MONICA RAJESH
is the author of Around India in 80 Trains and Around the World in 80 Trains @monisha_rajesh
PHOTOGRAPHS: MARK READ/LONELY PLANET, MATT MUNRO/LONELY PLANET
Over four months I travelled the length and breadth of the Indian Railways network, covering 25,000 miles in 80 train journeys. I rode express trains, steam trains, Mumbai’s infamous commuter trains, a hospital on wheels and even the odd luxury train, as I discovered why Indian Railways is considered the bloodstream that keeps the nation’s heart beating. It carries more than 20 million passengers a day, and there is nothing quite like it on Earth. I left India with its grit beneath my nails, rocking in my bones, and a few good lessons under my belt.