Ludhiana, Sep 15 - Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Tuesday left Ludhiana as he had come -- by train, joining top leaders of the party enforcing austerity measures amid a drought.

Gandhi boarded the Swarn Shatabdi Express train for Delhi in an air-conditioned Chair Car instead of the plush Executive Class, a day after his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi flew economy class to Mumbai.

The 38-year-old Gandhi travelled to Ludhiana in coach C-3 amid tight security. But for the security surrounding him, he looked like any other passenger from the time he left New Delhi railway station at 6 a.m.

Gandhi was accompanied by Special Protection Group personnel who occupied all the seats around his seat.

Other passengers on the coach were amused and surprised to see the high profile politician travelling with them.

'He took vegetarian breakfast,' a waiter on train later said.

Before the austerity measures came into place, Gandhi would have flown in a private helicopter as there is no direct flight between New Delhi and Ludhiana.