Solo Woman Traveling North India

Hi there,
I am planning a trip to India this September and am curious if anyone has had any experience as a woman traveling alone through North India. I was thinking my route would be Mumbai-Udaipur-Jodhpur-Delhi and then do the triangle. But- I have heard some very negative things about women traveling alone in India. I am 25 and this is not my first time backpacking alone, but I want to be cautious. I am also considering doing a tour through Gecko Tours for part of it, but tour travel is really not my favorite. I guess my main concerns are really transportation and how safe it would be to be a woman alone on the overnight trains? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks,
Kaitlyn

I was thinking my route would be Mumbai-Udaipur-Jodhpur-Delhi and then do the triangle. But- I have heard some very negative things about women traveling alone in India.

You should do it as: Mumbai-Udaipur-Jodhpur-Jaipur-Agra-Delhi.
Thousands of women travel alone in India every year. Dress decently, avoid late night outs, book 1 or 2 class trains, hire services(taxi etc.) from reputed vendors, avoid making new friends : are some points which you may follow and you will be pretty safe.

I am also considering doing a tour through Gecko Tours for part of it, but tour travel is really not my favorite. I guess my main concerns are really transportation and how safe it would be to be a woman alone on the overnight trains?

You can do it all on your own. Book hotels of your choice first.
Mumbai-Udaipur (flight)
from Udaipur, you may hire a car upto Delhi. It will be convenient & flexible.

@kaitlynnicole02

Hello Kaitlyn, and welcome to Thorntree.

Sound advice from incrediblenorthindia above.

I guess my main concerns are really transportation and how safe it would be to be a woman alone on the overnight trains?

If you travel in 1AC or 2AC you will be just fine. Personally, I think even 3AC would present no risk to your personal safety.

That said, for your itinerary, it will be best to:

Mumbai - Udaipur - flight

Udaipur - Jodhpur - car+driver (you can make arrangements at your hotel in Udaipur). There is no direct rail connection between these two cities, and you should take the day for the journey with stops at Kumbhalgarh Fort and Ranakpur Jain Temple.

Jodhpur - Jaipur is just a 5 hour journey by train, so you if you felt more comfortable you could do that in the evening (or during the day) rather than overnight.

Jaipur - Agra - similarly is just 4 hours so no need to travel overnight. If you took a car+driver then you could consider a stop at either Abhaneri Stepwell or at Fatehpur Sikri.

Agra - Delhi - again can be as little as 2 hours by train, so not required to be completed overnight.

For your safety and security you should book your trains and accommodation well in advance, and arrange for your hotel or guest house to pick you up and drop you off at the train station or the airport.

To book the trains yourself, online before you arrive in India, you will need to set up an account with the IRCTC. To do that, you must follow the instructions on this website: http://www.seat61.com/India.htm#book%20-%20from%20outside

As incrediblenorthindia suggests, and if it was within your budget - hiring a car+driver for most of your trip may be a good option for you.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Many thousands of women travel alone in India, without incident.

Have a look at this post for the links I've provided there:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/asia-indian-subcontinent/india/travel-plans-to-india-in-june-safety?page=1#post_21344561

And also you might want to read this: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/asia/travel-tips-and-articles/77744

http://www.global-gallivanting.com/top-female-bloggers-reveal-why-women-love-traveling-in-india/ and follow the links to some of those blogs.

And a little ebook: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/38731

Lots of general pointers and tips:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/asia/travel-tips-and-articles/76017

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/asia/travel-tips-and-articles/77744

http://www.roughguides.com/article/india-ten-tips-for-first-time-travellers/

http://askmen.com/top_10/travel/top-10-tips-to-survive-your-first-trip-to-india.html

http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/wandertips/india/tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane-while-solo-in-india/

http://floratheexplorer.com/happy-safe-solo-travelling-india-yourself/

http://www.journeywoman.com/girltalk/india/indeindia.html

Hi Kaitlyn
Travelling is a great things that comes in anyone’s life, and solo travelling is just one step ahead. And while travelling everyone has some good and bad experience that does not means the place is good, places are always good and people are also good but with some exception. I will not deny the fact that there had been some cases but it doesn't mean that India is not safe for travelling. You feel safe and nice here in India. There is nothing bad in exploring India as a Solo female traveller.
Trains are good for overnight travelling if you are choosing it for First Class, and for long distance, and for local tour rental car is good option. Have a great vacation.

Hi! I am female and I traveled solo in northern India this past year- Delhi-Orcha-Khajuraho- Jaipur-Jaisalmer-Delhi-Raiwala-Rishikesh-Amritzar-Patankot-Dharamsala-Delhi. I traveled on trains (2-3rd class)and buses; I had no problems. I dressed in longer pants and shirts with sleeves- no revealing clothing ever. In most towns, except Rishikesh and McCleod Ganj, I did not go out after dark. I met truly wonderful people, mostly men. You will not find many women, who are not accompanied by their families. If you travel 2 or 3rd class on the trains in the side berths, there will likely be a family across the aisle from you and they seemed to enjoy practicing their English with me. I accidentally got stuck late at night in a second class train car and the young men on board not only made room for me in the car but they also helped me run back to my correct train car when the train finally pulled into a station with a long enough platform. I traveled less by bus but I had no problems when I did. Just be sensible, follow your intuition, remove yourself if you feel uncomfortable, and don't get mixed up in crowds or festivals. Enjoy your travels.

I really, really appreciate all of your responses and they have calmed my fears. I was leaning towards a group tour before this, but think I might actually be able to make this solo travel thing work now. Thank you so much for all your advice! When I talk to people at home they seem to have some very dangerous conceptions about India, whether founded or not, I just didn't want to risk putting myself in a dangerous situation. Thank you!

If you go for accom that is mentioned in the guidebooks then there will be other travellers around.

When I talk to people at home they seem to have some very dangerous conceptions about India, whether founded or not, I just didn't want to risk putting myself in a dangerous situation. Thank you!

Had any of the people that you talked to ever travelled to India ?

No, most of them haven't. Although I do have a couple of Indian friends who say they wouldn't go by themselves. I'm just curious as to what I should really be prepared for in terms of safety as opposed to SE Asia. I try not to put too much emphasis on things I read, but have read some troubling news reports. Is it easy to meet other travelers in India?

Thanks so much for your response! Yes, I will try to plan out my route beforehand so I know where I will be staying.

Also-from Delhi how would you recommend getting to Varanasi?

Also-from Delhi how would you recommend getting to Varanasi?

You have choices for that leg too. There are direct, non-stops flights - about 90 minutes, and less than $100.

The train journey is around 12 hours, so is appropriate for overnight travel. There are train services which are shorter - around 9 hours - however these all stop at a station called Mughal Sarai which is about 45-60 minutes outside of Varanasi.

http://erail.in/?T=NDLS::BSB

However, this should be considered in your overall itinerary. There may be an advantage to taking an overnight train from Agra to Varanasi. http://erail.in/?T=AF::BSB and then going to Delhi.

Traveled alone in India in two different occasions. No problems, and met a lot of people. Use long trousers and long sleeved blouses. Large models, and light and natural fabric, such as linen or silk. You can buy this stuff already once there.

Hi Kate,

A couple of things to add to the list of excellent points and advice. One, for trains, you dont have to set up an acount with irctc as they only take an Indian CC, you can do it through cleartrip. They also use the IRCTC website, but payment can be done on their portal, so its easier.
Secondly, if you plan to do parts of the North, be aware that the weather will be quite hot, so dress accordingly, knowing that you are travelling alone. I would recommend cool cotton Kurtas (the indian tops which are worn with pants or skirts) which are comfortable and good for the weather as well as smaller towns and trains etc. I have travelled a lot alone in this country and I find that wearing Indian clothes is not only comfortable but easy in terms of avoiding unnecessary attention. You are hitting some great places, so it will be easy to find other travellers. If you plan to visit Agra, check out our blog for some stuff to do other than the Taj. https://rediscoveryproject.com/2016/04/29/agra-beyond-the-taj/

There are some great tips already here, so just read up and be aware of your surroundings. And feel free to ask any specific questions if you want, especially about Mumbai, we live there. Have fun :)

Ambika

Hi,

Overnight train is good, as lifesupport suggested. Be aware that there are two stations, so you can get to either. Also, Delhi to Agra to Varanasi is a good route, the journeys become a bit shorter. We just spent 4 days in both Agra and Varanasi and it was amazing. Lots of travelers and backpacker zones.
Ambika

A couple of things to add to the list of excellent points and advice. One, for trains, you dont have to set up an acount with irctc as they only take an Indian CC, you can do it through cleartrip. They also use the IRCTC website, but payment can be done on their portal, so its easier.

Just to update this information. The IRCTC has been accepting foreign credit cards since early May this year, so only one account is required.

Prior to this, foreigners (without an AMEX Card) were obliged to have accounts with both IRCTC and Cleartrip - and it was definitely not easier.

Foreigners are referred to this website and should follow the instructions exactly to set up their account:
http://www.seat61.com/India.htm#book%20-%20from%20outside

You are 50X safer in Thailand than India..'In Thailand,I walked around without a care in the World.
Females walk at night with few worries,in T-land.
In India,there are real concerns.Avoid Indian males,day or night.With luck and timing,you may hook up with fellow travelers heading in your general direction.The date rape drug is popular over here.(India)
To many stories of hotel staff/owners behaving badly.(Stealing/advances)
But..India has much to offer..Just getting use to the poverty took me a couple years to somewhat accept.
All of the Ex-Pats I have asked, agreed,"The Poverty is the hardest thing."
You have the garbage,stench,and sewage to enjoy.Rail,bus,and plane delays and cancellations to adjust to.
India is going to change you.You are going to grow.You may find a side of you that opens up to a new awareness about yourself that you could not have achieved anywhere else
.At times you will hate it here.Myself,during times of hardship and frustration,I would remind myself that India was giving me my money's worth.
So,come to India and get your money's Worth.

it's ok of youre sensible. ive done it 4 times so far. dress respectfully, dont be out too much after dark, stay in busy areas. dont take too many overnight trains. try to have a shorter day trips. it's pretty easy to hook up with other travellers once there too.

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