If you are traveling by trains in India, you might have wondered which coach to book. “Sleeper Class Vs AC Coaches in India: A Train Guide for Foreigners” will help you with just that. Indian Railways can be overwhelming and confusing, especially for foreigners visiting the country for the first time. Read on to find out the best coach to book for you!
Types of coaches
Sleeper Classes
1AC: Expensive, private airconditioned cabins with 2 or 4 berths and fresh bedding, 1AC or First AC coaches are not available on every train. Rajdhani and Duronto Express are a couple of premium trains with First AC.
2AC: AC 2-tier coaches have 4 berths with curtains for privacy, clean toilets, and are frequented by families and business professionals. These seats are not as expensive as 1AC but are comfortable for overnight travel.
3AC: 3AC are air conditioned, have 8 berths per bay, but no curtains for privacy. They do come with bedding, and are much more affordable than 2AC, although they are more crowded as well.
SL: Sleeper Class includes 6 berths, but is without air conditioning. The windows open, which is an advantage as well as a disadvantage. This is the cheapest sleeping coach and not the best choice in terms of hygiene and cleanliness.
3E: AC 3-tier Economy is similar to 3AC, but it has an extra middle berth, making it a total of 9 berths per bay. It is more affordable than 3AC, but also smaller. This coach is available in just a few trains like Humsafar Express and other premium trains.
Daytime Classes
CC: The AC Chair Car has air conditioned, comfortable reclining seats. This car is found in intercity trains like Shatabdi, Tejas, Vande Bharat, and more.
EC: Executive Chair Car is a premium version of CC. This coach has more space and legroom, also found on trains like Tejas, Shatabdi, and Vande Bharat. Meals are often included in this car.
2S: 2S, or Second Sitting, is the cheapest reserved coach. It has bench-style seats and no air conditioning, just fans and open windows. This is a decent option for a short 2-3 hour journey, but keep in mind that this coach often gets extremely crowded.
Know more about the different train classes here.
Sleeper Class Vs AC Coach
Pricing
Sleeper Class is the cheapest option in terms of cost and value. 3AC is usually 2 to 3x the price of Sleeper Class, but it is still extremely affordable. Sleeper Class is the best choice if you are on a tight budget, but spending a bit extra for an AC Class can make a huge difference in cleanliness, safety, and quality of your trip. If you do not mind splurging, 2AC and 1AC are great options, since they provide you more privacy.
Cleanliness and hygiene
It is common knowledge that trains in India are not the best in terms of hygiene and cleanliness, especially when it comes to General or Sleeper cars in trains. In a Sleeper Class, you might find litter on the floor, unhygienic toilets, and less-maintained coaches.
On the other hand, AC Classes have (mostly) fresh pillows and bedsheets, more hygienic toilets, and cleaner compartments.
Food
Meals are available at a price for longer journeys in most coaches. In many 1AC coaches, meals are a part of the package, such as in Rajdhani Express. There are, however, many vendors selling snacks throughout the train. Some railway stations also have longer halts, where you can get down and buy some nice street food from the vendors outside.
Delivery apps like Zomato, Swiggy, and Dominos have partnered with IRCTC to provide you food delivery services. You can order from certain listed places around the next stop, and they will deliver it to you at your coach when you halt there.
Privacy and Safety
Do not expect complete privacy like you might get in a European sleeper car, although 1AC is not too different from those coaches. Undoubtedly, AC coaches are much safer than Sleeper Class. Sleeper Class in India is more like a general coach, where even unreserved passengers enter quite often. The class is almost always crowded, and thefts are not uncommon!
On the other hand, AC coaches are checked more thoroughly, which is why only reserved passengers get in. There is slightly more privacy than Sleeper coaches with curtains in 2AC and fully closed cabins in 1AC. You will mostly find families, tourists, or well-to-do people traveling by AC compartments.
Solo female travelers should absolutely book an AC coach, especially for overnight journeys. We would recommend foreigners in general to book AC coaches no matter where you are traveling.
Comfort
Sleeper Class in India is a non-airconditioned compartment with open windows and only fans to get you by. It is not much of an issue during the winter months, but summers can get unbearably hot. Sleeper Class also does not provide any bedding; you need to carry your own.
AC Coaches on the other hand are temperature controlled, although sometimes it can get too cold. You will get bedding for your seat, but we would suggest carrying one along just in case. The windows don’t open at all, although the upside is that these compartments are less smelly and less polluted.
If you are not used to the hot and humid climate of India, you should not think twice about booking an AC ticket.
Experience
Probably one of the very few advantages of a Sleeper Class is the experience. If you want to witness the raw, authentic culture of India, a Sleeper Class is the best way to do so. Busy, chaotic, crowded, and lively, the Sleeper Class sees people from all economic backgrounds crammed into a compartment. You will find vendors selling chai, coffee, and snacks walking past you, large families sitting together, sharing meals with strangers, and playing games together.
However, it can also be too noisy at times, and quite overwhelming if you are traveling to India for the first time.
AC compartments are much quieter. It mainly consists of families, but the interactions are not the same as in a Sleeper Class, since everyone is reserved and keeps to themselves.
Which coach to choose?
There is no one right answer to this question. Your coach depends on the type of experience you wish to have. However, we would definitely recommend foreign tourists to book AC coaches.
1AC is the best AC coach if you have no qualms about spending extra money. 1AC has private cabins with 2 or 4 berths. The tickets are sometimes even more expensive than flights, which is why most people do not prefer this coach. However, the service here is the best, with fresh bedding, mineral water, and good meals. 1AC has limited seats, and gets sold out very quickly. So you need to be quick if you want to book 1AC.
2AC is for travelers who want more privacy, with 4 berths and curtains. Passengers are usually a lot more polite, and this is a good option for people who do not want to spend too much money on 1AC.
3AC, or AC 3-tier, is the perfect balance of affordability and comfort. Much cheaper than the other AC coaches, it also provides a higher level of security, since 3AC is not frequented by random travelers without reservation.
Sleeper Class is not recommended for foreign travelers. Only choose Sleeper Class if you want to experience Indian culture in its raw form or if you are on a very tight budget. If you do want to experience it anyway, another good option is to choose it for a daytime journey which lasts for around 4 to 5 hours. It can then be a fun experience, especially if you are traveling during the winter months. You can also travel in Sleeper Class if you are with someone Indian who knows the railway system thoroughly.
Tips while travelling in Indian Railways
- Book train tickets in advance. AC seats to popular destinations like Delhi, Varanasi, Goa, or Mumbai tend to sell out quickly.
- After booking, download the IRCTC app or RailYatri to check live train status, your ticket confirmation, and coach seating. Your PNR number is the most important during the process.
- If you want to travel by Sleeper Class, prefer shorter, daytime journeys and avoid the summer season.
- Your luggage travels with you, so pack accordingly. Keep your luggage locked, since thefts are not uncommon.
- AC coaches do supply bedding, but it is a good idea to carry a light blanket of your own, just in case.
- Expect delays. Trains in India are often late, sometimes by hours. Keep your schedule flexible around your train travel time.
- If you cannot climb easily, book a lower berth. Climbing to the higher berths can sometimes be a task, so if you are not up for it, choose a lower berth while booking.
- Train journeys can be quite long, so carry entertainment like a book, downloaded movie, games, or music.
- Carry some light snacks and mineral water. Many trains do serve meals at a small cost, but if you are not sure about the food, it is better to have some of your own.
- Carry change. Most local vendors might only take cash, so keep some spare change handy to buy tea, coffee, or tip someone.
- Carry toiletries, earplugs, and flip flops for your train journey. They will come in handy.
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