India Travel
Arrival, information and orientation of Udhagamandalam in Central Nadu
Most visitors arrive in Ooty either by bus from Mysore in Karnataka (the more scenic, if steeper, route goes via Masinagudi), or on the miniature mountain railway from Coonoor and Mettupalayani. The bus and railway stations are fairly close together, at the western end of the big bazaar and racecourse. Local transport consists of auto-rickshaws and taxis, which meet incoming trains and gather outside the bus stand and on Commercial Road around Charing Cross. You can rent bikes but the steep hills make cycling very hard work.
The TTDC tourist office (Mon-Sat 10am-5.45pm) on the corner of Kelso Road and Woodhouse Road, is eager to help, but information is not always reliable. You can book tours here, among them one that takes in Ooty, Pykara and Mudumalai (daily 9am—7.30pm; Rs150), and calls at Pykara dam, falls and boathouse and Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, making a very long day. There’s a less strenuous tour of just Ooty and Coonoor (daily 9am—6pm; Rs80), which goes to Sim’s Park, the Botanical Gardens, the lake, Dodabetta Peak, Lamb’s Rock and Dolphin’s Nose. If you get caught out by a Sunday, there’s a private tourist office (daily 8am—8.30pm) in Charing Cross that gives out leaflets and advice on hotels, sightseeing and restaurants.
Ooty’s post office, northwest of Charing Cross at West Town Circle, off Spencers Road and near St Stephen’s Church, has a poste restante counter (enquiries and stamps Mon-Fri 9am-5pin; parcels Mon-Fri 9am-3pm & Sat 9am—2pm). For email, there are now numerous outlets across town, especially around Charing Cross, all charging Rs5O-6O per hour for a frustratingly slow and unreliable service.
The only bank m Ooty that changes travellers’ cheques and currency is the very pukka State Bank of India, on West Town Circle. While you’re waiting for your cash, check out the photos in the hallway connecting the old and new blocks, dating from the era when this was the “Imperial Bank of India": stalwart, stiff-backed buna-sahibs pose with pipes, wives and mandatory Scottish terriers in front of the old bank building.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Arrival, information and orientation in Central Tamil Nadu
Buses from Chennai, Pondicherry, Madurai and Tiruchirapalli pull in at the long-distance State Bus Stand, opposite the City Bus Stand, in the south of the old town. Other services from Tiruchirapalli, and those to and from local destinations such as Kumbakonam, stop at the New Bus Stand, inconveniently located 4km southwest of the centre, in the middle of nowhere. Rickshaws into town from here cost Rs40-50, or you can jump on one of the efficient "city buses" (Rs2) that shuttle to and from the centre every few minutes. The railway station, just south of the centre, has a new computerized system
Arrival, information and orientation in Central Tamil Nadu
Trichy's airport, 8km south of the centre, has flights to and from Chennai (daily except Thurs & Sun), Cochin (Tues.Thurs & Sac) and Calicut ("Wed & Sun).The journey into town, by taxi (Rs100) or bus (#7, #28, #59, #63, #122 or #K1) takes less than half an hour; for enquiries and bookings go to Indian Airlines, 4A Dindigul Rd.There are also flights (4 weekly) from Colombo on Air Lanka, based in the Femina hotel. Trichy's main railway station, Trichy Junction - which has given its name to the southern district of town - provides frequent rail links with Chennai, Madurai and
Arrival, information and orientation of Kodaikanal in Central Tamil Nadu
The buses from Madurai and Dindigul that climb the spectacular road up the steep hillside to Kodai from the plains below pull in at the stand in the centre of town. Unless you're coming from as far as Chennai or Tiruchirapalli, the bus is much more convenient than the train: the nearest railhead. Kodaikanal Road - also connected to Dindigul (30min) and Madurai (50min) is three hours away by bus. Note, too, that the road from Palani is by tar the most spectacular approach, although the least travelled (except during the monsoons when the other is invariably blocked). If you
Arrival of Chennai in Tamil Nadu
Chennai airport in Trisulam, is comprehensively served by international and domestic flights; the two terminals are a minute's walk from each other, 16km southwest of the city centre on NH-45. Out in the main concourse, you'll find a 24hr post office, Thomas Cook and State Bank of India foreign-exchange counters, several STD telephones, and a couple of snack bars. It's by no means certain that anyone will be staffing the Government of Tamil Nadu Tourist Information Centre booth at the arrivals exit, but if you're lucky you may be able to fix up accommodation from here, or at the "Free
Arrival and information in Delhi
Delhi is India's main point of arrival for overseas visitors, and has two airports, one domestic and one international. State buses from all over the country pull into the Inter-state Bus Terminal in Old Delhi, while private buses stop in the more central location close to New Delhi railway station. Trains arrive at the railheads in Old or New Delhi, both well connected to Connaught Place, the commercial centre of the city, by rickshaw and taxi. For a summary of the kinds of accommodation available in different areas of the city, which may well determine where you head first, see p.
Arrival and information of Mumbai
Unless you arrive in Mumbai by train at Chatrapathi Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), be prepared for a long slog into the centre. The international and domestic airports are north of the city, way off the map, and ninety minutes or more by road from the main hotel areas, while from Mumbai Central train or bus station, you face a laborious trip across town. Finding a place to stay can be even more of a hassle; phone around before you set off into the traffic.
Arrival and information in Himachal Pradesh
State-ran buses from Manali, Mandi, Pathankot, Kangra and Delhi pull into the bus stand in the very south of the lower town, though some continue after a short stop all the way up to McLeod Ganj - the usual arrival point for private and deluxe buses from Delhi and Manali. The nearest point of arrival for trains from Delhi, Punjab and Jammu Tawi is Pathankot - the narrow-gauge train linking Pathankot to Jogindernagar also stops at Kangra and at Nagrota. Dharamsala's airport, 11km to the south at Gaggal, has three Indian Airlines' flights a week to Delhi. The tourist office (Mon-Sat
Arrival, information and transport to the Lucknow in Central UP
From Amausi Airport, 16km south on the Kanpur Road, a taxi to the centre of Lucknow costs around Rsl50. Airport buses connect with flights. Lucknow s main Charbagh Railway Station (for computerized reservations), 4km southwest of the central hub of Hazratganj, is itself a remarkable building, with prominent chhatris above the entrance arcade and a roof inspired by chess pieces. Most buses, including those from Varanasi, Allahabad, Agra, Jhansi and Kanpur, arrive at the main Charbagh Bus Stand alongside, while some buses from the Nepal border at Sonauh and from Gorakhpur, Faizabad and Ayodhya pull in at the Kaisarbagh stand, near
Arrival and information for Calcutta
Calcutta's airport, 20km north of the city centre, is served by international flights - although only a small proportion of visitors actually enter India here - as well as services from throughout the country. Officially "Netaji Subhash Bose International Airport", it is still universally known by its old name of Dum Dum - a name that became infamous during the Boer War, when the notorious (and now banned) exploding bullet was manufactured in a nearby factory. The dreary international terminal has money changing facilities, a prepaid taxi booth and a Government of India tourist information counter but little else. In
Arrival and information about Calcutta
Calcutta's airport, 20km north of the city centre, is served by international flights - although only a small proportion of visitors actually enter India here - as well as services from throughout the country. Officially "Netaji Subhash Bose International Airport", it is still universally known by its old name of Dum Dum - a name that: became infamous during the Boer War, when the notorious (and now banned) exploding bullet was manufactured in a nearby factory. The dreary international terminal has money changing facilities, a prepaid taxi booth and a Government of India tourist information counter but little else. In
Arrival and information in The Andaman Islands
Port Blair has two jetties: boats from the mainland moor at Haddo Jetty, nearly 2km northwest of Phoenix Jetty, arrival point for inter-island ferries. The Director of Shipping Services at Phoenix Jetty has the latest information on boats and ferries, but you can also check the shipping news column of the local newspaper, the Daily Telegrams, for details of forthcoming departures. Advice on booking ferry tickets appears in the box. The smart new airport terminal is 4km south of town at Lamba Line. Entry permits are issued to foreigners from the immigration counters as you enter the arrivals hall. Taxis are
Arrival and information in Gujarat
Arriving in Junagadh by bus or train, you're within easy walking distance of nearly all the hotels. From the long distance bus stand, turn right, then left at the main road and straight on across the railway tracks into the town centre; from the railway station, take a right down Station Road and a left at the end, by the petrol station. Local transport is provided by auto-rickshaws, though bicycles are great for getting around; with a bit of leg-work you can even cycle to the foot of Mount Girnar. Run-of-the-mill bikes can be had from 3 shop just west
Arrival and information in Maharashtra
Daily Bights from Delhi and Mumbai arrive at Aurangabad's airport, Chikal Thana, 8km east of the city. Metered taxis are on hand for the trip into town (around Rsl50 to Station Road East or West), and courtesy minibuses whisk away guests booked into the nearby five-star hotels. The mainline railway station stands on the southwest edge of the city centre, within easy reach of most hotels, and a 2.5-kilometre ride south down Station Road (West) from the bus stand - the hectic arrival point for all buses. A counter at the airport (open at flight arrival times) provides arrival information, while
Arrival, information and getting around in Tamil Nadu
Numerous daily buses ply to and from Chennai, Thiruvannmalai, Kanchipuram and Pondicherry.The bus stand is in the centre of the village. The nearest railway station, at Chengalpattu (Chingleput), 29km northeast on the bus route to Kanchipuram. is on the main north-south line, but not really a convenient access point. A taxi from Chennai costs around Rs500 (or Rs450 from the airport); book through the tourist office, or the prepaid taxi booth at Chennai airport. Mamallapuram suffers badly from aggressive touting by a small number of hotels. There is a list of accredited hotels on a board at the bus stop -
Arrival and information of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh
The easiest way to get to Khajuraho is on one of the daily flights with Indian Airlines from Delhi (via Agra), or Varanasi. The local airport is 5km south of the main square of Khajuraho town; the taxi ride in costs Rs80. The two nearest railheads are at Jhansi to the northwest (see p.335), and Satna to the southeast; both are connected by bus. All buses terminate less than 1km southeast at the bus stand, within walking distance of most central hotels, or a cycle rickshaw will set you back Rs10, an auto-rickshaw Rsl5. Money can be changed at the State
Information of Lucknow in Central UP
The national government's regional tourist bureau, close to the railway station at 10 Station Rd (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, closed 2nd Sat of each month), provides information only; they also operate a stand at the railway station. The UP Tourism office, at 3 Newal Kishore Rd, has an information counter. Lucknow's GPO is onVidhan Sabha Marg. Among banks for foreign exchange are Punjab National Bank, Ashok Marg, Hazratganj, and State Bank of India, also on Ashok Marg and at Mod Mahal Marg. Top-range hotels such as the Taj Mahal also have foreign exchange facilities.
Information of the Agra in the Uttar Pradesh
Agra has two tourist offices, one run by the Government of India, at 191 The Mall (Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat 9am-1pm), and one run by UF Tourism, close to the darks Shimz, at 64 Taj Rd (same hours); there is also an information booth at Cantonment station. The Government of India office is better organized and provides information about other destinations, though both supply information on hotels and local sights, and details of tours that start and end at Agra Cantonment railway station.
Arrival, information and city transport to Amritsar in Haryana and Punjab
Amritsar's airport, serving Indian Airlines flights from Delhi and Chandigarh, lies 12km northwest of the city. Taxis (around Rs200) and auto-rickshaws (RslOO) run to the town centre, while buses pull into the huge, frenetic bus stand off GT Road on the eastern edge of the city centre. The railway station lies on the northern edge of the centre, 2km west of the interstate bus stand. PTDC's tourist office, Youth Hostel, Mall Mandi. GT Road (Mon-Sat 9am-5pm: ©0183/231452) is friendly, helpful and has useful information on bus and other travel connections. Amritsar is too large and labyrinthine to negotiate on foot. If
The Town of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan
Getting lost in the narrow winding streets of Jaisalmer is both easy and enjoyable, though the town is so small that it never takes long to find a familiar landmark. Main roads lead around the base of the fort from the central market square, Gopa Chowk, east to Gadi Sagar Tank, and west to Gandhi Chowk. Within the fort the streets are narrower still, but orientation is simple: head west from the main chowk and Maharawal's Palace to reach the Jain temples and hotels nestled within the walls. Along the way, expect your progress to be blocked at regular intervals
Eating to Rameshwaram in Central Tamil Nadu
Eating in Rameshwaram is more about survival than delighting the taste buds. Most places serve up fairly unexciting "meals". Arya Bhavan and Kumbakonam, W Car Street. Both places are run by the same family and dish up standard, inexpensive veg “meals”. Ashok Bhavan, W Car Street. Offers cheap, regional varieties of thalis. TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu, near the beach. Gigantic, noisy, high-ceilinged glasshouse near the sea, serving good south Indian snacks and "meals:: - many items on the menu are unavailable, however.