We were leaving Hampi with the pre-booked auto-rickshaw waiting at the hotel's doorstep. The village would remain an unforgettable experience of our Indian trip. We would miss the kindness of its inhabitants, the amazing sunsets, and the breathtaking boulder-strewn landscapes. But the coast was calling us back.

The Confusing Train

We took what was supposedly the 8:20am train to Vasco da Gama numbered 17603, which ended up being the 18047 leaving at 6:20pm. Apparently, both trains were the same train - just different numbers depending on... something. The Indian railway system works in mysterious ways. How would you guess? Even the station staff seemed confused when we asked for clarification.

This meant we had an unexpected full day to kill in Hospet. We stored our bags at the station (₹20 per bag) and wandered the town, finding a cafe with WiFi to plan the next leg of our journey to Kerala. Not the worst way to spend an unplanned day.

The Long Journey

When the train finally arrived and departed (only 30 minutes late - pretty good!), we settled into our AC-2 Tier cabin. We spent 9 hours sharing the 4 berths with a Polish couple. They were calm and quiet, which allowed us to rest for most of the journey. The whole carriage was extremely quiet - a definite advantage of being in an AC-2 Tier coach rather than sleeper class.

The train stopped many times in the middle of nowhere for no apparent reasons, turning our scheduled 9-hour journey into 11 hours. But we were comfortably settled with our books, snacks, and the rhythmic rocking of the train, so we didn't mind too much. We read, slept, and demolished a load of biscuits we'd stockpiled in Dabolim before heading to Hampi.

The Trash Incident

Before reaching our destination, a somewhat shocking moment occurred. Kro went looking for a bin to dispose of our rubbish accumulated during the long journey - empty biscuit packets, water bottles, food wrappers. A train employee saw him searching and gently took the bag from him... and threw it through the open door onto the tracks.

That's the Indian way, apparently. We were shocked. All that careful waste management, looking for proper disposal, and it just gets thrown out the window (literally). It explained why India's railways and roadsides are often lined with trash. The systemic lack of waste infrastructure is one of India's most visible environmental challenges.

Back to Bogmalo

We finally made it to Vasco da Gama station around 5:30pm. Dodging all the aggressive taxi drivers ("Best price! Where you going? Taxi taxi!"), we boarded an old and rusty local bus to Bogmalo Beach.

The public transport was incredibly cheap in Goa. ₹15 each for the 20-minute ride. We noticed locals paid only ₹10 - the "tourist tax" of ₹5 extra seemed to be standard practice. Still, compared to the rickshaws and taxis (₹200-300 for the same journey) we'd experienced a few days earlier, it was a bargain.

Finding the buses was easy. We simply followed the crowd leaving the train station and boarded the bus where the driver's assistant was shouting rhythmically: "Airport, Airport! Bogmalo Beach, Bogmalo, Bogmalo!" The Indian transport tout's call and response system works remarkably well.

Celebrating with Seafood

To end our somewhat uneventful but long travel day, and to celebrate returning to the coast after inland Hampi, we indulged ourselves with an incredible seafood platter at Claudis Corner ↗.

The restaurant was highly ranked by both tourists and locals. Our waiters were from Nepal - we'd learned that many staff working in Goa's hospitality industry are Nepalis who travel south for seasonal work.

The food was spectacular. Fresh prawns grilled with garlic butter, fish curry with coconut, crab masala, calamari, and lobster tail. Everything tasted like it had been pulled from the Arabian Sea that very morning (which it probably had been). We finished our Kingfisher beers - that famous Goan beer we'd been denied in Hampi Bazaar.

The bill came to ₹2400 - our most expensive dinner so far on this trip. But after days of simple vegetarian food in Hampi, and to celebrate the incredible experience we'd just had, it felt absolutely worth it.

We walked back to our apartment along the quiet beach, full and happy, already planning tomorrow's flight to Kerala and the backwaters of Alappuzha. The moon reflected off the calm Arabian Sea. Fishing boats bobbed at anchor. Goa had welcomed us back.

Pinterest

Hampi to Goa Train Journey: Complete Travel Guide

Pinterest

Best Seafood in Bogmalo: Claudis Corner Restaurant

Have you taken the Hampi to Goa train? Were you shocked by Indian waste management? What's your most memorable train journey in India?