Cars4Rental - Worldwide Car Hire

Airports                  Air                         Water                     Rail                   Road

(back to contents)

Cars 4 Rental Guide To Travel In  India

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 travelling overland to Pakistan through the Wagah border crossing), and all travel to Manipur and Tripura. For further information, visitors should seek official advice. 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 neighbouring countries only.) Back to Top Air Travel India’s national airline is Air India (AI) (website: www.airindia.com). 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 9 hours, to Kolkata (Calcutta) is 12 hours, to Chennai is 12 hours 30 minutes and to Mumbai is 9 hours. From Los Angeles to Delhi is 25 hours 30 minutes. From New York to Delhi is 18 hours. From Singapore to Delhi is 5 hours. From Sydney to Delhi is 10 hours. The domestic airline is Indian Airlines (IC) (website: www.indian-airlines.nic.in). The network connects over 70 cities. Indian Airlines also operates regular flights to the neighbouring 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 centres included in the deal can be obtained from Indian Airways offices. Departure tax: £8. Back to Top Travel By Water 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). 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. Back to Top Rail The Indian internal railway system is state-run by Indian Railways (website: www.indianrail.gov.in). It is the largest rail system in Asia and the second-largest in the world. There are over 62,000km of track, over 7000 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; e-mail: info@indiarail.co.uk; website: www.indiarail.co.uk). The passes can also be purchased in India at all the main railway stations and authorised 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 centre. 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 organise 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 centres. 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. This section gives details of the major overland routes to neighbouring 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 Contact Addresses 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). Back to Top Travel By 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 centres. 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 kilometre. 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. Air Road Rail Sea Mumbai 1.50 28.00 17.30a - Kolkata 2.00 30.00 18.00b - Chennai 3.00 45.00 32.00 - Hyd’bad 1.55 40.00 24.00 - Agra 0.40 4.30 3.15 - Jaipur 0.40 6.00 5.15 - Jammu 1.50 14.45 16.00 - Triv’rum 5.00c 62.00 60.00 - Patna 1.30 22.00 16.00 - Port Blair 5.05 c - d Note: a. Time by express (not daily); normal train takes 23 hours. b. Time by express (not daily); normal train takes 25 hours. c. Does not include stopover in Chennai. d. Boat journey from Chennai takes three to four days. Note: Further information (including route maps, times of express trains and more detailed travel-time charts) may be found in the official India brochure, available free from Incredible India (see Contact Addresses section). Of late, the overland route from Europe to India has become very popular, but travellers 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 neighbouring countries, contact India Tourism (see Contact Addresses section). Back to Top

Car Hire India

Cars 4 Rental can provide car hire vehicles in all the popular locations throughout India.

Whatever your requirements Cars 4 Rental will be able to provide a car to meet your needs. Our hire cars can be equipped with many optional extras including child seats so that your car rental is ideally suited to your needs.

Hire a car in India