Want to travel to goa from howrah somewhere around may. Which should be a better option:
1.)catching duronto to bangalore and then taking a volvo bus to goa or
reach goa directly by amaravati express.
have heard that the coaches of amaravati express are generally not clean and this train also doesn't reaches madgaon on time that is why I am considering option...
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1.

I traveled on this train 58501 from VSKP to ARK on 13th December 2015 Sunday. After reaching the station at 6.30am, There was no information with the enquiry office about the schedule of this train. At 7am, the train was allotted platform no. 5. When the rake was making an entry into the VSKP station, it was surprising to see passengers already boarded in reserved compartments of D1, D2, D3 and D4. When I raised a voice as why unreserved passengers have boarded a reserved compartment, it was asked to keep quite, Finding myself helpless, i decided to fight myself to the nearest place where my seats were allocated. Having found my seat 45, 46, 47, and 48 in D1, I ensured that unreserved passengers were removed. It was like fighting for my rights. Having booked the tickets 4 months in advance and finding somebody else taking my seat is not...
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a joke. Moreover, its the local illiterate people, mainly school / college students who occupied the seats. Having removed them, I made space for myself and 3 other people travelling along with me. Finally, the train started at 7.45am, already late by 340 odd minutes. Surprisingly, the seats booked by APTDC for rail cum road package passengers could not reach their seats as these locals had invaded the reserved compartments. As i am not a local language speaker, i took help of one such gentleman to ask the passengers invading reserved seats to move to unreserved compartments, but he failed. When the train stopped at Penduruti, that gentleman was happy to see himself seated on the berth after loads of fighting.
Franking speaking there is a lot of hype about the scenic beauty of VSKP to ARK railroad. As far as my digital photography is concerned, I didn't find this as scenic like Kalka or DHR trips at all. People, if you are so enthusiastic to take this trip, you can. But frankly speaking, this is not at all worth it. On top of that journey to certain altitude will be pleasant enough, but there was hardly and change in temparature as the train was climbing heights of the eastern ghats. It was hot as hell and to add to that once the train was inside the many tunnels on the route, the smell of stagnant water and burnt diesel was pathetic. I will suggest you to take the road trip to Araku from Vizag, which will be more interested and pleasant otherwise. There are many busses and private vehicles which play on this route for about 7000 to 8000 bucks for a to and fro trip.
Finally when the train arrived at Borra, the locals made way and got off the train. and the compartment was finally left to people who had actually booked tickets. Another astonishing fact was that not a single TTE came to check our tickets. Leave alone how many of they traveled ticket less!!
I decided that I will forfeit the return journey from ARk to VSKP on this train and booked a Swift Dezire for 3000 bucks who agreed to give me a tour of Araku and Borra and drop me to Vizag at my hotel. By the time, i reached my hotel at 7pm. the 58502 had just left Borra with a delay of 2.15 hours!!!!! Thank God I made a justified decision.
people, please avoid this train journey if you are visiting Araku and Borra. There is nothing worthwhile to be seen on the rail trip as such. Hardly there is any greenery. This has been my first and last trip to Araku and will never suggest any 1 to visit this place, atleast by rail.

NF RAILWAY BOARD KINDLY ADDED MAHAMYA EXPRESS IN THIS ZONE.......................
DHUBRI - KOLKATA CHITPUR MAHAMAYA EXPRESS
VIA - FKM - APDJ - NJP - MLDT - BWN
TOTAL DISTANCE - 877 km
TRAVEL TIME -...
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16 hour 30 minites
SPEED AVG - 53 km/hour
HALT - 20
STATION - GKJ - TKP - SPX - FKM - GOGH - KAMG - APDJ - NMZ - SGUJ - NJP - AUB - KNE - BOE - KDPR - MLDT - NFK - PKR - RPH - BHP - BWN
DHUBRI DEPUERTURE - 16:05 PM ( MON / WED / FRI )
KOLKATA ARRIVAL - 08:35 AM ( TUE / THU / SAT )
& RETURN JOURNEY
KOLKATA DEPURTURE - 19:20 PM ( TUE / THU / SAT )
DHUBRI ARRVAL - 11:50 AM( WED / FRI / SUN )