Some general notices
Its a miracle how everything works amid the chaos and somehow the
number of people is still increasing. To start with not a very tourist
friendly place, everyone from the local people to the governement
are out to make money, for example taxi drivers will definately ask
a much higher fare and the government has unfair entry tickets at
monuments for foreigners - upto 40 times more!....and if you will
be in India for the first time dont rely on information my my pages
:) I will acknowledge that travelling as tourist may not be a very
pleasant experience in India but once you spend time here it gets
fine. You get used to getting things done the way they should rightly
not be done.
Airlines vs Indian Railways
I am yet to take an Indian Airlines/Alliance Air/Air India flight
that is on time! So dont be surprised with railways running late by
a number for hours. Also flights are rescheduled without notice so
I've had to wait longer a couple of times! Given the quality of service
fares are quite high BUT you have no choice! There are a couple of
better private airlines but being too expensive rail travel is most
common. Recently though there are a bunch of budget airlines. Yet
to experience those.
Road
Travelling by road is difficult, dont even think of public buses!
There are deluxe buses which are good, and you can get cars. But expensive
and given the poor state of roads travel time is high.Oh and a word
of advise, if you have never driven in India before dont even try....
you will realize that if driving with the rules is difficult then
without rules and signs its worse. But if you hire a car a chauffeur
is generally included unless you specifically ask to self-drive.
Misc
Duty Free Shopping at airports accept payments only in foreign currency
which is unlike any place in the world I have seen!
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Asia