The train journey to and from Chennai.

As I mentioned before, trains in India have undergone a big change. The second class sleeper coaches now accommodate 81 passengers instead of 72, which is a result of the addition of a side middle berth. This has been accepted as being a bad move by many, and is being withdrawn. During my recent trip to Chennai, I got a chance to experience the berths again and here's a summary of each of the seats on the train.

(These numbers are modulo 8 for the before and modulo 9 for the after.)

Seat #1 and #4:

Before: These are the window seats on the main side and correspond to the lower berth. These are coveted not just for the window seat but also because you don't need to climb anywhere in order to sleep, especially by the elder passengers.

Now: These seat numbers are exactly the same even now and just as coveted.

Seat #2 and #5:

Before: These are the middle seat and the middle berth. #2 was exactly identical to #5. Kinda awkward because you're at the mercy of the others sitting there in order to lower your berth to sleep.

Now: With a side passenger sitting with the main side, #5 becomes a little more cramped. #2 stays the same.

Seat #3 and #6:

Before: These are the aisle seat and the upper berth. Again, #3 was identical to #6. If you're younger or just unafraid of a little climbing, this is a great seat as well because you have the freedom of popping off to go sleep whenever you want. The berth is all your own. It does get a little hot in this berth and you get very little of the fan air striking you. So that's the negative here.

Now: Again, with the side passenger sitting on this side, #6 gets more cramped. #3 stays the same.

Seat #7:

Before: Side lower. This is primo real estate. Cream of the cream. Your seat is completely isolated so that much more freedom. If you're traveling with someone you know and that person's sitting opposite you, you can even stretch your legs as you sit. (Usually you can do that even if you don't know the other person.) And of course, when it comes to sleeping, this is the best berth in the house. You get space around you, and you can open and close the windows as you wish. The only downside is that on crowded routes, people without reservation tend to sit on this berth early in the morning, very illegally, I might add. Sometimes when this happens to me, I "inadvertenly" keep kicking them in my sleep.

Now: Funnily enough, this is one seat that has changed the least. While sleeping though, you get marginally less space above you because of the added middle berth, but qualitatively, it's the same as before.

Seat #8:

Before: This was the other side seat. Side upper. Almost as valued as the side lower in a different way. The seat is the same but while sleeping you get the freedom of going to sleep whenever you want, but you get less air circulation. Plus you don't get the annoying freeloaders sitting on your berth.

Now: Now this number corresponds to the side middle. While sleeping, this basically is as annoying as the other middle berth because you need to bother other people in order to lower your berth. While sitting, in a few trains I've seen this number get the side seat, in which case no problemo. But sometimes the seat for this number is added to the main side, so you have four people sitting on one side of the section. Very awkward.

Seat #9:

Before: Didn't exist.

Now: This is the side upper. When they added the side middle berth, they raised the side upper berth by an inch or two. That means that a berth that was once acceptable is now horribly cramped. You cannot turn around in that berth without hitting your elbows on the ceiling of the compartment. Also, you get the worst air circulation of anyone sleeping. Further, there's a guard rail that's been added which means that you can't stretch yourself outside the actual area of the berth - this is the only berth for which this happens. All these make this the worst berth in the section. Sometimes this seat is on the side, which makes it marginally acceptable. But if this falls on the main side, and you have sit cramped with three others, congrats! You've just landed the worst ticket possible.

With all that background, you'll appreciate it when I tell you that on my recent trip to Chennai (more on this in an upcoming post) I got assigned the side upper berth! Boy I was pissed! I did not even want to climp up into the berth. Luckily the train was very empty and I talked to the ticket collector and convinced him to change my seat. I asked for a lower berth but didn't expect to get it. And boy I was surprised when I got the side lower seat. Just like that I went from worst seat on the train to the best seat on the train. Fantastic!