[Bumblebee]

Hello,

I am just back from India since Monday (after 6 months India and 3 months Thailand), but already thinking of my next adventures there. Asia and especially India got me heavily after my second time there (see my blog for my latest adventures in rural Karnataka among Brahmins etc). The past two weeks in India I took train to Trivandrum (more specifically Kayankulam for Amma ashram) from a small village in Karnataka. I had to book the train in advance, but was still in Thailand and online booking is not possible with non-Indian Visa or other card. Luckily my Indian friend booked for me with an agency and luckily I met him before I went down to fetch the tickets...
Now, it is very weird to me that only Indian (and only certain Indian) cards are allowed but moreover it is a nuisance I need to book trains in advance whenever time is a big issue (and even now almost two months in advance I was lucky to find a seat cfr holidays for kids in India)..

Any sugestions?

For Indian flights I am more happy; with www.makemytrip.com I booked Jet airways, Deccan, Spicyet.. al with my VISA So easy and fast! When will the online train booking  service be convenient for non-Indians also?

Thanks for any comments

Helga
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Love and Light - May all beings be happy

http://helgainfullflight.blogspot.com

[thirdchimp]

I book e-tickets for my parents in India all the time using my non-Indian credit card. It sometimes takes a few attempts to successfully book the ticket, but that's not due to the unacceptability of the credit card, but problems I think related to congestion at the railway website. What's the message you get when you try to use your cc?

[Bumblebee]

Wow, either this has changed between the past 9 months (when I started traveling in India) and now or I did not see the 'visa' mentioned. If this really works; great!!