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| Requirements for Travelling in India |
VISA INFORMATION: If you are traveling to India for business or pleasure, you require a visa to be obtained well in advance of your trip from the consulate.
PASSPORT – Applicants from all the countries need a valid passport and should have a minimum validity of six months on the date of application with at least two blank pages.
TOURIST VISA: Valid for 6 months to 10 years. Ten (10) year visa is available only to US citizens under a bilateral arrangement. Irrespective of the duration of validity of visa, on each visit maximum period of stay in India is limited to 6 months (180 days). Multiple entry visas are given.
BUSINESS VISA: Valid for six month or one/more years with multiple entries. However, the period of stay in India (for each visit) under this category is limited to six months only. A letter from the sponsoring organization indicating nature of applicants business, probable duration of stay, validity of visa, places and organizations to be visited and also a guarantee to meet maintenance expenses etc. should accompany the application. Business visa valid for ten years with multiple entries is available to foreign businessmen who have set up or intend to set up joint ventures in India.
Make copies of your passport, visa and any important papers. Keep the copies separate from the originals. For safety carry the originals with you at all times. |
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| TRAVEL TIPS |
While traveling in India is safe and comfortable, it’s best to take certain basic precautions. Consult your doctor before you leave to ensure that you have had any required vaccinations or shots
No inoculations are legally required for entry into India, but meningitis, typhoid, and hepatitis A jabs are recommended, and it's worth ensuring that you are up to date with tetanus, polio and other boosters. All vaccinations can be obtained in Delhi, Mumbai and other major cities if necessary; just make sure the needle is new. If you're arriving in India from a country infected with Yellow Fever, you'll be asked for an inoculation certificate. To avoid malaria and dengue, carry mosquito repellents, nets and sprays.
Carry your essential medication with you. Though doctors and chemists stores are easily available brand names can differ and your specific brand of medication may not be available. |
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| FOOD & WATER |
Water has to be from a reliably clean source. If not sure where the water comes from, ask for a known brand of mineral water. Always carry a water bottle with you - this will save you from dehydration too. The best thumb rule is to be a careful about food and water.
Eating raw salads and fried food from a street-side vendor is a no-no. Avoid pork too. If the temptation is soaring, go to a clean restaurant that you can trust. Eat balanced and healthy meals. Keep popping those friendly multi-vitamins |
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CULTURES & CUSTOMS
Certain places of worship may not allow foreign tourists to enter. Others may allow entry with certain codes of conduct. Removing footwear, covering the head etc. If you wish to enter religious shrines, dress modestly and respect local customs. Some areas such as military sites, bridges and airports may not permit photography. |
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OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
The standard time in India is GMT + 5 ½ Hours
All international credit cards such as Diners, American Express,
Mastercard and Visa are accepted in hotels, shops and tourist destinations. Standard voltage in India is 220 Volts. You can bring an adaptor plug with you, or these can easily be bought at any hardware store. Watch out for conmen or people posing as guides.
Cyber cafes and Internet and phone kiosks and are found all over India, so communication with family and friends back home is not a problem. All hotels have communication facilities. Exchange your money only from authorized moneychangers. |
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TRAVEL INSURANCE..
Travel insurance isn't a luxury, it's a necessity, so make sure you include it in your budget. Shop around to get the best deal, but make sure the cover is adequate. Annual multi-trip can often be cheaper even for just two or three trips a year.
If in any trouble, contact your embassy or the nearest police station immediately |
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AIR TRAVEL
Air networks are extensive in India and are often the best way to quickly move from one region to another.
There are many internal airlines operating in India. The most common airlines, however, are Indian Airlines, Alliance Air, Jet Airways, and Air Sahara. Jet Airways and Air Sahara have one of the youngest fleet in the world. We now have Kingfisher among the best airlines. Then we have the budget airlines like Deccan, Spice jet, Indigo, Go Air etc.
Our Staff will do their best to ensure as small a deviation as possible from the original itinerary in case of any cancellation of flight or change or delay in the time as it normally happens in India. They will discuss the best possible option with you and will do all they can to get you to your destination on the correct day. |
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TRAIN TRAVEL IN INDIA
The best way to see India is at ground level on the Indian railway system, and not at 30,000 feet. In fact, no visit to India would be complete without the experience of travelling on Indian trains and negotiating busy Indian railway stations..! Train travel is safe, cheap and (in AC classes) comfortable. Even long distances such as Bombay to Delhi or Delhi to Varanasi can be covered more time-effectively than flying, using overnight sleeper trains.
With 63,000 km of rail routes and 6,800 stations, the railway network in India is the third biggest in the world after Russia and China, and the biggest in the world in terms of passenger kilometres.
Indian Railways are also the world's biggest employer, with over 1.5 million staff. |
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Category of Accommodation on Indian Trains
There are various categories of seating in Indian trains. Top of the list is First class AC sleeper. This is the acme of luxurious train travel in India with full service and a choice of berths. You can either have a compartment shared among 4 people or a nice cozy coupe for 2 people only. The fares on the First AC sleeper are very expensive-Check in advance. Next on the list is 2nd AC sleeper. This is a common option on most long distance trains. It has comfortable lengthy seats/backrests, which collapse into beds at night. Next is the 3rd AC sleeper. This is the most common option in the AC category and the seats in this really run out quickly. All these 3 categories of coaches are air-conditioned--which you might really need during your travels during the long hot Indian summer.
The entry to such coaches is usually strictly regulated and you have an attendant on call. Next in line is the sleeper class coach. These are also reserved but they are not air-conditioned and safety is a dicey issue during travel in certain northern Indian regions. However to see the real India you have to travel by this category. Bottom of the heap is the unreserved class. Anything goes here and its not out of whack to see people packed like sardines in these coaches. Travel in these at your own risk!
We also have some very good day trains, which have seating Chair Car. |
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AC Executive chair class
AC Executive Chair Class is only found on the most important 'Shatabdi Express' trains, for example Delhi to Agra. |
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AC Chair class
Comfortable air-conditioned seating cars. AC Chair Class is found on a number of 'intercity' daytime trains (for example Delhi-Jaipur, Delhi-Agra, Delhi-Kalka for Simla).
A good choice for daytime travel..!Train travel is one of the most pleasing and fun experiences you will have in India. Your fellow passengers are very curious about travellers, and will likely engage you in long (and sometimes fascinating) conversations about politics, education, travel, family and career. Seeing the vast countryside roll by while relaxing in a nice air conditioned pullman beats any other long distance travel option hands down. |
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Some of best trains are...
Shatabdi Express trains are excellent fast air-conditioned daytime trains running on routes such as Delhi - Agra and Delhi - Jaipur with air-con chair class and executive air-con chair class. Refreshments are included in the fare. Again, these are the best trains to take, highly recommended.
Rajdhani Express trains are excellent extra-fast air-conditioned long-distance trains linking Delhi with regional capitals such as Bombay, Calcutta, etc. These are the best trains to take: The Delhi to Bombay and Delhi to Calcutta Rajdhani Expresses leave in the early evening and arrive in the morning, so actually save time compared to flying. Meals are included in the fare, served at your seat. The Delhi-Bombay Rajdhani uses brand-new German-designed coaches. Highly recommended, they beat flying, hands-down..! |
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Food and drink on Indian trains:
There are no restaurant or buffet cars on Indian Railways, but on long distance trains an attendant will appear in your coach and ask you if you would like to order food. He will note down your order (usually a choice of 'veg' or 'non-veg') on a bit of paper. An hour or so later he will reappear with some rice and curry in small foil containers from the kitchen car. It is not expensive - you can reckon on £1-£2 per meal.
Attendants also regularly pass down each car selling soft drinks, snacks, or excellent hot sweet Indian tea (garam chai) for a few rupees. On the premier Rajdhani Express trains (linking Delhi with Bombay, Calcutta, etc.) and the premier daytime Shatabdi Express trains (linking Delhi with Jaipur and Agra, etc.), food is included in the fare, served at your seat. |
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Cleanliness, toilets and crowding...
The efficient reservation system means that you can safely forget any photos you've seen of overcrowded Indian trains with people on the roof or hanging on the side - these photos show suburban trains, or basic unreserved 2nd class on long distance ones. On fast long-distance trains in AC1, AC2, AC3, or AC Chair Class, all passengers have an assigned seat or sleeping berth so there's no overcrowding.
Don't expect pristine western standards anywhere in India, but you'll find AC1, AC2, AC3 and AC Chair class fairly clean by Indian standards, with both western-style and squat toilets usually in a reasonably sanitary condition. See the train interior photos below. On the other hand, Sleeper Class gets much grubbier than the AC classes and unreserved passengers can sometimes enter the coaches making it crowded. 2nd class unreserved can be incredibly crowded. Toilets in sleeper class or basic non-AC 2nd class seats can leave a lot to be desired... |
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Security on Indian trains
Indian trains are quite safe to travel on, even for families or women travelling alone, and you are unlikely to have any problems. Having said that, theft of luggage is not unheard of, so just for peace of mind take along a bicycle lock or medium-sized padlock to secure your bags.
In the sleeping cars, there are wire hoops hanging down underneath the seats to which you can padlock your luggage. |
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ROAD TRAVEL
Using a private car and driver is one of the best ways to see India. It allows your itinerary great flexibility and having a driver on stand-by allows you to go where you want, when you want without having to deal with the compulsory haggling over the price with a taxi, rickshaw etc. |
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WEATHER
The weather in summer is very hot and dry, across most of India. If you can bear the heat, wear clothes that cover most of the body. Remember to carry sunscreen, goggles, and a hat or scarf. See weather chart below.
India has three major seasons - winter - summer and the monsoon. Winter months (November-March) are bright and pleasant, with snowfall in the northern hills. Summer time (April-June) is hot in most parts of India, and it is then that the numerous hill resorts provide cool retreat. During the monsoon, rainfall is heavy along the West Coast between June and September, and along the East Coast between mid-October and December. |
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