There are some Indian traffic
rules you need to follow while in India. Given
below is a list of some guidelines for ensuring
traffic safety in India:
• Indian government recognizes the International
Driver's License (IDL). However, renting a
car without a driver is not quite common in
India. And even the expenses of hiring a car
without a driver are similar to those with
a driver. Also, it is safer to rent a car
with a professional driver.
• If you are planning to stay in India
for a long time and have a valid driver's
license (not necessarily an IDL) issued by
any competent authority in your country, then
getting a driver license in India is no big
problem. You can apply for a local license
for driving a car or motorcycle. You will
have to give a written examination for the
same. However, the actual driving part of
the test may be done away with (sometimes).
• If your International Driver’s
License (IDL) has expired, you can easily
get a local driving license in India by submitting
your expired license, along with a letter
of introduction from your country’s
Embassy.
• If by any chance, you get involved
in an automobile accident, wait until the
police arrive and make a report. However,
if a crowd gathers and appears hostile, immediately
leave the place and go to the nearest police
station to file an accident report.
• If you are driving or riding pillion
on a two-wheeler in India, don’t forget
to wear a helmet.
• Frequent use of horns is very common
and in fact, customary in India.
• Traffic in India moves on the left
side. So, be extra cautious while crossing
the road, especially if your country follows
right side driving.
As far as the Indian road conditions go, apart
from the big cities, the roads are poorly
maintained. You will hardly find Indian roads
free of traffic. Congestion on roads is a
normal phenomenon. In the big cities, you
may also encounter frequent traffic jams.
You may also come across livestock roaming
freely on the roads in small cities. So, don’t
feel surprised. Let an Indian driver drive
you around and you will enjoy roaming around
in India.
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| India
Travel Advice |
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India
travel advice will come quite handy to you if
you are thinking of coming to India. Here are
some common dos and Don’ts for Indian
travel:
• Getting some background information
on India and the particular place that you are
planning to visit is quite a good idea.
• Staying in India is not a big problem.
There are a number of 4-star and 5-star hotels
in India, measuring up to the international
standards. They will provide you the comfort
and luxury comparable to any other in the world.
• Foreigners are required to pay all their
dues regarding the hotel bills in foreign currency
only, in the form of cash, traveler’s
checks or credit cards. Even concessional tickets
like Youth fares, Discover India Fares and Air
Fares are to be paid for in foreign exchange
only.
• Never ever purchase air/ rail/ bus tickets
through strangers or unauthorized travel agents/
tour operators, also known as touts. They are
not at all reliable. Buy tickets from the authorized
centers only.
• It is advisable not to hire any type
of transportation from unlicensed operators.
• In case of taxis and auto-rickshaws,
try to hire them from the pre-paid booths, if
possible. Otherwise, insist on going by the
meter and check the readings regularly to ensure
that the fare is correct. In case there are
no meters or the meters are dysfunctional, set
a fare in advance to avoid being fleeced later
on.
• Make travel arrangements well in advance,
especially if you are traveling in the peak
season (between October to March).
• English is spoken at almost tourist
destination in India these days. However, if
you want, you may hire Government-trained and
approved guides who also speak German, French,
Spanish, Japanese, Italian or Russian.
• Indian people are quite hospitable and
friendly. Do not feel offended if they stare
at you. It is just curiosity on their part.
Most of the people will also go out of the way
to help tourists and properly guide them.
• It is advisable for you to carry your
own medicines. Almost all medicines in India
are locally manufactured and you may not find
the same brand names. However, you may easily
set substitute products here. But take the advice
of reputed druggists or doctors for the purpose.
• Make sure to remove your footwear when
visiting a place of worship or mausoleum. Some
temples in India will not even allow you to
carry leather articles inside. You can deposit
them in the temple cloakroom and collect it
on your way out.
• It is not entirely unsafe to travel
in India. You just have to take some precautions
like avoiding isolated places, not going out
after its too late, etc.
• The electric current in India is 220/
250 volts and 50 cycles. It is AC practically
everywhere. Carry converters if you have some
electric equipment with you.
• Don’t feel offended if Indians
ask you some personal questions like how much
do you earn, are you married, do you have kids,
etc. They are just a little curious and mean
no offence. It is just their way of getting
friendly.
Just some general conventions to follow and
then India is a wonderful place to be. You will
enjoy the scenic beauty, rich culture, engrossing
traditions and almost everything about India.
Information on culture, destinations, travel
and hotels may be obtained from:
India Tourist Office
7 Cork Street, London, W1X 2LW
Tel: +44 (0)20 7437 3677
Email:
For information about foreign destinations and
risks, if any, to British citizens when travelling
to these destinations you can contact:
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Travel Advice Unit
Consular Directorate
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Old Admiralty Building
London SW1A 2PA
Tel: +44 (0)870 606 0290
Email:
Website: |
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| Indian
Baggage Rules |
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Baggage
means "belongings" of a passenger
traveling from one place to another. There is
no particular definition of the items included
in luggage/baggage. Most of the international
flights and countries have almost the same rules
as far the weight of the luggage is concerned.
However, there may be some differences on the
number of items you can check in.
As far as luggage rules in India are concerned,
each and every article coming into or going
out of India come under exchange management.
Also, customs duties are imposed on them at
the pre-determined rates. For getting a clearance
from the custom official, a declaration is required
to be made to them by the owner regarding the
contents in his possession. This is done on
a prescribed form. On the basis of the date
of the declaration, the rates of duty and tariff
valuation are determined.
Indian baggage rules vary according to the duration
of stay of the passenger, the country he or
she is traveling from, and the passenger’s
age. As per the usual practice, every passenger
gets a duty free allowance. Within this allowance,
he/she can bring various goods without paying
any duty on them. However, if the total value
of the goods exceeds the duty free allowance,
a flat customs duty has to be paid only on the
value in excess of the duty free allowance.
However, personal and household goods are treated
as baggage and can be imported freely without
any restriction regarding their value. Flat
rate of duty is not applicable to certain items.
On these articles, duty is charged at various
rates based on the Customs Tariff.
BAGGAGE
The Client travelling by air would be subject
to the airline restrictions / limitations on
baggage weight / size / number, currently which
for Economy Class is 20 Kg per person. As porterage
is not included in the tour price and due to
limited space for luggage in the coach, it is
recommended that the Client should carry one
single suitcase per person of a size of 158
cms. (Width + length + height) preferably with
wheels, for the sake of convenience.
Baggage and personal effects are at all times
and in all circumstances the responsibility
of the Client. It is advisable that the Client
does not carry valuables on the tour. However,
if the Client carries any valuables, the same
should preferably be kept in the Safe Deposit
Lockers, that are commonly available in most
of the hotels.
There is a special
case for a person residing abroad for a minimum
period of two years and transferring his residence
for a minimum period of one year. Such a person
may avail “Concessions for Transfer
of Residence”. For importers and exporters,
a license or Customs Clearance Permit (CCP)
and Import Export Code number has to be obtained
to import/export goods into or out of India.
Items that are not permitted:
• Gold or silver jewellery or any other
article articles mainly consisting of gold
or silver, in excess of permitted limit. The
limit is Rs.20,000 for females and Rs.10,000
for males.
• Indian currency exceeding the amount
of Rs.1,000.
• Any harmful drug. This includes coca
leaf, cocaine, hemp, charas, opium, morphine,
etc, along with their mixtures and derivatives.
• Any vulgar material. This includes
obscene magazines, books, pamphlets, paper,
drawing, painting, representation, figure,
article or objectionable literature or any
other items not appealing to the Indian sensibilities.
• Also restricted are plants, parts
of plants, soil seeds, fruits, dry fruits,
vegetables, flowers, coffee seeds, coffee
beans, cottons and un-manufactured tobacco.
• Pet animals and birds can be brought
along but their number is limited.
• Fire arms.
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| Indian
Beggar Handling Tips |
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If
you are traveling to India, you are bound to
come across beggars. Mostly you will find them
begging at the red lights. Following are some
tips for handling Indian beggars. So, if you
want to know some Indian beggar handling tips,
read on:
• If the beggar is a healthy person, don’t
give him any money or anything else. Ignore
such people. Just walk past them or pull up
the windows if you are in a car.
• In case of a physically handicapped
person, you can give some money or even something
to eat.
• If you come across children begging
on the street, don’t be surprised. Its
better to give the children something to eat.
If you give them money, it will most probably
go into the pockets of their parents or some
other person. They will hardly ever benefit
from it.
• Always give beggars money at the time
of leaving a place, as you get in the car. Otherwise,
there is a possibility of your getting mobbed.
Give a tip to beggars between Rs. 2 to Rs. 10.
If you give more money than this, you will run
the risk of getting mobbed by beggars.
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| Modes
of Communication in India |
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Communicating
while in India is no problem. There are various
modes of communication in India. There is an
availability of all the modern communication
forms in India. Read on to know about communications
in India.
Public Phone
Booths (PCOs)
One of the main modes of communication in
India are the Public phone booths. They are
generally known as PCOs in India. They provide
the facility for local (within the city) calls,
STD (Inter - State) calls, ISD (International)
calls. Even Fax facility is available. You
will find these PCOs in every nook and corner.
Mobile (Cell) Phones
Another way to communicate in India is through
Mobile or Cell phones. If you have a mobile
phone with the tri-band technology, you can
easily use it here. You don’t need to
use the service provider of your own country.
There are a number of service providers in
India to keep you connected. You can buy a
prepaid sim card from any service provider.
You only need to make payment for it and give
a photocopy of your any Identity proof (like
your passport). Get it recharged and enjoy
free mobility.
Cyber Cafes
Looking for an inexpensive and fast communication,
you can use the services of cyber cafes in
India. These cyber cafes provide all the Internet
facilities like e-mail, chatting, voice chat,
etc. You can easily locate them, as they are
present in quite a large number.
Postal Services
Last, but not the least, you can even use
postal services as a means of communication
in India. You can make use of postcards, letters,
etc. For faster communication, use telegrams,
speed post and courier services.
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| Tipping
in India |
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Tipping
in India is a common practice. Read on to know
“how to give tips in India”:
There are basically two types of tips. In the
first case, the tip is paid after the work is
completed. In the second case, tip is given
beforehand to ensure a good service. In hotels,
porters and room service attendants are generally
tipped at the end of the stay. However, the
amount of tip varies depending on the type of
services rendered and the type of establishment.
In restaurants, the tip to waiters is around
10-15 percent of the bill. In cases of restaurants
of famous and prestigious hotels, generally
a 10 percent service surcharge is added to the
bill. Tipping at such a place is discretionary.
In smaller places, the tip is not a percentage
of the bill. Rather, few rupees are given as
a tip, depending on the quality of service.
Tipping taxi and three-wheeler a driver is not
too common. It is up to your discretion. However
if you want to give tip, then, 10 percent of
the fare or leaving the change is enough. If
you are hiring a car throughout your stay, then,
tip the driver Rs. 50-100 per day, depending
on the distance traveled. At railway stations,
pay the porters around Rs. 5-10 per bag. But,
make sure to set the rate beforehand. If you
stay at somebody’s house, ask your host
before giving tips to his/her domestic help.
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| Tips
for Women Travelers to India |
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Even
after the modern influence of western
countries, India still remains a conservative
country. Some western habits are perceived
as inappropriate and degrading if practiced
by women here. Here are some travel
tips for women in India:
• Don’t wear revealing clothes
while in India. They do not appeal to
Indian sensibilities. You will attract
unwanted attraction and advances if
you are wearing skimpy outfits.
• Apart from the big cities, touching
between people of the opposite sex in
public is very unusual. Even married
couples avoid any display of affection
publicly. It will be better if you do
not shake hands with a person of the
opposite sex unless the other person
extends his/her hand first. Among Hindus,
the way to greet is by bring your palms
together in front of your chest, or
simply saying 'Namaste'. You can say
Hello or Hi also. But some old people
may not appreciate it.
• Smoking by a woman is not acceptable
anywhere in India, except for the metro
cities. A woman who smokes/drinks is
thought to be having a loose moral character,
especially amongst the middle class.
• Discos, dance clubs, pubs, 5-star
hotels are areas with a modern touch.
You can easily head there for some entertainment
or for drinks. However, having a male
companion or at least another female
with you is quite a good idea.
• Even at beaches, the people
here are fully clothed. First find out
what kind of attire is appropriate for
the beach you are heading to. In some
places like Goa, the visitors to beach
mainly consist of foreigners. There,
you may wear swimsuits on the beach.
However, even there it is inappropriate
to roam about dressed in swimwear away
from the beach.
• In local trains, some cars reserved
only for women. It is advised for you
to travel in those.
• It is better not to venture
outside in a street party. Street parties
on holidays generally don’t consist
of women. Inebriated men are seen partying
at such occasions. Women, in these parties,
can be subjected to groping and sexually
aggressive behavior from the inebriated
males. It is very unsafe for women to
attend these festivities alone.
• Avoid talking in a friendly
manner with men you meet in buses, trains,
restaurants, shopping places, etc. It
may be viewed as a flirtation. It may
also lead to unwanted and unexpected
sexual advances. However, befriending
Indian women can be a wonderful experience
for female travelers. But, you may have
to start the conversation.
• A way to get more respect from
Indians is to wear traditional Indian
clothes, such as salwaar kameez or sari.
• Do not venture in isolated places
alone. It is also advised not to go
outside alone after it is very late
and dark.
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| Tourist
Guides in India |
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If
you are coming to India as a tourist,
with lots of sightseeing in your itinerary,
then you will find these tips for handling
Indian guides quite useful. Hiring tourist
guides in India is a very good idea,
especially when you are traveling on
your own, with no local person to help
you. They will help you understand and
appreciate better the place you are
visiting. Read on for further tips for
handling guides:
• While visiting religious places,
hire guides very cautiously. They may
take you to unnecessary places and crooks
posing as Sadhus or Yogis to extract
money out of you. Stick to the places
you know and let the guide lead you.
• Fix the amount to be given to
the guide in advance only. Apart from
the fixed amount, you can also give
some extra tip to the guide if he has
provided you with good services.
• Hire guides authorized by the
Indian government as far as possible.
Try to avoid private guides. They may
try to fleece you. |
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| Electricity
in India |
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Electricity
in India is 240 Volts, alternating at
50 cycles per second. You will require
a voltage converter if you are carrying
a device that does not accept 240 Volts
at 50 Hertz. To adjust your device according
to the power and voltage in India, the
following three types of Voltage converters
may be used:
Resistor-network converters
This type of converter usually supports
approximately 50 -1600 Watts. They
are lightweight. You can easily use
this converter for high-wattage electrical
appliances like hair dryers and irons.
But, you can use them for short periods
only and they are not ideal for digital
devices.
Transformers
Transformers support low watt rating,
around 50 – 100 Watts. Generally,
you can use them continuously. Also,
they provide better electricity for
low wattage appliances like battery
chargers, radios, laptop computers,
cameras, mp3 players and camcorders.
Their drawback is the low wattage
and heavy weight.
Combination converters
Combination converters are also manufactured
by some companies. They are a combination
of a resistor network and a transformer
in the same package. You can easily
switch between the two modes. If you
need both types of converters, then
it is better to buy this combination
converter.
Outlets in India generally accept
the following types of plug:
• Two round pins
• Three round pins arranged
in a triangle
If your appliances plug has any other
shape, you will need a plug adapter.
If you plan to travel a lot in the
future, it is better to get a combination
voltage converter and a plug adapter.
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