From Metal Trunks to Digital Tracks: My Vande Bharat Experience

Trains have always been fascinating to me, but for very different reasons depending on the decade.

In my early childhood, the train was an adrenaline sport. My mother used to travel from Delhi to Peddapalli by the legendary Grand Trunk (GT) Express. The stop was exactly two minutes. In that tiny window, she had to disembark with two kids, a massive "hold-all" bedding roll, and a heavy metal trunk. It was a military operation.

And buying the tickets? That was a test of endurance. Long lines, sometimes sleeping on the pavement the night before the summer booking opened, just to secure a berth.

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The Shift: A Digital Journey

Fast forward to this week. I took the Vande Bharat Express from Kannur to Ernakulam. The anxiety of the "two-minute drill" is gone, replaced by precision.

The differences were stark:

• The Booking: I didn't stand in a line. I bought the tickets online from the US.
• The Station: I didn't need a porter to haul a metal trunk. I used the station lifts to get to Platform 3 seamlessly.
• The Experience: We weren't guessing where the train was. We tracked it to the minute. Inside, the infotainment screen showed us cruising at 108 kmph.

Breakfast at 100 Kmph

There is something comforting about the fact that while the technology has changed, the soul of the journey remains. I sat there with a copy of The Hindu and a classic railway breakfast—Upma, Vada, and Kesari Bath.

It was efficient. I ordered the food choice online beforehand. The train was clean, the AC was effective, and the ride was smooth.

"The luxury of modern travel isn't just the speed—though saving 2 to 3 hours is significant. The real luxury is the absence of stress."

Nicely done, Indian Railways. You kept the charm but fixed the friction.

Observation: Have you tried the Vande Bharat yet? Does it feel like a different era of travel to you? Let me know.