Away With The Steiners

Traveling from Delhi to Udaipur on the overnight train in India. 

Sarah Steiner

We took the overnight train from Delhi to Udaipur for our first visit to the incredible Indian City of Lakes. 

It wasn’t our first train ride in India.  Over the last six visits to the subcontinent, I’ve lost count of how many trains and overnight journeys we’ve done in all directions of the country!  But this was our first trip to Udaipur.  And spoiler alert? We had a great train ride and an awesome time in the lake-busy, Rajasthani city. 

Here is everything you need to know about booking and taking the train Delhi to Udaipur. 

Is there a direct train from Delhi to Udaipur? 

Yes.  The first bit of great news is that there is a direct train Delhi to Udaipur, so you do not need to change trains to connect by rail between the two cities. 

Options for travel by train from Delhi to Udaipur 

There are numerous options for trains Delhi to Udaipur.  Indian Railways operates over 12,817 trains on an average day, transporting approximately 24 million passengers around the country.  That is a seriously colossal number to consider! 

However, many of the local trains operate during the night but depart at ungodly hours of morning.  These aren’t ideal as a traveller in India and mean you might end up arriving in the middle of the night too. 

The two main daily trains from Delhi to Udaipur are: 

Both trains are Mail/Express trains operating daily on the route between Delhi and Udaipur. 

Train from Hazrat Nizamudding station Delhi to Udaipur.
A local Express train whizzing through Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station in Delhi with the conductor waving a green flag.

How long does it take by train Delhi to Udaipur? 

It takes between 12 – 14 hours by train from Delhi to Udaipur.  Trains on this route are Mail and Express fast trains.  

India’s Vande Bharat highest speed train only operates from Jaipur to Udaipur.  There is not currently the option for the Vande Bharat all the way from Delhi.  

About the MEWAR EXPRESS train from Delhi to Udaipur 

The 12963/12964 Mewar Express is a Superfast Express train running from Hazrat Nizamuddin in New Delhi to Udaipur City.  We most recently travelled on this train to Udaipur. 

The route for this train starts in Delhi and ends in Udaipur which makes it easier for boarding and disembarking as the stop in the station is not rushed.  

The train has total of 24 coaches including reserved, air-conditioned First, Second and Third Class (1A, 2A and 3A).  

Tucked up in bed in 2-Tier AC Second Class (2A) on board the Mewar Express to Udaipur.

About the CHETAK EXPRESS train from Delhi to Udaipur 

The Chetak Express train runs between Delhi S Rohilla (DEE) to Udaipur City (UDZ). 

This is a slightly later arrival time in the morning which is favourable as it means less of a wait to check-in time at your accommodation in Udaipur. 

The Chetak Express has a total of 25 coaches, spread across reserved, air-conditioned First, Second and Third Class (1A, 2A and 3A) and non-air-conditioned Sleeper Class (SL). 

What is it really like traveling by train in India? 

Traveling by train in India is a fantastic way to get around the country and a great opportunity to glimpse local life as you journey. 

And truly?  It isn’t half as bad as you might be imagining or worrying.  Albeit we come from New Zealand and before setting off to travel fulltime over five years ago now, we hardly had ridden trains!  There isn’t a subway in New Zealand and there isn’t really much public transport by railway.  So we find train travel in India exciting! 

It is nothing like you imagine conjuring up images of riding on the roof with crowds of locals.  There are millions of passengers that travel every day in India by train.  But especially the Express trains make the overnight journey pretty comfortable.  

Give or take a few chapati and potentially any cows congesting the railway stations, and you could – almost – be anywhere in the world!

Welcome to the adventure that is Indian Railways!

Booking and buying tickets for Indian Railway 

Because trains in India get booked out in advance I recommend buying tickets online before you travel.  (Preferably before you arrive in the country).  If you are booked on a tour and have a travel agent or booking contact in India it will be easier to book through them ahead of time.  

Otherwise there are three options for you to book and buy tickets independently:

With the IRCTC website you really need to have an Indian phone number to log in which is tricky from overseas.  The easiest option is with 12GOAsia. 

You can input different dates, days and classes of travel and pay by credit card. 

The platform number displayed above the platform at Old Delhi Railway Station (DLI).

Classes of train travel in India. Which class is best for overnight travel? 

 There are eight different classes of train travel in India.  

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

However, the decision of which class of travel on the train between Delhi and Udaipur is more straight forward as not all these classes are available on every train. 

We most recently travelled by overnight train Delhi to Udaipur in AC Second Class (2A).  Second Class (2A) is a comfortable way to journey overnight and is the class we normally pick for mid-range overnight travel.

It’s easy to know this Sleeper Class (SL) is non-air-conditioned because there are no windows on the carriage. Choose a train class with AC! 
An AC First Class (1A) cabin with fixed doors and even stairs up to the top bunk.

About the classes of travel by train from Delhi to Udaipur  

Both of the Express trains to Udaipur have non and air-conditioned classes of travel. 

For the overnight trains we recommend AC Two Tier (2A) for a comfortable journey.  The bunks in AC-Second Class (2A) are in a curtained cabin with four bunks and bedding is provided. 

It is more expensive to travel in AC-First Class (1A) and there are less 1A tickets available on each train.  However, this is a safe and comfortable option with a lockable door for each 1A cabin.  

AC-Third Class (3A) is much like 2A but with an extra level of bunk in each cabin area making a total of six berths instead of four.  In 3A there is sometimes no curtain dividing the cabin areas within the carriage. 

Oscar and I took the top bunks this time with strangers in the bottom two and settled in for the night in 2A on the way from Delhi to Udaipur.

How much does it cost? 

Prices for a train ticket to Udaipur vary depending on the class of train travel.  

Note that *Sleeper Class (SL) listed here is the cheapest and most basic class of travel on these trains to Udaipur.  This Sleeper Class (SL) does not have air-conditioning!   Instead the AC First, Second and Third Class (1A, 2A, 3A) options all have air conditioning and are technically sleeper-classes of travel with seating and bunks. 

About the journey.  Are meals included in the price? 

Meals are not included in the Mail and Express train ticket prices.  However, food, drinks and snacks are available for purchase on board the train.

In the evening once you board the train, staff will come through asking if you want to order dinner.  The dinner meal costs between 150 – 300 INR and is usually a vegetarian Thali including roti and rice.  Dinner is served sometime around 8:00pm. 

Is bedding provided for the overnight train? 

Yes.  Bedding is provided for overnight travel.  The bedding package includes a single flat sheet, a pillow case and small towel plus a heavy blanket.  And it will be (in theory) stacked on the shelf next to your bunk in 1A, 2A or 3A. 

In 1A, 2A and 3A you will be given bedding for the overnight train Delhi to Udaipur. 

Railway stations in Delhi and Udaipur 

There are five main railway stations in Delhi and each of the two overnight trains Delhi to Udaipur departs from a different station. 

It is IMPORTANT to check the departure station at the station code of your train ticket so you know which Delhi railway station you are leaving from. 

In Udaipur, there is one main railway stations connecting with trains from Delhi. 

Udaipur City Railway Station (UDZ) is only around 2.5km from the city centre. 

Things to know before arriving to catch the train from Delhi to Udaipur

If this is your first train journey in India, the most important thing to know beforehand is about the boarding and where to stand on the platform.  

The first thing is to check you eTicket and find these details:

Arriving at the station in Delhi, look for the large electronic board with the scheduled departure times, expected arrival/departure times and the platform numbers. 

You can confirm the platform number by using your train name or number. 

Boarding the train (any train in India) and finding your platform, carriage and seat 

Confirm the departure station in Delhi for your train first.  Once at the station you will be able to check on the departure board to see which platform your train departs from. 

Once you’ve found your platform, you then need to find where to stand on your platform. 

THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. 

Some trains in India can be ridiculously lengthy.  

Along the platform there are small, electronic boards above the platform that will display your carriage number digitally and the next arriving train number. 

For example: 

Each carriage also has the coach number displayed on the train carriage itself.  You will need to stand and wait in the correct spot to board your carriage directly.

You can also check (as a last resort) the carriage windows make sense.  The classes with air conditioning have closed/fixed windows and the classes without AC have open windows with bars.  

Hopefully you have booked one with air conditioning and you can confirm by window you are in the right place! 

These are the small, hanging digital boards that display the next arriving train number and carriage number for that spot on the platform.
The corresponding carriage number is displayed on the train carriage and digital sign above the platform. 

Is it safe to travel by train in India? 

We have always felt safe taking the trains in India.  After all, millions of passengers travel every day around the country.  

But of course it pays like with any travel to be mindful of yourself, your family or travel companions and your belongings.  With our two large bags we store them underneath the lower bunks.  And with our daypacks including passports, phones and devices, we sleep with that beside our head.  Not glamorous (or comfortable) but erring on the side of caution. 

Toilets on board the train Delhi to Udaipur 

This is a fair question for any train travel in India!  However, you can be assured the air-conditioned and seated classes do have better toilets than the rest.  

There is the option of a western toilet or squat toilet in each carriage.  And even the squat has a bio-vacuum style flushing toilet these days.  Quite the luxury! 

Wondering about things to see and do in Udaipur?

Planning your trip to Udaipur? 

Where to stay in old Delhi, New Delhi and South Delhi or near the airport 

Checking in to our spacious room near the airport at Taurus Sarovar Portico Hotel. 

Where to stay in Udaipur

Most of Udaipur’s accommodation is dotted around the City Palace and Lake Pichola waterfront. 

Million dollar lake views from our budget family room at Hotel Lake Star. 

Read more about travel in India

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. 

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