India Rail Pass - questions
 

The Indian Railway Company offers a pass for int'l tourists:
http://www.indianrail.gov.in/international_Tourist.html
I reviewed the list of sales agents and there are none in North America! So where can I buy this pass in Canada?

In preparation for my trip, I looked into the procedures for booking AC class tickets on the pass. It is anything but clear:
- I need an Indian mobile number to set up an account;
- Trains can be booked 2 months in advance. Who does that?
- Some trains have a quota for foreigners and the advice is to pay a bribe to book these!

To clear up this confusion, I invite comments/suggestions on where to buy this pass and how to use it?

i would suggest getting in touch with a ta based in india....

The foreigners quota should be only an option if you cannot get regular tickets anymore.. the latter are much cheaper.

update
 

Thx. for the advice.

Contacting a TA is an option - but as I said, none sell the pass in Canada. Buying the pass online does not appear to be an option, & the e-mail address for India Rail in the UK bounced.

My o/s question is can the pass be purchased at an India Travel Office in BOM?

You could also book a train ticket online. While they ask for an Indian mobile number to register, there is a workaround for that by requesting the mobile OTP by mail.

See this site for a detailed explanation on Indian train travel and booking.
www.seat61.com/India.htm

an update from Delhi
 

I have discovered the best way to buy a tix. is @ the Foreign Tourist Travel office in major cities. The best is in DEL (open 24 h) located on the 2nd floor of the station. I also used the one in BOM.

IMO, the on line train schedule for India Rail is unreliable. I found many trains which fit my schedule - only to discover they don't run on Sat, the train is late, canceled, etc. Deal with the experts.

Also, a word of warning for FTs looking for the DEL travel office. On arrival at the stn., you will be met with hundreds of guys who want to show you where to buy tix. They will tell you all kinds of stories to get you to come to their office - across the street. My friend succumbed to this odious practice. I asked India Rail why they don't crack down on these re-sellers. The answer - its a lost cause.

These hucksters are destroying India Tourism, and the government is powerless.

You can book ticket online,when they ask for mobile number its only for OTP(one time password).

you can book your train ticket online and know your IRCTC PNR Status easily

Now railway passengers can enquire everything about trains by dialing 139.Passengers can check railway tickets,PNR status,train fair, seat availability etc.
To know how to cancel train ticket click here.