TNA/Thane (10 PFs)

Local Name: Thana

ठाणे

ठाणे

Track: Quadruple Electric-Line

The best overnight train to travel on Konkan Railway specifically for Goa bound passengers. I finally got my first experience to travel in the "Rocket" and it really lived upto its name. Please find my observations based on my travel from Thane to Karwar and Madgaon to Thane in 3AC compartment listed below:
1. Punctuality: I've heard about it being delayed in the recent past due to the delayed departure but during my instance, it reached the destination quite decently. The Speeds that it hits are truly a treat for the railfans. 12134 impressed me a lot with the Alco chugging and going on a spree after Kankavali. The only issue is the 12134 getting a delayed departure from MAJN. In the...
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DOWN direction, it departed with a delay of half an hour and reached Karwar with a delay of a couple of hours and in the UP direction, it departed MAO with a delay of half an hour and reached Thane with a delay of an hour.
2. Coaches and Cleanliness: The Coach is of customary ICF design with decent interiors. The Linens and Pillows were very clean. Both 12133 and 12134 have OBHS(On-board Housekeeping Service) and the 3AC Coaches were quite clean. The staff arrived after MAO to collect the leftovers at each berth. Charging points with mobile holder are present at each bay and Side berths as well. A mirror is provided at each bay.
3. Toilets: It is equipped with Bio-Toilets (atleast in 3AC) and liquid soaps are provided. The toilets were quite clean throughout the journey.
4. Food: As there is no pantry car, food is provided by private vendors. In 12133, we had Veg Sandwich for 40 Rs which was decent. In 12134, the food was loaded at Kumta and served till we reached Kankavali. Chicken Biryani and Chapati Bhaji were available during our travel. Chapati Bhaji costed Rs. 45(4 Chapatis ad Potato Curry) and the taste was average and not that great. The roti is made of Refined Flour(Maida) and not Wheat Flour.
5. Booking/Reservation: If you are travelling from Mumbai To Madgaon and find the seats full, book upto Udupi. CSTM to UD comes under General Quota and hence there more seats available.
6. Railfanning: As it is a overnight train, there is not much in terms of railfanning(upto MAO) other than the lovely Alco chugging sounds and the magnificent speeds. If you are travelling upto MAJN, then you are in for a treat as it goes on a spree after MAO.
Have a safe trip.

If you are travelling to Thane in the down direction during morning peak hours(7 am to 11 am) , never take the Thane local (locals having their destination as Thane).
The same train goes back in the UP direction as CSMT local and hence there is maddening crowd waiting at Thane to get onboard. There is a big chance that you wouldn't be allowed to de-board.
In addition to this, the Thane locals depart quickly from Thane during morning peak hours as the Turn Around Time is very less and the train...
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is late on most occasions.
Take any other train having a different destination. It is the opposite direction during morning peak hours and hence wouldn't be crowded.

Please find my observations based on my travel from Thane to Ratnagiri in Chair Car compartment listed below:
1. Coaches and Cleanliness: This is the cleanest train I have ever travelled on Indian Railways. The coaches are top notch in terms of cleanliness which would make you fall in love with the train in first place. The interiors are fabulous and you would be in awe of the facilities provided. They sprayed Air Freshner throughout the coach in the middle of the journey which was a surprise. The windows were very clean which enabled us to enjoy the scenic Konkan landscapes clearly.
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Interior and Comfort: This was one of the most comfortable journeys I have ever undertaken on the Indian Railways. There are none or very less jerks felt throughout the journey.
a. SEAT AND LEGSPACE: There is ample legroom and the pushback seats are really comfortable. The legspace is way more than that in economy class of flights with space to move out even with the co-passenger being seated.
b. CHARGING POINTS: One charging point is provided per seat in addition to a point for charging laptop in each row. Plugin your USB chord in the charging point and connect it to your phone to get charged.
c. ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM: The touchscreen entertainment system provided for each seat is satisfactory enough and serves the purpose well. Due to the recent theft of headphones, you are charged Rs.30 if you require one.
d. LUGGAGE RACKS: Travelling in other Intercity Express trains on 2S and CC Coaches had me in a bit of worry whether the space for keeping luggage would be enough. The luggage Racks are large and wide enough to cater large trolley suitcases as well.
e. FOOD TABLE: A compact foldable food table provided per seat can be used while having food.
f. SLIDING DOORS: The vertical sliding doors are a big plus in this train which makes the task of getting into the coaches with big luggage effortless.
g. LED LIGHTS AND ATTENDANT ON CALL: LED Reading lights are provided for each seat. There is a button to call the attendant(like in Flights) in case of any requirement.
3. Toilets: It is equipped with Bio-toilets and they are satisfactory if not great. The much hyped automatic soap-dispensers were missing and replaced with the traditional manual ones. The sensor based touch-free basin taps worked really well. The toilet occupancy indicators were dysfunctional during our journey. There is a foldabe seat present near the automatic door which is really helpful if the toilets are full and you have to wait for your turn. Passengers must use flush before and after using the bio-toilets.
4. Automatic Doors: This is the only category of train on Indian Railways equipped with automatic sliding doors which is a big plus in terms of safety. However, passengers must be equally careful while boarding/de-boarding. There is a switch inside the coach which can be used to manually control the door. Ask the attendants present at each to open them for you incase you are left out.
5. Train Captains/TTE: There are train captains allotted for each coach on this train who are pleasant to talk to. If you have any issues/problems in regards to the journey, feel free to consult them.
6. WIFI: The WIFI was not available during our travel.
7. Food: We opted out of the catering as a result and as a result, our fare was reduced by Rs.140. In my opinion, the catering charges are really high and the railways need to look into it. We opted for the tea kit onboard which included Milk powder, tea bag and McVities marie biscuit(3 nos). The tea was tasteless and I regret paying 20 Rs for the kit.
8. Speed/Punctuality: Punctuality is the only area where I was a bit disappointed. Being a premium train, I expected it to get the highest priority and reach all the stops on time. Our train reached the destination(Ratnagiri) 45 minutes late during the monsoon period, which is great for a regular express/superfast trains but for a premium express the expectations were high from my side.
9. Fare: I paid Rs.785(incl of everything) for my journey from Thane to Ratnagiri and was not at all disappointed paying a premium fare. It was really value for each penny paid and I am looking forward to more journeys by Tejas Express in the future.
10. Railfanning: A great train for railfanning as it covers the heavenly Konkan stretch during the daytime. It hits 100 KMPH continuously in many stretches. The only disappointment(from a railfan's perspective) is the automatic doors which don't open en-route stations where the train is halted for crossings. The additional stoppage at Chiplun has really come as a boon for us Railfans.
Travelling in Tejas Express should definitely be in each Railfan's bucketlist.
The Indian Railways have done their bit in providing premium and comfortable facilities for us. It is finally our duty to make proper use of them.
Have a premium and safe journey.