Travelling can be both a joy and a test of patience, and our recent trip from Birgunj to Ranchi was a testament to this fact. My wife, Tania, and I had meticulously planned our return journey, but as they say, “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

Our train from Raxaul to Howrah was scheduled to depart at 4:55 PM, so we checked out from our cosy hotel in Birgunj and headed to Raxaul station with plenty of time to spare. However, upon arrival, we were greeted with the news that our train was delayed by an hour and 35 minutes due to the incoming train’s late arrival. With a sigh, we settled in for the wait.

The train finally pulled into the station around 6:15 PM, looking worse for wear after its long journey from Howrah. The coaches were dirty, and we had to raise our voices to get the cleaning staff to tidy up our compartments. After some hassle, the coach was cleaned, and we boarded our mixed 2AC and 3AC berths.

Our relief at finally getting underway was short-lived. We discovered that there was no water in the toilet. I promptly tweeted to @RailwaySeva about the appalling condition of our coach, and to my surprise, they escalated the issue quickly and advised me to call 139 for a faster resolution.

The Railway Customer Care representative at 139 was a polite gentleman who assured me that the water issue would be addressed at the next station, Darbhanga. True to his word, he called back after the train left Darbhanga to check on the situation. Unfortunately, the taps were still dry. He called again around 11 PM to inform me that, although water was now flowing, it was at a very low pressure, likely due to a maintenance issue that couldn’t be fully resolved until we reached Howrah.

Despite the inconvenience, I was impressed by the diligence and follow-up from the Railway Customer Service. At around 3 AM, I received yet another call informing me that the water issue had been resolved at Barauni station. Half-asleep, I managed to confirm that the taps were indeed working.

While the water problem was fixed, the train continued to lose time, and we finally rolled into Howrah station at 2:15 PM, a whopping six hours late. We had a tight connection to catch the Vande Bharat Express to Ranchi, scheduled to leave at 3:45 PM, as printed on the ticket.

Feeling the pressure of time, Tania and I decided to grab a quick lunch and use the facilities at a nearby restaurant before our next leg of the journey. However, when we returned to the station, we were in for a shock. The Vande Bharat Express had been rescheduled to depart at 2:35 PM, and we had missed it by a mile!

We asked at the rail enquiry counter about the train departing earlier than the time indicated on our tickets. Indian Railways should send an SMS to inform passengers about any schedule changes. The attendant mentioned that they had issued a press release and it was in the news. But honestly, who checks press releases nowadays? They should have updated the timing in the booking of seat confirmation SMS sent to me today. Indian Railways needs to address this issue to assist passengers affected by schedule changes They need to seriously improve this process to help passengers affected by schedule changes. We lost our money due to this lack of proper communication by Indian Railways.

With our plans in shambles, I quickly booked bus tickets to Ranchi from Esplanade, Kolkata. Now, here we are, sitting near the Esplanade metro station, waiting for our bus to start. As we wait, I can’t help but reflect on the day’s events. It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions, from frustration to admiration for the railway staff’s persistence.

Through it all, Tania has been a pillar of patience and support, making this journey a memorable one despite the hiccups. As we wait to embark on the final leg of our trip, I can only hope the road ahead is smooth and free of further hassles.

As we’ve learned, travelling is not just about reaching the destination, but also about embracing the journey—chaos and all.