Destination guide — India

AccommodationAttractionsClimateEventsFood and drinkGeographical description
Global time zoneHealthPublic holidaysQuickfacts
ShoppingSocial hintsTippingTravel-Internal

Travel internal

fiogf49gjkf0d
ROAD
====
INDIAN ROADS TEND TO BE CROWDED.
THEREFORE LOW SPEED AND CAUTION SHOULD BE EMPLOYED.
VEHICLES HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY, NOT PEDESTRIANS.

CAR RENTAL - IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO HIRE SELF DRIVE CARS,
ONLY CHAUFFEUR DRIVEN CARS. AGREE A PRICE WITH THE DRIVER
FOR SIGHT SEEING AND LONGER TRIPS.

BUS - IN INDIA THERE IS AN EXTENSIVE AND WELL-DEVELOPED BUS
SYSTEM. LOCAL BUS ROUTES ARE WELL SERVED IN MOST MAJOR
CITIES. BUSES DIFFER FROM PLACE TO PLACE BUT ARE GENERALLY
CROWDED, SLOW AND UNCOMFORTABLE. ON MAIN ROUTES YOU HAVE A
AND B CLASS BUSES AND IF LUCKY SOME AIR-CONDITIONING. THE
ONLY BIG ADVANTAGE BUSES HAVE OVER TRAINS IS THAT THEY ARE
MORE FREQUENT.

TAXIS - THERE IS TAXI SERVICE IN MOST TOWNS IN INDIA AND
MOST OF THESE WILL BE METERED. MAKE SURE YOUR TAXI DRIVER
USES THE METER. IF HE TRIES TO TELL YOU IT IS BROKEN,
SETTLE THE FARE THERE AND THEN.

AUTO-RICKSHAW - A THREE-WHEELED LOCOMOTIVE RUN BY A TWO-
STROKE MOTORCYCLE ENGINE. THEY CAN ONLY TAKE THREE
PASSENGERS, BUT COST APPROXIMATELY HALF THE PRICE OF A TAXI.
A TEMPO IS SIMILAR TO THE AUTO-RICKSHAW BUT A BIT LARGER.
CYCLE-RICKSHAW - TRISHAW OR PEDICAB, THESE ARE THREE-
WHEELER BICYCLES WITH A SEAT OF TWO PEOPLE BEHIND. THEY MAY
BE FOUND THROUGHOUT INDIA.

BICYCLES - BICYCLES ARE A POPULAR WAY OF VISITING INDIA.
YOU WILL FIND BICYCLE SHOPS IN MOST TOWNS AND CITIES, AND
IT IS ALSO A CHEAP WAY OF TRAVELLING.

---------------------------------------------------------
RAIL
====
INDIA'S 60,000 KILOMETRE RAILWAYS SYSTEM IS THE FOURTH
LARGEST IN THE WORLD. TO TRAVEL ON THESE TRAINS, THE BEST
THING TO DO IS TO GET A TIMETABLE, BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE.
THESE TIMETABLES INDICATE, THE DISTANCE IN KILOMETRES
BETWEEN EACH MAJOR STATION, FARES, TIMES AND PRICES. THE
TRAINS ARE OFTEN DELAYED.

THERE EXISTS BOTH FIRST AND SECOND CLASS ON
CERTAIN TRAINS. FIRST CLASS IS USUALLY QUITE EMPTY WHEREAS
SECOND CLASS IS FULL. BOTH CLASSES HAVE AIR-CONDITIONED
AND NON AIR-CONDITIONED COMPARTMENTS.

THE BEST TRAIN FOR TOURISTS, IS THE MAIL OR EXPRESS TRAIN,
NOT THE PASSENGER TRAIN. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT
THE MAIL OR EXPRESS IS A BIT FASTER, MORE FREQUENT AND
LESS CROWDED. THEY DON'T STOP AS LONG IN EACH RAILWAY
STATION AND ARE ALSO LESS EXPENSIVE. FARES FOR ALL TRAINS
OPERATE ON DISTANCES.

IN ADDITION, A NUMBER OF FAST DAY TRAINS OPERATE OVER
CERTAIN IMPORTANT TOURIST AND TRUNK ROUTES,EG DELHI - AGRA -
BHOPAL, DELHI - JAIPUR. THESE ARE CALLED 'SHATABDI'
AND ALTHOUGH THE TICKET PRICES ARE HIGHER, THE FARE INCLUDES
A MEAL. THEY CARRY FIRST A/C AND EXECUTIVE CLASS ACCOMMODATION.
NEVERTHELESS IT IS OLDER ROLLING STOCK AND NOT UP TO WESTERN
STANDARDS, ALTHOUGH COMFORTABLE AND RELIABLE.

---------------------------------------------------------

AIR
===
INDIAN AIRLINES, WORK AN EXTENSIVE SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE
NATION, AS DOES AIR INDIA. ANOTHER AIRLINE, VAYUDOOT, FLIES
TO SMALL CENTRES NOT SERVED BY INDIAN AIRLINES. ALL TICKETS
FOR INDIAN AIRLINES MUST BE PAID WITH FOREIGN CURRENCY.
NEVERTHELESS, YOU CAN PAY WITH RUPEES PROVIDED THAT YOU HAVE
THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE CERTIFICATE TO PROVE THAT YOU OBTAINED
THE RUPEES THROUGH AN OFFICIAL EXCHANGE DEALER OR BANK.
THERE IS NO STUDENT REDUCTION FOR OVERSEAS VISITORS,
ALTHOUGH THERE IS A YOUTH FARE, WITH A REDUCTION OF TWENTY
FIVE PERCENT BETWEEN THE AGES OF TWELVE AND THIRTY. THE
REDUCTION IS ON THE DOLLAR PRICE AND THEREFORE YOU ARE NOT
GAINING VERY MUCH. YOU MAY BE FINED HEAVILY FOR LAST MINUTE
CANCELLATIONS.
---------------------------------------------------------

BOATS
=====
MOST BOAT TRIPS IN INDIA ARE ON THE MANY RIVERS. ONE OF THE
MOST POPULAR IS BETWEEN GOA AND MUMBAI, WHERE THE RAIL
CONNECTIONS ARE NOT VERY GOOD. IN THE SOUTH THE BACKWATER
TRIP IN KERALA IS A MAGNIFICENT WAY OF SEEING KERELA AND
TRAVELLING AROUND.
AccommodationAttractionsClimateEventsFood and drinkGeographical description
Global time zoneHealthPublic holidaysQuickfacts
ShoppingSocial hintsTippingTravel-Internal

© NBportal.com, powered by Nota Bena Co. 2024
Close window