Maitree Express: মৈত্রী এক্সপ্রেস - দুই বাংলার সংস্কৃতি ও ভাতৃত্বের মেলবন্ধন - Joydeep Roy

traveled in the AC Chair Car of this train on 26th February between Madgaon and Kundapura.
Seating: It was a pleasant surprise to find that the seating formation was 2 X 3 . If I remember right most AC Chair cars have 3 X 3 formation. Because of this I found the journey very comfortable. We were in seats 33-34 which were the seats in the middle of the coach which has a long table in front and two rows face each other. I think the other seats which are there in these rows are 31,32, 35,36,37, 38, 39 and 40 (not sure of the numbers). So in case you want a table in front of you and wand extra legroom aim...
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to get these seats while booking or while on the train.
Catering: On that day there was only one man who moved through the train. Alternately he carried: (a) Tea, Coffee (Rs 10 each), Snacks like Vada Pav and Samosa (Rs 25 each); (b) Water and Cool Drinks;and (c) packed snacks like chips and nuts. He travels from Karwar to Surathkal. The quality of the snacks was not too great and the tea was too light and very sweet. My tip is that you quip yourself with snacks from Benjoes at Madgaon and have a tea on the platform in Madgaon before starting.
Scenery: If you like watching sunsets, then this is the train for you
Intermediate stations: If you are getting off at intermediate stations, please be careful or you may miss getting off as the platforms are not well lit and the trains stop only for a minute or so.
Overtaking: The train achieves its full speed potential only after it overtakes the MAO-MAQ passenger
Popularity: The train had only 10 seats empty during the journey
This was a nice journey and it is pity that the CC coach is being withdrawn from 16th May