Travel like a local in India

Travel like a local in India

• May 6, 2019 9:54 am
• OyeTrip
• Local
• 161 comments

Now when you have arrived in India, you have many options among local transport to choose from. Your choice involves different parameters based on your stay time, your budget, and patience too.

So firstly, you are welcome in India, try to visit this historic country as much as you can and have a lifetime experience.

FLYING TO INDIA:
The major entry points for international visitors are New Delhi and Mumbai. Other major airports are Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai who receive their fair share of international arrivals. It is always advisable to choose arrival and departure airport based on the part of India you are planning to visit. Saving cost here and choosing a different airport could cost extra time and money later.

Europe, Africa, North America, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa widely serve India through direct and connected choices very well. Upon arrival, you can choose from diverse options such as an extensive network of planes, trains, and buses, hired cars, etc., all with their advantages and disadvantages. Note that the best practice is to book your hotel and pick up in advance to save yourself from unwanted hassle (OyeTrip can help you in that).

WITHIN INDIA BY PLANE:
If you are short of time, flying around India is most advantageous. It will help you cover more as India is a large country to tackle. Try to book flight directly from operators’ websites and avoid local as well as booking agents. This will save you on extra booking charges they levy as well as save trouble/hassle if in case you have to cancel any flight.

The main operators are:
Air India
Go Air
IndiGo Airlines
Spice Jet
Vistara
Air Asia

The disadvantage is that many of India’s beautiful sites happen while traversing this great nation at sea level. Gazing them out of the window of a bus or train is a mesmerizing stare.

INDIA BY TRAIN:
India has one of the world’s largest rail network. It is most preferred for long-distance traveling here. Traveling India by train allows you to discover the Indian landscape and scenic beauty. Also, it is generally more economical than flying domestic.

Once you make up your mind, the real task begins: trying to book trains. Booking trains from abroad is quite challenging. If you choose to purchase the ticket online you first need to register on the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) ticketing website (www.irctc.co.in), which is not so easy. You can contact OyeTrip who who could do all this for you. If you are on a budget, you can reduce a night’s stay at a hotel by opting overnight sleeper train.

Regular trains:
Rajdhani Express
Shatabdi Express
Duronto Express
Luxurious trains:
Palace on Wheel
Maharajas’ Express
Deccan Odyssey
The Golden Chariot
Royal Rajasthan on Wheels
The Indian Maharaja

Classes:
AC First (1A): 2 bed or 4 bed lockable cabins with air conditioning facility
AC 2 Tier (2A): has no cabins but privacy curtains are present along with air conditioning
AC 3 Tier (3A): sleeper berths with air conditioning
Sleeper Class (SL): not recommended for a comfort/cleanliness seeking person since this is the cheapest class of journey to have a sleeper berth.
Unreserved – This is the cheapest way of travel with no confirmed seats. Its always too crowded with little space to even stand. Not advisable at all.
AC Chair Car (CC)
Second Class Chair Car (2S)

For comfort and cooler carriages, pick from one of the three air-conditioned classes.

INDIA BY BUS:
Buses are the second most popular way of traveling across states. For reaching destinations not served by railway network, buses are a considerable choice. Major routes have buses often referred to as Volvo AC that are comfortable and air-conditioned. Raj National Express and KPN Travels are currently working to start their operations across the country. You can book seats online on your own (try redbus.in) or take help from OyeTrip to book your tickets for you.

In general, either state-owned(more reliable) or private(more comfortable) will do if you can get a seat. Be prepared for Bollywood film soundtracks at ear-splitting volume along with nonstop horn honking. Moreover, it is slower, less comfortable, and less safe than trains. Also carry good stock of packaged water bottles (please read the label – go for Bisleri/Kinley and seal  – there are many counterfeits in the market and suggestion is to avoid that) and food before you board. Options on the way are not that great. So for long-distance travel, opting for sleeper train services will be a smarter decision.

BY CAR:
Hiring driver with car:
Hiring a car is a popular and not an affordable option but opt for renting a car with driver. Rates are quoted in rupees per km and you will have to pay for both ways even if you are going only one way. You can either book on your own (use apps like Ola and Uber) or OyeTrip can help to arrange this too. Avoid hotel or local travel agents arranging a car for hire . You just need to choose between air-conditioned or non-air-conditioned. Toyota Innova, Tata Indica, Tata Indigo are some of the flashier cars available or you could also find taxi stands in bigger cities.

Driving on your own:
Driving on your own is not recommended as you need to have a local license or an International driving permit. Also, the driving discipline is not strict here, so better to sit at the back seat.

HIRING MOTORCYCLE:
For enthusiastic bikers to get a closer look at India, motorcycle tours are also very popular. For this, you will need an International Driving Permit in addition to your home country’s license. The most preferred choice is Royal Enfield. Blazing Trails tours, Wild Experience tours, and Extreme Bike Tours are some recommended rental agencies. Ask OyeTrip for more information.

BY AUTO-RICKSHAW:
Also called three-wheelers are mainly used for short-distance travel within cities. Our suggestion is to go by the meter as a foreign face is subjected to be charged with much-hiked fares. Also, verify the meter-reading against the rate-card before making a payment. A normal fare would be ₹11-12 for the first km and ₹7-8 per km after that.
An alternate to taxis and auto-rickshaws is Uber or Ola (apps are available and payment can be done by cash or card) that will serve you far superior to these.

BY METRO:
The metropolitan cities have a decent metro rail connectivity that will give you a more pleasing experience to roam around the city. You just need to check-in at the metro station and have a metro map with yourself, and you are good to go.

Have a nice stay in India. OyeTrip is always there to help. 

Tags:Travel, TravelinIndia