Away With The Steiners

Booking, boarding and everything you need to know about the train Jaipur to Agra. 

Sarah Steiner

Taking a train in India is one of the best experiences of travel in the subcontinent.  There is always an element of adventure to a journey on the rails, and India Railways is an adventure not to be missed.  Here is everything you need to know before travelling by train Jaipur to Agra. 

Is there a direct train Jaipur to Agra?

Yes.  The good news (before we get onto ticket and the impenetrable booking system of India Railways) is that there is a direct route by train from Jaipur to Agra. 

What is it really like taking a train in India? Is it as bad as you hear? 

The trains Jaipur to Agra are express train services and they are a fantastic way to travel in India.  And spoiler alert; it is nothing like you imagine conjuring up images of riding on the roof with crowds of locals.  

Albeit India Railway does move 23 million passengers daily around the country.  (That’s not a typo by the way!).  But making the journey by train Jaipur to Agra can be smooth and comfortable.  

Give or take a few chapati and the crowds and potentially cows congesting the station itself.  You could – almost – be anywhere in the world.

How to take the train Jaipur to Agra.
Welcome to Indian Railways and the adventure not to be missed!

Train options operating the route from Jaipur to Agra 

There are in fact 19 trains that cover the route by train Jaipur to Agra! 

It is a convenient way to travel between the two cities.  But there are differing services with some super-fast daytime trains and some that depart overnight and travel very slowly. 

To keep options simple (it is actually easy), these are main daytime trains from Jaipur to Agra that connect the two cities. 

Taking the train in India is one for the bucketlist, right?

Which train Jaipur to Agra should I pick? 

The fastest of those options and most convenient time of day to travel by train Jaipur to Agra is on the AII AF EXP.  

This train departs from Jaipur Junction (JP) every day at 8:10am and arrives at Agra Fort (AF) Railway Station in Agra at 12:45pm. 

Our (honest) review of taking the AII AF EXP train from Jaipur to Agra

Over the last two years we’ve visited India six times and travelled at least that many times by train from Jaipur and Agra including on our Group Trips.  We find the daily AII AF EXP train the most convenient time of departure and because it has air condition Chair Class (CC) it makes for a comfortable and mid-distance train journey. 

I’ll explain more about the different classes of train soon, but if it is your first time taking a train in India, this style of train travel is the most relaxing. (It can be relaxing!).  

Many people arrive in Delhi by air and their first journey in India is Delhi to Jaipur by taxi or with a private driver.  So, the train from Jaipur to Agra might be the first experience with rail travel in India.  But it’s a great first-time train journey. 

It is a manageable journey time with less than half the day allocated to travel.  And Jaipur Junction (JP) Railway Station is a vibrant and busy departure point without being overwhelmingly huge. 

We reckon it’s a great, easy and comfortable train journey in India.  And, in case you aren’t planning on any other train journeys on your trip, then for sure, getting the train from Jaipur to Agra is a cool Indian experience.

On board in Chair Class (CC).

Things to know before traveling by train from Jaipur to Agra

If this is your first train journey in India, it’s a good place to start.  The train from Jaipur to Agra is a straightforward one and if you are traveling on the AII AF EXP it is comfortable and a nice time of day to be journeying by rail.

The main things to know before taking a train in India is all about the boarding and where to stand on the platform.  

Starting at Jaipur Junction (JP) Railway Station to catch the train from Jaipur to Agra

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

Arriving at the station in Jaipur, 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. 

The digital arrival and departure boards at Jaipur Junction (JP) on Platform 1.
The sign above Platform 1 at Jaipur Junction (JP).

Waiting at Jaipur Junction (JP) Railway Station 

There are two waiting lounges at Jaipur (JP):

The Executive Lounge is a fully air-conditioned facility, where railway passengers can stay while waiting for their trains. The cost to wait in the Executive Lounge is 200 INR for two hours, subject to availability. 

The Executive Lounge is located on Platform 1 which is at the main station entrance from the Gopalbari area side. 

The AC Class Waiting Room is also air conditioned with seats for passengers traveling in 1st or 2nd Class or Chair and Executive Class (1A, 2A or CC, EC).  There is no charge for waiting inside, you simply need to show your ticket on entry to the Waiting Room. 

This was the non-Executive but free AC Waiting Room en route to Jodhpur.
Platform 1 at Jaipur Junction (JP) near the Executive Lounge and AC Waiting Room.

Boarding the train at Jaipur Junction (JP)

When the train is next scheduled to arrive in Jaipur, here are the steps for finding your seat and boarding the train. 

  1. Using the details on your eTicket and matched to the departure board; find the platform for your train from Jaipur to Agra.
  2. On the platform you will see small digital signs above the platform that change between showing the train number (eg. #22987) and carriage number (eg. C2 or C3). 
  3. Find the corresponding carriage number on your eTicket and stand by the digital sign.  
  4. When the train arrives, confirm the carriage number on the outside of the carriage matches to the digital sign above the platform. 
  5. Board the train and find your seat (eg. 23 or 24). 

This may sound obvious, but the system of finding your carriage number on the digital signs before the train arrives is important.  Indian trains can be VERY long, and you don’t want to be running from one end of the platform to your carriage at the other end. 

See those hanging signs? Those are for the platform number and digital displays of the train number and carriage number arriving next.
The carriage numbers are displayed on the side of the carriage as well as on a digital sign above the platform.

Download the IXIGO App before traveling anywhere by train in India

This app is a game changer for travel by train in India.  You can input your ticket number or PNR number and the app updates whether your train is running on time. 

It also – importantly – shows you a map of the train and correspondingly where you carriage is located in the length of the train. This is the handiest feature for finding where to wait on the platform before boarding.

Booking tickets

Once you have decided which train from Jaipur to Agra fits your India itinerary, 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). Or alternatively if you have a travel agent or booking 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 the train to Jaisalmer: 

Because there are limited options for fast and daytime trains from Jaipur to Agra 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.  And there is the added challenge of needing a local Indian contact phone number (which most often defeats the purpose of even using a VPN while out of the country).  

But the IRCTC website is useful to see exactly when and which days there are tickets available for the trains from Jaipur to Agra.  

About classes of train travel in India 

There are eight different classes of train travel in India, and it can be more than a little overwhelming trying to decipher the class codes for a first time. 

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

However, the decision of which class to take for the train from Jaipur to Agra is more straight forward as not all these classes are available on every train.  

It’s easy to know this Sleeper Class (SL) is non-air-conditioned because there are no windows on the carriage.

Classes of travel on the train Jaipur to Agra 

None of these trains from Jaipur to Agra offer First Class (1A) seating.  However, the AII AF EXP and AII AF INTERCITY have Chair Class (CC). 

We always opt for Chair Class (CC) if it is available for short-mid distance train travel.   

The seats in Chair Class (CC) are set out like on an aeroplane with three seats on one side of the aisle and two on the other.

Chair Class (CC) is the most comfortable class of travel for short and mid-distance trains in India.

About the train Jaipur to Agra and what to expect – can you get food and water on board? 

Yes. There are multiple shops and kiosks at Jaipur Junction (JP) where you can buy packaged snacks and drinks. 

On board the train there are staff routinely coming through the carriages selling water, drinks, chips, Chai and snacks. 

About the train Jaipur to Agra and what to expect – are there toilets (usable) on board? 

There are toilets on board the train.  They will likely be in the condition you would expect for the busy route by train from Jaipur to Agra. 

However, there will be a squat toilet and Western style toilet between carriages to choose from.  And in case you wanted to know but didn’t want to ask about using a squat toilet in South Asia (we’ve done the research).

A toilet on the train somewhere in India; you will be fine.

Arriving in Agra 

There are two main railway stations in Agra: 

The AII AF SF EXPRESS arrives at Agra Fort (AF) station.  This is not a huge railway station (by Indian railway standards) so it is easy to find your way out and get a rickshaw or taxi to your accommodation in Agra. 

Where to stay before and after taking the train from Jaipur to Agra 

These are the hotels and accommodation we use regularly on our travels in India and that we can recommend for your trip. 

Slight chaos of bags and backpacks on arrival at the otherwise stunning Jaipur Haveli. 

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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