I traveled in this train from KJM to CBE on 27th Dec 2018 in C3 coach. A few observations during the journey. Seats are not at all comfortable for this 6+ hours journey. I would have preferred Sleeper Class Side-Lower seats for this journey.

No vendor comes to sell anything inside the coaches - not even water bottles. Therefore, it is difficult to go to the catering booths / counter in coach C1, C4 and C7, especially if you are seated on a window seat on a 3-seater side and have...
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to ask the other 2 passengers to make way for you.

And for senior citizens, it will be a herculean task. And the catering booths / counters are usually crowded. I had Veg Cutlets (6 on 10 - too oily) and Aloo Samosa (5 on 10 - too chewy and not crispy as a good Samosa should be) and coffee (8 on 10) as per IR catering standards.

The other items available are - (I did not buy them or try them) Sambar Rice, Curd Rice, Lemon Rice, Chapati Curry - this is available from SBC until it gets sold out. Then they offer Veg Cutlets + Samosas + Dal Vada (Masala Vada / Parappu Vada) - packaged drinking water + Coffee + Tea + some packed snacks like Potato Wafers etc. I bought my Samosas + Cutlets + Coffee just before the train reached Kuppam.

What exactly is available after that until CBE - I do not know as I did not find it a pleasure to go again to C4 coach to see what is available.

Though there are charging points - my mobile charger could not be inserted into the plug - so the plugs are not the standard ones. I saw another passenger who desperately tried to plug-in his charger going from one seat to another. Finally, I saw him forcefully insert his charger only to see that his mobile still not getting charged.

And those who wish to charge your Laptops during your journey on this train - better DO NOT BOOK a ticket on this train - your Laptop charger will not find any plug that has a 3 pin socket - all are 2 pin sockets.

And the speed of this train is pathetic - too slow for this route - the timings could have been at least 30 minutes faster. And remember - this train seldom reaches CBE at 21:00 hrs.

Therefore I would't book on this train anytime in my lifetime again.

I happened to travel in this train, on 7th Oct 2018 - after a long, long time - between SBC and BGM - This time around in SL class as tickets in other classes were in WL when I booked.
My observations -
Same old story - Not much food options available on this train - as mentioned in my earlier train tip here: /blog/post/1332596
However,...
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at about 05:30 hrs - Super hot Idlys + Vadas with Chutney was available at UBL Jn station. I took one plate for myself. And I relished it. Some other passengers were watching me as if I was hungry for a long time - and yes, I was indeed. As we approached Desur near Belagavi (BGM) the train was halted for no reason - I mean no reason for a common passenger - but there could be some better reasons as per IR standards. Finally alighted at BGM at 09:05 hrs.
And we had a big scene at / just past midnight - soon after crossing ASK Jn - A lady with a teenage daughter (heading to GPB) started waking up my wife who was fast asleep on berth # 64 (SU) and also the guy on #59 (UB) and I was seated (yes seated and not asleep - as I do not like to sleep in SL classes due to my Laptop just besides me) at #63 just below. They argued that they had confirmed tickets from ASK to GPB and that those seats / berths were theirs. I did not give way - but the guy on #59 climbed down and made way for the teenage girl. But I had seen this guy paying some amount to the TT at TK and got this berth #59 reserved for himself.
I told this guy to go and fetch the TT - he did after a few minutes - the TT asked the lady to show her ticket and she did - and the TT asked her as to what date is showing up on her mobile phone right now? It was 8th Oct 2018 and her ticket was booked for 7th Oct 2018. But she argued with the TT for almost 30 mins - saying that she had traveled from GPB to ASK for a marriage and that she had reached ASK the same day morning - She was referring to 7th Oct 2018 morning - and that she had asked the booking clerk at GPB to book her return tickets for same train on same day night - but pity that the train from ASK just departs 5 minutes past midnight and that the date changes sharp at 00:00:01 hrs. So, finally she had to move out of the coach, as she had tickets for 7th Oct and it was now - at that time - 8th Oct 2018.
So we all, I mean almost all passengers on berths #49 to #72 had some anxious moments - listening to the arguments of the TT and the LADY bound to GPB - She and her daughter - later went towards - S9 - and that's the end of their story.
So is it worth travelling in SL class of late or not - that is the question.

I travelled in this train from DWR to KJM on 10th Oct 2018. As usual the train reached / arrived at DWR at 20:00 hrs. I ordered two Special Thalis for Rs.100/- each. The taste was good. The Thali had Paneer Sabji + Aloo Matar + Daal + Jeera Rice + 3 Pulkas. The size of the Pulka was rather small but they were thick. 4 Pulkas would have been ideal. And the quantity of the Sabjis and Daal was much more than expected. So if you are 2 persons traveling, I strongly recommend you to order just one Special Thali and order one extra plate of Pulkas (3 pulkas for Rs.20/-). But remember, do not order these extra Pulkas when you order your Thali. First order your Thali and when it is delivered to you, only then ask the waiter to get you one extra plate of Pulkas. This will...
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be sufficient for 2 persons. And you will have spent just Rs.120/- for 2 persons.

I travelled in this train on Sunday, the 4th Feb 2018. I had planned to start early (almost 3 hours earlier than the trains' departure time from SBC) from home (I reside very near to KJM station) to reach SBC, my boarding station, as on this date, our PM Mr. Narendra Modi, was in Bengaluru for a party rally and there could have been acute traffic problems. However, I reached SBC at around 9:45 pm. Me and my wife had packed our dinner (Kathi Rolls and some Veg Pulav) and as we had enough time at the platform (#8) we had the kathi rolls at the platform and reserved the pulav to be consumed inside the train (as we are usually late eaters at nights) we consumed half of the water that we had carried from home. So we were left with just about 500 ml more of water. And I,...
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somehow just forget to pick up a water bottle at SBC. Just did not come up to my mind. The train arrived post 23:00 hrs and departed at around 23:19 hrs. All was well until this time. Later we had our Veg Pulav and went off to sleep. Somewhere, in-between I woke up to drink some water and found my bottle to be almost empty. May be I had only about 50 ml water left in the bottle. I made it a point to be awake throughout the journey to try and find water bottles at any of the intermediate stations - ASK - No water, RRB - No water, BDVT - No water, SMET - No Water (At SMET, I even expected someone selling TEA/COFFEE). However, I could see some stalls open in RRB / BDVT / SMET - but they were all away from my reach - I guess this has something to do with my 3A tkt, as these coaches were way far ahead from such stalls. I mean just almost behind the locos (perhaps, 3rd or 4th coach from the loco and this is a pretty Looong train). So, Carry enough water enroute. Further, at SRF, at 06:50 am, where we alighted, we could find one and only stall, which had fresh and hot tea / water / snacks like biscuits / wafers etc.