Be warned that Hyderabad has two stations, Nampally and Secunderabad, a little over four miles apart. Nampally is also referred to as Hyderabad Deccan, but most intercity services connect through Secunderabad. Accommodation ranges from basic sleeper class, a budget option with tiered bunks arranged along a shared walkway, to the more comfortable air-conditioned 3A and 2A classes. A limited number of services on the route offer self-contained first class 1A private compartments. All need to be reserved in advance; overseas visitors, however, will be stunned at the low fares for such an epic journey. There are no restaurant or buffet cars on Indian trains, but passengers can order meals from an on-board kitchen.
Express trains are the standard service between cities, but they tend to trundle along rather than hurtle, with average speeds loitering around 30 miles an hour. A daily express train runs between the cities, as well as a handful of less frequent services. All start in Mumbai and pass through Pune on their way to Hyderabad. The Mumbai Express makes 19 stops and takes 13 hours 20 minutes, whereas the Konark Express stops just six times for a total journey time of 12 hours 45 minutes. Nearly all express services between the cities are overnight journeys, with some arriving at 4:30 a.m. The only daytime journey runs twice a week and terminates at Secunderabad, and makes the trip in 11 hours.
Even though the name suggests an emphasis on speed, "superfast" trains are little more than upgraded express trains with fewer stops along the way and don't save a significant amount of time. Two superfast train services link Pune and Hyderabad. The Hussain Sagar Express runs daily, taking 10 hours 45 minutes, leaving at 1:25 a.m. Thursday’s Bhubaneshwar express leaves at 11:15 a.m. and arrives just over 10 hours later in Secunderabad, making only three stops.
The Shatabdi, meaning “Centenary,” is a prestige service noted for its speed and modernity, and stands out as the most time-efficient way of traveling between cities. The quickest service is the Shatabdi Express, which runs every day except Tuesday from Pune to Secunderabad, departing at 5:50 a.m. and arriving shortly after 2 p.m., for a total journey time of 8 hours 30 minutes. These trains are non-sleepers and all carriages offer only seating in an air-conditioned car, with meals -- included in the fare -- served at table.
