Wednesday, September 19, 2007

India Travel Guide

Travel warning
Visitors are strongly advised not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir (with the exceptions of Ladakh via Manali or air to Leh), all travel in the immediate vicinity of the border with Pakistan and the Line of Control (excepting Amritsar and Jaisalmer and for those traveling overland to Pakistan through the Wagah border crossing), and all travel to Manipur and Tripura. For further information, visitors should seek official advice.

It is India’s vastness that challenges the imagination: the sub-continent, 3200km (2000 miles) from the mountain vastness of the Himalayas in the north to the tropical lushness of Kerala in the south, is home to one sixth of the world’s population, a diverse culture and an intoxicatingly rich history.

The most frequently visited part of India is the Golden Triangle – Delhi and the magnificent monuments of Agra and Jaipur, a legacy of centuries of Muslim rule –but there is much besides. The unfairly maligned great cities of Mumbai and Kolkata (Calcutta) have a bustling, colorful charm, while the holy city of Varanasi or the awe-inspiring temples of Tamil Nadu are worthy objects of pilgrimage. For those who prefer more sybaritic pleasures, the palm-fringed beaches of Goa have a European charm all of their own.

Hinduism is practiced by 85 per cent of Indians, the religious rites and red-letter days woven into the fabric of everyday life – ritual washing in the Ganges and the ear-splitting celebrations of the festival of Ganesh – and the inequalities of the caste system are there for all to see.

One of the fascinations of India is the juxtaposition of old and new; centuries of history – from the pre-historic Indus civilization to the British Raj – rub shoulders with the computer age; and Bangalore's ‘Silicon Valley’ is as much a part of the world's largest democracy as the remotest village is.

Social Conventions
The Indian Hindu greeting is to fold the hands and tilt the head forward to namaste. Indian women prefer not to shake hands. All visitors are asked to remove footwear when entering places of religious worship. The majority of Indians remove their footwear when entering their houses. Because of strict religious and social customs, visitors must show particular respect when visiting someone’s home. Many Hindus are vegetarian and many, especially women, do not drink alcohol. Sikhs and Parsees do not smoke. Small gifts are acceptable as tokens of gratitude for hospitality. Women are expected to dress modestly. Short skirts and tight or revealing clothing should not be worn, even on beaches. Businesspeople are not expected to dress formally except for meetings and social functions. English-speaking guides are available at fixed charges at all important tourist centers. Guides speaking French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian or Spanish are available in some cities. Consult the nearest Incredible India office. Unapproved guides are not permitted to enter protected monuments. Tourists are advised to ask for guides with certificates from the Ministry of Tourism or Incredible India (see General Info section). Photography: Formalities mainly concern protected monuments and the wildlife sanctuaries. Special permission of the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, is necessary for the use of tripod and artificial light to photograph monuments. Photography at many places is allowed on payment of a prescribed fee, which varies. Contact the nearest Government of India Tourist Office.

Tipping
Taxis and restaurants do not expect to be tipped, however, hotel and airport porters should be tipped around Rs20, and guides and drivers Rs100 per day where service is not included (equaling roughly 10 per cent where appropriate).

International Travel:

Note
Visitors are strongly advised not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir (with the exceptions of Ladakh via Manali or air to Leh), all travel in the immediate vicinity of the border with Pakistan and the Line of Control (excepting Amritsar and Jaisalmer and for those traveling overland to Pakistan through the Wagah border crossing), and all travel to Manipur and Tripura. Parts of the southern coast of India were hit by a tsunami caused by the Asian earthquake in December 2004.

Air
India’s national airline is Air India (AI). British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly to India from the UK; Delta Airlines and United Airlines fly from the USA.

Approximate flight times
From London to Delhi is nine hours, to Kolkata (Calcutta) is 12 hours, to Chennai is 12 hours 30 minutes and to Mumbai is nine hours. From Los Angeles to Delhi is 25 hours 30 minutes. From New York to Delhi is 18 hours. From Singapore to Delhi is five hours. From Sydney to Delhi is 10 hours.

International airports
All the airports mentioned below have money exchange facilities, tourist information

offices and hotel reservation services:
New Delhi (DEL) (Indira Gandhi International) is 23km (14 miles) south of the city (travel time – 45 minutes). There are coach, bus and taxi services to the city. There are duty-free shops, banks/bureaux de change, post office, restaurants and car hire.

Mumbai (BOM) (Chhatrapati Shivayi International)is 29km (18 miles) north of the city (travel time – 50 to 75 minutes). Taxi services go to the city. Taxi fares should have fixed rates from the airport to the city. Public transport is also available in the form of the EATS bus service and local buses. There is also a railway system connecting with the Metro rail system. Facilities include a bank/bureau de change, post office, nursery, restaurant and shops.

Kolkata (Calcutta) (CCU) is 13km (8 miles) northeast of the city (travel time – 40 to 70 minutes). There is a 24-hour coach service to Indian Airlines city office and major hotels. A bus goes every 10 minutes, 0530-2200. Taxi services go to the city. There is a post office, bank, bars, duty-free shops and restaurants available.
Chennai (MAA) is 14km (9 miles) southwest of the city (travel time – 20 minutes). A coach meets all flight arrivals 0900-2300. There is a train every 20 to 30 minutes from 0500-2300. Bus 18A runs every 25 minutes from 0500-2200. Taxi services go to the city.

Amritsar (ATQ) is 11km (7 miles) from the city. Car hire, taxis and hotel pick ups can be arranged from the airport.

Departure tax
£10. (£8 for neighboring countries only.)

Sea
The main passenger ports are Calicut, Chennai, Kochi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai, Panaji (Goa) and Rameswaram (the main departure point for the sea crossing to Sri Lanka; passenger services are presently suspended owing to the political situation in Sri Lanka). Indian ports are also served by several international shipping companies and several cruise lines. There are, however, no regular passenger liners operating to South-East Asia.

Departure tax
Seaports levy the following departure tax: RS150 (for journeys to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). RS500 (all other destinations).

Rail
This section gives details of the major overland routes to neighboring countries (where frontiers are open); in most cases these will involve road as well as rail travel. Details should be checked with Incredible India as they may be subject to change (see General Info section).

Connections to Pakistan
Currently only possible between Amritsar and Lahore (New Delhi–Amritsar–Lahore–Hyderabad–Karachi).

Connections to Nepal
The most practical and popular route to Nepal is by train to Raxaul (Bihar) and then by bus to Kathmandu or by train to Gorakphur (or by bus if coming from Varanasi) and then by bus to Kathmandu crossing the border at Sunauli; also, by train to Nantanwa (UP) and then by bus to Kathmandu/Pokhara, or Bhairawa to Lumbini for Pokhara. It is also possible to make the crossing from Darjeeling by bus to Kathmandu across the southern lowlands.

Connections to Bhutan
The best way of reaching Bhutan is by train to Siliguri, then bus to Phuntsholing. There is also an airlink from Kolkata (Calcutta) to Paro by Druk Air.

Connections to Bangladesh
The best route to Bangladesh is Kolkata (Calcutta) to Bongaon (West Bengal) by train, rickshaw across the border to Benapol, with connections via Khulna or Jessore to Dhaka. Another route is from Darjeeling via Siliguri, then train or bus from Jalpaiguri to Haldibari.
Currently, no land frontiers are open between India and Myanmar or India and China (PR).

Road
Of late, the overland route from Europe to India has become very popular, but travelers should have accurate information about border crossings, visa requirements and political situations en route. The most popular border crossings into India are Sunauli (for Delhi and northwest India), Birganj (for Kolkata (Calcutta) and east India) and Kakarbhitta (for Darjeeling). Amritsar is now open for overland crossings into Lahore (Pakistan). Several ‘adventure holiday’ companies arrange overland tours and buses to India. A bus service between New Delhi and Lahore (Pakistan) has recently been launched (the first one in 50 years). The journey takes roughly 10 hours and there are four weekly return trips available. For information on this and other overland routes to neighboring countries, contact India Tourism (see General Info section).

Note
Import by non-residents is only permitted if the national has entered India for a stay of not less than 24 hours and not more than six months, provided they visit not more than once a month.

Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into India by passengers over 17 years of age without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco; one bottle of alcoholic beverage (0.95l); 60ml of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette; goods for personal use; travel souvenirs (differing amounts according to nationality and duration of stay); reasonable quantities of medicines.

Prohibited items
Livestock (bird and bird products, including feathers and eggs, etc) and pigs and pig meat products.

Internal Travel:

Air
The domestic airline is Indian Airlines (IC). The network connects over 70 cities. Indian Airlines also operates regular flights to the neighboring countries of Bangladesh, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Middle East. Domestic airlines include Alliance Airlines (3A), a subsidiary of Indian Airlines, Jet Airways (9W) and Sahara Airlines (S2).

Special fares
There are various special Indian Airlines fares available to foreign nationals and Indian nationals residing abroad. All are available throughout the year, and may be purchased either abroad or in India, where payment is made in a foreign convertible currency (such as US Dollars or Pounds Sterling). With the exception of the Youth Fare India (see below), discounts of 90 per cent are available for children under two years of age, and of 50 per cent for children aged two to 12. Full details of all the special fares are contained in the India brochure, available from Incredible India. A summary of each is given below. Group discounts of up to 30 per cent are also available.

Discover India
There are two types of ticket available; a 21-day ticket costs US$750 and a 15-day ticket costs US$500. These offer unlimited economy-class travel on all domestic Indian Airlines services. No stop may be visited more than once, except for transfer.

Youth Fare India
This is valid for three months, offering a 25 per cent discount on the normal US Dollar fare. It is available to those aged 12 to 30 at the commencement of travel for journeys on economy/executive class of domestic air services and Indo-Nepal services.

India Wonderfares (North, South, East and West)
Cost US$300 and are valid for seven days, offering unlimited economy-class travel within the north, south, east or western regions of India. No town may be visited more than once, except for transfer. Details of the main air centers included in the deal can be obtained from Indian Airways offices.
Departure tax
£8.

Sea/River
There are ships from Kolkata (Calcutta), Vishakapatnam and Chennai to Port Blair in the Andaman Islands, and from Kochi and Calicut to the Lakshadweep Islands. Services are often seasonal, and are generally suspended during the monsoon. One particularly attractive boat journey is the ‘backwaters’ excursion in the vicinity of Kochi in Kerala. Several local tours are available.

Rail
The Indian internal railway system is state-run by Indian Railways. It is the largest rail system in Asia and the second-largest in the world. There are over 62,000km of track, over 7550 stations and over 11,000 locomotives, including 5000 steam engines. Its trains carry over 12 million passengers every day. The network covers much of the country and is a quintessential part of the fabric of India, as well as being relatively inexpensive. Express services link all the main cities and local services link most other parts of the country. Buses connect with trains to serve parts of the country not on the rail network. Children five to 11 years old pay half price, children under five travel free. There are six classes of travel: first-class air conditioned, first-class sleeper, second-class air conditioned, second-class sleeper, third-class air conditioned and air conditioned chair car. Major trains carry restaurant cars.

Indrail Pass
This special pass consists of a single non-transferable ticket which enables a visitor to travel on any train without restriction within the period of validity. First-class sleeper tickets are: US$135 for seven days; US$185 for 15 days; US$198 for 21 days; US$248 for 30 days; US$400 for 60 days and US$530 for 90 days. A/C tickets are twice as much and second-class tickets are much cheaper. Children under five travel free; children aged five to 12 are entitled to half-price fares. It is sold only to foreign nationals and Indians residing abroad holding a valid passport, and replaces all other concessional tickets. Payment is accepted only in foreign currency (US Dollars or Pounds Sterling). Refunds can be given only if cancellation is made before the starting date. Validity period is from the date of commencement of the first journey up to midnight of the date on which validity expires. A ticket can be used within one year of its issue. Advance reservation is essential, particularly on overnight journeys, arranged through travel agents. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis. Indrail passes can be reserved in the UK from SD Enterprises Ltd (tel: (020) 8903 3411; fax: (020) 8903 0392; The passes can also be purchased in India at all the main railway stations and authorized agents.

Special trains
The Palace on Wheels is an expensively decorated Edwardian-style luxury steam train with 14 coaches, which travels to Rajasthan. Each coach consists of a saloon, four sleeping compartments with upper and lower berth, bathroom, shower, toilet and small kitchen. Room service is available. There is a dining car, a bar, an observation car and a fully-equipped first aid center. Modern amenities include air conditioning, four-channel music and telephone intercom throughout the train. Tariff includes cost of travel; full catering; elephant, camel and boat rides; conducted sightseeing tours; and entrance fees. Itinerary: Delhi–Jaipur–Chittaurgarh–Udaipur–Jaisalmer– Jodhpur–Bharatpur–Agra–Delhi. Bookings: Several tour operators/travel agents organize escorted tour facilities which include the Palace on Wheels. Royal Orient Express: This luxury train journeys through Gujarat and Rajasthan taking in the sights of Chittargarh, Udaipur, Palitana, Ahmedabad and Jaipur. The trip takes eight days and accommodation is in furnished carriages with lounge, minibar and kitchenette. Multi-cuisine restaurants and a library are also available. Contact Indian Railways for further information. Hill Trains: Narrow-gauge rail lines completed in the 19th century linking numerous hill stations and various mountain landscapes. For example, the Kolkata (Calcutta)-Darjeeling route takes eight hours, crosses over 500 bridges and offers ample opportunity for photos as the pace is leisurely.

Other trains
The Rajdhani Express trains are deluxe super-fast trains connecting Delhi with Mumbai, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai, Bangalore, Bhubhaneswar, Guwahati, Jammu Tawi, Secunderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Ahmedabad, Ajmer and many others. Shatabdi Express: Super-fast trains connecting major and secondary city centers. Visitors can travel chair-car or executive class. Snacks and meals are provided. Konkan Express: This connects the states of Marharshtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala along the coast of the Arabian sea. The route includes 72 tunnels and many bridges often crossing ravines of over 50m deep.

Road
Traffic drives on the left. An extensive network of bus services connects all parts of the country, and is particularly useful for the mountainous regions where there are no rail services. However, public transport is often crowded and can be uncomfortable. Details of routes may be obtained from the local tourist office. Tourist cars: There are a large number of chauffeur-driven tourist cars (some air conditioned) available in the main tourist centers. These unmetered tourist cars run at a slightly higher rate than the ordinary taxis, and are approved by Incredible India. Self-drive cars are not generally available. Driving around India is not recommended due to the erratic nature of Indian driving standards. Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required.

Urban
Taxis and auto rickshaws are available in large cities and fares should be charged by the kilometer. They do not always have meters but, where they do, visitors should insist on the meter being flagged in their presence. Fares change from time to time and therefore do not always conform to the reading on the meter, but drivers should always have a copy of the latest fare chart available for inspection. Kolkata (Calcutta) has a 16.45km (10 mile) underground railway.

Travel times
The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Delhi to other major cities/towns in India.

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