Travel
There are over 20 international airports in India connecting many worldwide destinations with the major Indian cities across the country. These include Indira Gandhi International Airport of New Delhi, Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport of Mumbai, Begumpet Airport of Hyderabad, Calicut International Airport of Calicut and Chennai International Airport of Chennai. With a large number of domestic airports and several domestic airlines in operation connecting all major towns and cities domestic air travel is widely accessible and relatively inexpensive.
There are ferry services in operation between the main ports and a catamaran service from Mumbai to Goa however these are mostly seasonal and generally do not operate during monsoon season.
The rail system in India is state-owned by Indian Railways which has the largest rail network in Asia, transporting over 20 million passengers daily. The rail network spans almost the entire country operating both long distance national travel across the country and local suburban rail services. There are several different classes of travel available on most rail services making rail travel widely accessible no matter what your budget. Rail passes can also be purchased for discounted rates.
Bus services connect most parts of the country including more rural areas that rail and air travel do not reach. Travel by bus is the most common (and most accessible in terms of cost) form of transportation for shorter distance travel within the country. Certain routes can be crowded however in more populated parts of the country.
Underground metro systems operate in Calcutta and New Delhi.
Taxis and auto rickshaws operate in all the major cities and should be metered. Some are not however so it’s advisable to check the fare before departing.
Driving in India is not widely recommended for non nationals due to temperamental driving standards, heavily congested traffic in major cities and the often poor standards of roads outside the larger cities. Chauffeur driven cars are widely available in all major cities and are fairly inexpensive. If you do want to drive in India a valid foreign driving licence is accepted for one year however an International Driving Permit is also required. Following this you will need to obtain an Indian driving licence.
