Srinagar, June 8 -- By Rizqiyah Yusrinawati

When I first told people I was traveling from Patiala to Kashmir by train, most reactions were the same: "That's a long journey."

They were right.

My trip began before sunset in Patiala, Punjab. At 7 p.m., I boarded an Intercity train to Ambala, the first leg of a journey that would take me hundreds of kilometers north.

From Ambala, I would catch the Shalimar Express to Jammu, arriving around six o'clock the next morning.

Then, after a quick transfer, I would board the Vande Bharat train to Srinagar.

It apparently sounded simple, but in reality, it was an adventure.

As an international student from Indonesia, navigating multiple train stations with heavy luggage was not always easy.

At t...