Indian Railways’ Changing Image: Foreign Traveller’s Night Train Experience Wins Praise Online
Indian Railways’ Changing Image: Foreign Traveller’s Night Train Experience Wins Praise Online
Indian Railways, often associated with crowds, noise and long journeys, is slowly seeing a shift in how it is perceived — especially through the eyes of international travellers. One such moment recently went viral after a foreign woman shared her unexpectedly positive experience of travelling on an Indian sleeper train at night.
The traveller, Ines Farla, a 25-year-old backpacker who quit her job to explore the world, posted an Instagram video titled “First night train in India as a woman.” In the clip, she openly spoke about her first overnight train journey in the country and how it turned out to be far better than what she had imagined.
Before boarding, Farla admitted she had mentally prepared herself for a chaotic experience. “I thought this was going to be stressful and messy,” she said. However, once the journey began, her assumptions quickly faded. “It was my first sleeper train in India and it was actually such a good experience. Note to self: stop overthinking everything,” she wrote in the caption.
Travelling with a friend, Farla said the compartment felt slightly cramped due to their large backpacks, but the overall arrangements impressed her. She highlighted that passengers were provided with clean sheets and blankets, something she hadn’t expected.
Cleanliness, particularly of the washrooms, was another area where she was pleasantly surprised. “The toilets weren’t the worst at all. I honestly expected them to be much dirtier,” she said, adding that the train itself felt well-maintained and clean.
The night passed peacefully, according to Farla. She shared that she slept comfortably and appreciated how calm and respectful the other passengers were throughout the journey. “Everyone was quiet, and I got a really good night’s sleep,” she said. “The experience was quite nice and way better than I expected. I slept like a baby.”
As the video gained popularity, social media users responded with warm welcomes and travel suggestions. Many expressed happiness at seeing a foreign traveller enjoying India on a sensible budget. One user commented that the country welcomes visitors with an open heart and wished the women a wonderful journey.
Another suggested that she try India’s modern Vande Bharat trains on her travels. A different user left a candid message asking her to forgive the country’s chaos, pollution, honking, trash, curious stares and selfie requests, while also pointing out that healthcare in India is both affordable and reliable.
