Jaisalmer

Finding where to stay in New Delhi is something like finding a needle in a haystack!  We alternate between accommodation in Paharganj (right on Main Bazaar) and a great hotel by the airport that we have found for arriving and departing from New Delhi. 

Our room at Wanderlust Guesthouse in Jaisalmer that we keep returning to.

More about travel planning for India and beyond…

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

Read more from travel in South Asia

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