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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.
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