Overnight train Satna – Varanasi, August 4

2nd class air-conditioned carriage
Sorry, no pics.
Our first experience of train travel in India, and what a shock to the system it was, after the organised pleasure that was Iran. This trip was slightly more expensive than what we paid for the same length overnight journey in Iran. However, instead of a private 4 person compartment including dinner and breakfast snack (Iran), we had a 4 berth compartment, with only a velcroed curtain between us and the corridor, no food and a distinct lack of security (at every station people would get on and take a brisk walk through the carriage looking for unsecured baggage to misappropriate). We had not brought chains, unlike many local travellers, and so we spent a relatively sleepless night. The whole experience convinced us to stick to day train travel if at all possible in India in future.
Bathroom: Used it once; held on for the rest of the trip as I didn't feel safe enough to walk along by myself at night.
Views: Varied
Cost: 1400 rupees for 2
Recommended? Only if you are short on money and time, otherwise, travel by day and stopover at a hotel for the night.