简介
火车是印度旅行的主要方式，分布范围广，多种选择，价格适中。这篇文章就是专门介绍印度火车旅行的，原文译自印度官方网站。

印度火车的8个级别

印度火车共有8种级别，虽然不是所有的车次都有这8种级别。以下的8种级别基本按票价由高到低依次介绍。
There are 8 classes of accommodation on Indian trains(!), although only some of these classes will be available on a particular train.  These are the classes, in roughly descending order of cost:

空调头等舱（AC1）Air-conditioned first class (AC1)

宽敞、铺有地毯，独立隔间，有4个和2个铺位，并且有脸盆。卧具一应俱全，铺位在白天可以变成座位。此级别是舒适、文明旅游的首选。虽然这种级别的舱室只在最重要的长途线路上才有，同时票价几乎是AC2的2倍。在此级别的车厢中，你将会遇到银行经理和军官。订票时不必详细要求你要的是2铺位或是4铺位的，因为只有在火车出发前印度铁路才能根据订票情况确定铺位情况。一般来说，夫妇会有优待分到2铺位的，而家庭或是散客就分到4铺位的，当然此种分配方法并不是规定。
Spacious and carpeted (and lockable) 4-berth and 2-berth compartments with washbasin.  All necessary bedding is provided, and berths convert to seats for daytime use.  AC1 is a very comfortable and civilised way to travel, although it is found only on the most important long-distance trains and costs about twice the price of AC2.  In AC1, you'll be mixing with bank managers and army officers.  You cannot specify that you want berths in a 2-berth rather than a 4-berth compartment when you book - specific berth numbers are only allocated by Indian Railways closer to the departure date and shown on reservation lists at the station before departure and on the coach side.  Couples are normally given preference for the 2-berth coupés, families and passengers travelling alone are normally allocated berths in one of the 4-berth compartments, but of course this can't be guaranteed.  Centre picture:  A rather nice AC1 2-berth 'coupé' with fabric-covered seats / berths on the Kalka-Delhi-Howrah Mail.  Below left:  An AC1 4-berth compartment on the Bombay-Howrah Mail with the the more usual brown leatherette seats and berths...
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空调2等舱（AC2）Air-conditioned 2-tier (AC2)

AC2等舱白天提供座位，晚上可以变成卧铺，AC2车厢不能形成封闭的隔间（也就是中国的硬卧，译者注），每个隔间用门帘隔开，一个隔间4张铺位（两上两下）车厢两侧都有隔间，晚上列车员会分发枕头、床单及毛毯。几乎所有的长途列车都有这个级别的车厢。在印度这是中产阶级常用的交通方式。比较干净、也不拥挤、适合大多数来印度的游客。
AC2 provides seats by day, convertible to bunks at night.  AC2 coaches are not divided into separate compartments, but are open-plan, with berths arranged in bays of four (two upper, two lower) on one side of the aisle, and in bays of two along the coach side above and below the windows on the other side of the aisle.  Each bay is curtained off for privacy, and an attendant distributes pillows, sheets and blankets in the evening.  AC2 is found on almost all decent long-distance trains, and it is the way the Indian middle classes travel.  It's relatively clean and uncrowded, and a good choice for most visitors to India.

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空调3等舱（AC3）Air-conditioned 3-tier (AC3)

3等舱和2等舱差不多，只是有3层铺位：上、中、下，一个隔间6个铺位。这个等级的车厢比2等舱稍微拥挤，没有布帘和床头灯。和2等舱一样，晚上列车员会分发枕头、床单及毛毯。白天铺位折叠成座位。
AC3 is very similar to AC2, but it has three tiers of bunks - upper, middle and lower - arranged in bays of six on one side of the aisle, and bays of two (upper and lower) along the coach side on the other side of the aisle.  It's more crowded than AC 2-tier, and it lacks the privacy curtains and individual berth lights found in AC2.  As in AC2, an attendant distributes pillows, sheets and blankets in the evening.  Berths convert to seats for daytime use.
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非空调车厢 First class

非空调车厢每个隔间有4铺和2铺。票价不含卧具，如果事先在订票时额外付一些费用可以提供。为了让AC2等舱更加据有竞争力，印度铁路逐渐淘汰了该等级车厢的封闭式隔间。同时，因为窗子不密封，这里的卫生条件比AC1, AC2 o和 AC3 都要差一些。
Non-air-conditioned coaches with lockable 4-berth and 2-berth compartments.  Bedding is not included in the fare, but may be available for a small extra charge if booked in advance.  Non-AC 1st class  accommodation has now almost disappeared, as Indian Railways have largely phased it out in favour of AC 2-tier.  It is generally grubbier than either AC1, AC2 or AC3 as it is not sealed against the dirt.

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空调软座（AC Executive chair class）

空调软座只有在最主要的Shatabdi 特快列车才设有，例如：德里——安哥拉的列车。持有AC1列车通行证的乘客可以乘坐此座位。
AC Executive Chair Class is only found on the most important 'Shatabdi Express' trains, for example Delhi to Agra.  It is available to holders of an AC1 IndRail pass.
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空调硬座（AC Chair class）

舒适的空调座位车厢。很多城市之间的白天列车上都设有这样的车厢，（如：德里——斋普尔，德里——安哥拉，德里——卡尔卡（希姆拉）。持有AC2通行证的乘客可以乘坐。白天旅行的好选择。
Comfortable air-conditioned seating cars.  AC Chair Class is found on a number of 'intercity' daytime trains (for example Delhi-Jaipur, Delhi-Agra, Delhi-Kalka for Simla), and is available to holders of a AC2 class IndRail pass.  A good choice for daytime travel..!
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非空调卧铺Sleeper Class

这是大多数印度人长途旅行的选择。分为上、中、下铺位，一侧6个。不提供卧具，所以得自备睡袋。除了Rajdhani特快列车之外，几乎所有的长途线路都设有非空调卧铺车厢。这个车厢非常的拥挤，虽然理论上铺位都是预定好的，不该如此拥挤），卫生条件很差。但是也有好处，你可以获得比在AC车厢中好一些的乡村风光，因为那些车厢的窗子都是有色密封的，有时玻璃还不干净。夏季时，车厢顶部有吊扇，窗外会吹来微风。冬季，夜里注意保暖，带睡袋和毛衣。这种车厢逐渐被越来越多的背包客选择，这些人能享受也能吃苦。
This is the way most of the Indian population travels long-distance, and the majority of cars on a long-distance train will be sleeper class.  Sleeper class consists of open plan berths with upper, middle and lower bunks arranged in bays of six on one side of the aisle, and along the coach wall in bays of two (upper and lower) on the other side of the aisle.  Bedding is not provided, so bring a sleeping bag.  Sleeper class is found on almost all long-distance trains except for the premier 'Rajdhani Express' services.  Sleeper class can be quite crowded (although in theory all berths must be reserved, so it can't get overcrowded), and it's fairly grubby and basic.  On the other hand, you get a better view of the countryside then in AC coaches, where the windows are sealed, tinted, and sometimes dirty.  In summer, there are fans on the ceiling and a breeze from the windows.  In winter, wrap up warm at night and take a sleeping bag and fleece, as it can get cold.  Sleeper class is used by the more adventurous backpackers, who are prepared to take the rough with the smooth...

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非预定2等车厢（Unreserved 2nd class）

木质或塑胶座位。不建议需要过夜的长途旅行选用。（在这里你将目睹印度最最混乱的景象，所有印度人都争着占座位。）但是如果只是白天的短途旅行还能接收。
Open plan cars with wooden or padded plastic seats.  Not recommended for long distance overnight journeys (you'll see the huge scrum of Indians all trying to bag a seat), but quite acceptable for daytime journeys of up to a few hours.