UK traveller documents 'awful train experience', claims passenger spat on him. Video

The clip sparked divided opinions. Some viewers expressed sympathy, while others argued that the vlogger had decided to travel in a general or non-AC section.

A UK traveller’s account of an unpleasant train journey in India drew considerable attention online after he posted a video describing two incidents that left him unsettled. The vlogger, known as Backpacker Ben on Instagram, uploaded a clip in which he explained why he found the experience difficult, prompting a wide range of reactions from viewers.

In the recording, Ben said that a nearby passenger repeatedly placed his foot on Ben’s seat despite several requests to stop. He stated: “I have asked him a couple of times politely… please don’t do that, and he smiles, and two minutes later he puts his foot back on my chair.” He added that he had resigned himself to the situation, remarking: “So I’m just going to have to accept it… For the next couple of hours, his foot is going to be there.”

The video also showed a brief view of the compartment, including a vendor carrying a basket of cucumbers. Ben said that the situation became worse when another passenger allegedly spat on him. According to his account: “Some dude just spat on my arm. He was chewing these cucumber things… He looked at me, said something, and it went all on my arm. Big gob of it.”

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A post shared by Backpacker Ben (@backpacker.ben)

The clip sparked divided opinions. Some viewers expressed sympathy, while others argued that the vlogger had decided to travel in a general or non-AC section and should have expected a more crowded environment. One comment read: “Bro, if you upgrade to 2nd or 1st class, that will cost you like 5$ more.” Another stated: “Bro books the lowest(cheapest) class possible and expects 5 star facilities.”

Further remarks included: “You get what you pay for. Next time, save some money and travel in better transportation modes.”

A contrasting response criticised those who blamed the traveller, with one viewer saying: “It’s funny that people blame the creator instead of fixing the problem; it’s not about being cheap or expensive. ‘Cheapest’ train in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Japan isn’t like this. It’s low-key they normalise this behaviour and consider it as part of culture, I guess.”

Others repeated the view that the vlogger should have chosen a higher class of accommodation. One user commented: “You’re complaining about the local compartment, but you chose it. There are perfectly good AC coaches and standard compartments available. You could’ve spent a little extra and travelled comfortably, but instead you went for the cheapest option just to complain? Interesting strategy.”

Another wrote: “Why not just spend like $5–10, and you can have your own nice space, Haha, just decided to go the cheap option for content so you could complain.”

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A post shared by Backpacker Ben (@backpacker.ben)

The discussion resurfaced earlier footage posted by the same vlogger, who had previously recorded a housekeeping worker sweeping waste and pushing bottles, wrappers and other rubbish out of a moving train. The worker appeared to notice that Ben was filming but continued disposing of the waste. That video prompted strong condemnation of the practice and raised questions about waste management, staff awareness and the persistent challenges involved in keeping long-distance trains clean.