Ground Transportation
Sachin's Blog
Day 20 - Aug 2 - Bus from Panjim city to Baga town
Goa is the smallest state of India. The distance from north to south is only about 100 kms. Panjim is the capital city of Goa. It lies on the bank of Mandovi river. If you are new to Goa bus system, it will be very complicated and chaotic to you
After the end of our guided tour, we want to have travel experience in the Goa's bus that goes towards beaches. Since most of the direct buses leaves from Capital city Panaji, so we will take a taxi from Alila Diwa hotel to Panaji and then we will take bus from Panjim city to Baga town. The price of the bus vary depending upon which contractor bus you are taking. You can get to all the primary tourist attractions and beautiful beaches through bus.
Most of the buses in Goa are old. So it gets pretty hot inside as there are no fans or air conditioners. And mostly it's also a very bumpy ride too. But what could be even more important for you is that most of them don't run before 7 AM and after 7 PM.
Raise your hand, the bus will stop (not all of them, though) and you will have a chance to ask the bus conductor, if the bus is going to a place where you need to get to. Most probably bus conductor will be the one who will open the doors for you. If there is no bus conductor just ask anyone near the doors or the driver.
Getting from Panjim to Baga beach is the same as easy. Because both beaches - Calangute and Baga - are next to each other. There are direct buses from Panjim to Calangute. Depending on where exactly in Baga you want to get you may need to walk or take a tuk-tuk or taxi.
The distance between Panjim and Baga is around 18 kms. The bus takes around 40-50 minutes to get to Baga. Baga Beach is famous for its beach shacks and the delicious sea food that is offered there. The night life at Baga is even more exciting than its days. Baga Beach is the home to some of the hottest night clubs like Tito's and Mambos which are always crowded with the dance freaks. Mackie's Saturday Night Bazaar offers amazing buys for the shopper.
The bus departs from bus stand close to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar park. As soon as the bus will leave Panaji, it goes through beautiful Mandovi bridge. This bridge is built on Mandovi river. It is an awesome experience to drive on this bridge as it shows the view of mesmerizing blue water from height. It will add more beauty to the route if driving during night time, as the bridge is loaded with attractive colorful lights
Then the bus will drive along the edge of the Mandovi river where one can see lots of ferries and cruise ships. Then the bus will cross another bridge on the top of Nerul river, where you will have a chance of variety of bird watching.
The bus will then go through Candolim town in Goa and the traveler will not want to miss seeing the beautiful charming lotus flowers of Candolim Lotus Pond.
Then the bus will reach Calangute town where the traveler will have an opportunity to see Calangute old football ground in the way. This football ground is a house to various national and international tournaments
The bus will then arrive at its final destination at Calangute bus stop. The Calangute beach is around 5 minute walk from there and then Baga beach is close from there as well. You can walk along the shore to get to Baga beach. Its around 7-8 minutes walk or you can take a auto-rickshaw (also called Tuk-Tuk taxi) from Calangute bus stop if you want to go directly to Baga beach
Bus Route Map
Bus Details
Name of the bus - KTCL (Kadamba Transport Corporation Ltd.)
Bus number - N/A, the bus conductor usually scream loudly saying Calangute Calangute Calangute. Also, they have a name tag saying Calangute in the front right side of windshield
Frequency - Every half an hour throughout the day
Departure location - The bus departs from bus stand close to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar park
Arrival location - Calangute bus stop close to Calangute old football ground
Total travel time - 40 to 50 minutes depending upon the road traffic
Cost of ticket - INR 90 ( $1.49 CAD) per person and will be paid at the time of ride
Cancelation Policy - Once purchased, the ticket cannot be returned and hence is non-refundable
Day 21 - Aug 3- Train from Goa to Delhi
Between New Delhi and Goa, there are 12 different trains to choose from. You should know that not all trains run all days a week. So, make sure the availability of train on the date you plan to travel. All these trains board from Madgaon station in Goa and drop you at New Delhi Station or Hazrat Nizammudin depending on which train you have chosen to travel in. The average Delhi to Goa train distance is 1900 km. The time it takes can vary as different trains have different speeds and stoppages.
After spending 3 days in Goa, we will take a train from Goa to Delhi. After researching about various trains, we chose Rajdhani Express. This train suited our schedule and is also the fastest train available for our route. The details of the train are as below:
Train Number: 12432
Train Name: Hazrat Nizamuddin - Thiruvananthapuram Central Rajdhani Express
Days available: Every Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday
Departing Time from Goa (Madgaon Station): 10:55
Arrival Time in New Delhi (Hazrat Nizamuddin Station): 14:35
Total Travel Time: 27 hours 25 minutes
Ticket Price: 3A - INR 2740 ($45.42 CAD), 2A - INR 3775 ($62.58 CAD), 1A - INR 6275 ($104.02).
Out of these, we will choose 1A class to have best experience of our journey. We booked our tickets in advance so that our seats are confirmed in case the train get fully packed. The tickets can be booked at the ticket counter in Madgaon station, Goa. There is also an option to book it online on Indian Railway website
Cancelation Policy - Once purchased, the ticket cannot be cancelled and hence is non-refundable
https://www.irctc.co.in/
3A - AC third class: In this, AC is provided and a bedding is included
2A - AC second class: another AC class and comfortable coach, includes bedding and can carry 48 or 52 passengers, food and beverages are included in the fare
1A - AC first class: Most comfortable AC coach, fully private cabins, includes beddings, can carry 18 or 22 passengers, food and beverages are included in the fare, most expensive coach
The best thing about the train journey from Delhi to Goa is the picturesque ride. Since the train goes along the Western Konkan coast, you are in for a visual treat. So, make sure you grab a window seat and keep your eyes open during the day otherwise you will miss the stupendous views of tunnels, jungles, and bridges over rivers and water bodies. New Delhi to Goa train route is considered to be one of the scenic ones. Let the lush greenery and long, dark tunnels surprise you with wonder amazement. Don't mind if there is a little splash of water as you pass through the waterfalls.
During the journey in 1A class, the traveler will get free food and beverages:
Welcome drink - Juice or soft drink of your choice
Newspaper
Drinking mineral water
Food
Tea