I gotta tell you about my experience on this train for the first time (my bad) with the new schedule on the 3rd. It was just okay, nothing special except that it didn't stop (it just keeps going at a decent speed). The train literally stank at Ernakulam. The toilets! Ugh. The train was all dirty inside and out, my cousins were sneezing all day and night, and I even caught a mild flu. Let's see where that goes. I'll be real, booking a 2nd AC or first AC is pointless (I tried both), you'll get the same kind of food. The food was just reheated and served. It definitely wasn't fresh, the staff even told me to eat it quickly before it went bad. All the utensils (spoons, trays) were washed in the same big drum near the doors. That's why the doors stayed closed throughout the journey. Something was wrong with the soup and paneer, it made me feel like throwing up. Thank goodness for the dal-rice. The temperature was normal, not cold like in Rajdhani and other northbound AC trains (especially for South Indian passengers). We had mosquitoes bothering us all night. Can't complain about that though (better than rats in Rajdhani, LOL). The staff didn't want to give us the complaint/feedback book, but they were definitely happy to accept tips. Throughout the journey, I smiled, said please and thanks, and the only smile I got back was when we placed a 100 on the tray. Anyway, I won't complain about that. I know it's hard waiting on people for 15 hours. So, here are some travel tips: 1. Don't get your hopes up. This is just another average Rajdhani train. 2. If you can, bring some light food. You definitely won't like the lunch. So eat carefully and in moderation. 3. Don't use the blankets, they're full of dust and I think I even saw a bug :( Keep the blankets aside and use the bed sheets instead (we were lucky ours were new). 4. Bring an antihistamine just in case you get allergies. 5. Ask for a complaint book and write down your complaints freely. Also, encourage your fellow passengers to do the same. 6. Tell the staff to clean the toilets first. They stink the most and it's disgusting in an AC coach. 7. The only reason the train reaches LTT on time is because it doesn't stop, the speed is the same as Netravati. 8. Don't give a 100 as a tip if you feel the service wasn't good enough. 50 is also fine and acceptable. 9. I wanted chocolate and they didn't give me any :(