India Travel
Central Madhya Pradesh Arrival, information and city transport
Most of Bhopal’s principal places of interest are so far apart that the best way of getting around has to be by metered auto-rickshaws, all of which sport smart interior upholstery and uniformed drivers (perhaps the reason for their slightly above average fares). Taxis can be found outside all of the top hotels, or else arranged through MPTDC. There’s also a prepaid taxi and auto-rickshaw booth outside the station on Hamidia Road.
MPTDC has helpful tourist information counters in the arrivals hall at the station (platform 1 exit), and on the fourth floor of the Gangotri Building on TT Nagar, New Market (0755/774340), fifteen minutes south of the railway station by auto-rickshaw. They don’t hand out street maps or run a city tour, but they’re a useful source of travel information for the whole state, and can pre-book any MPTDC accommodation for you. They also rent out minibuses and Ambassador or Maruti cars for around Rsl000 per day.
Bhopal’s airport, served by daily Indian Airlines flights from Delhi, Gwalior and Mumbai, is around 12km by taxi or auto-rickshaw from the city. The main railway station, by contrast, is within easy walking distance of the centre: to reach the hotel district, leave by the exit on platforms 4 or 5, and head past the tonga rank until you reach the busy corner of Hamidia Road. Approaching Bhopal from the south, most trains also stop briefly at Habibganj station, a long way out - only get off here if you intend to stay in one of the expensive hotels m Shamla Hills or the New Market area,The main bus stand, used by long-distance buses from Indore, Jabalpur, Pachmarhi, Sanchi and Ujjain is ten minutes’ walk west of the railway station.
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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
Arrival, city transport and information to Ujjain in Western Madhy Pradesh
Trains arriving in Ujjain on both broad-gauge branches of the Western Railway pull-in at the station in the centre of town; Ujjain is on a link line between Indore and Bhopal, with regular intercity trains shunting between the three. Two minutes' walk northeast of the station is the Dewas Gate bus stand, where buses for Gwalior, Agra, Rajasthan and Bhopal depart. The inconvenient P.D.V. Bus Stand, next to the MPTDC Yatri Niwas, serves Indore, Bhopal and Mandu. The city is fairly spread out, so you'll need to get around by auto-rickshaw or by renting a bicycle from the shop opposite
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
Central Madhya Pradesh
All roads through the central regions of Madhya Pradesh lead to the state's capital, and its largest and fastest growing city - Bhopal. The city itself may come as a pleasant surprise; amidst the dust and chaos of a metropolitan centre there are plentj of quiet parks around its two lakes. Bhopal is also a good place to break the long journey between south and north; within a couple of hours reach is the unmissable Buddhist stupa complex at Sanchi.and there arc other lesser monuments in the area. The prehistoric site of Bhimbetka is just 45km south of Bhopal, while
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 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, 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, information and city transport in Haryana and Punjab
Served by flights to and from Delhi, Amritsar and Leh, Chandigarh's airport lies 11km south of the city centre. Facilities include an Indian Airlines office (0172/704539), a branch of the State Bank of Patiala and a taxi stand. The railway station lies 8km southeast of the centre, connected by half-hourly buses or auto-rickshaws and taxis. The prepaid rickshaw counter is worth queuing for as rates are fixed. There's a useful Current Reservations ticket office, although Northern Railway's main computerized reservation counter is at the bus terminal (Mon-Sat 8am—8pm). All state transport buses pull in to the main transport and information hub -
Visiting Madhya Pradesh
In addition to its historic sites, Madhya Pradesh boasts a number of wildlife reserves, of which two are amongst the finest on the subcontinent. In the sparsely populated east, remote savannah grasslands are an ideal habitat for deer and bison, while the shady sal forests and tarai swamplands that surround the maidans provide perfect cover for larger predators such as the tiger. Of the national parks hidden away in this area, Kanha is deservedly popular, though tiger sightings here are on the decline. For the big cats, trek out to Bandhavgarh national park to the north. Getting around Madhya Pradesh without
Arrival, information and city transport in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad's international airport (079/642 5633) is linked to the city, 10km south, by prepaid taxi (Rs200-250), auto-rickshaw (Rs80-100) and city bus #101, which terminates at Lai Darwaja, the station for local buses in the west of the old city, near most of the hotels. Long-distance buses arrive at the ST Bus Stand in the southeast of the old city, lkm from the hotels, while the railway station is to the east, at the far end of Relief Road and MG Road. City buses to Lai Darwaja run from both the railway station (#48. #122 and #133) and the bus stand
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 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 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, information and city transport of Guwahati in the Northeast
The railway station lies in the centre of town, with the state bus stand. which operates a left-luggage service (4.30am-10.30pm), right behind. The back of the railway station leads into the hectic Pakan Bazaar area, from which most of the private bus companies operate. Guwahati airport, 18km east of the centre, is served by taxis (from outside the Nandan Hotel) and airport buses, including those run by Indian Airlines. The Assam government tourist office in the Tourist Lodge on Station Road (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; closed 2nd & 4th Sat of month) organizes day-trips and longer tours; their day- and overnight-packages to Kaziranga
Arrival, information and local transport in Goa
European charter planes and domestic flights arrive at Goa's Dabolim ait-port, 29km south of Panjim on the outskirts ofVasco da Gama, Goa's second city. Prepaid taxis into town (45min; Rs475), booked at the counter in the forecourt, can be shared by up to four people. Long-distance and local buses pull into Panjim at the towns busy Kadamba bus terminal, lkm east of the centre in the district of Pato.Ten minutes'walk from here, across Ourem Creek to Fontainhas, brings you to several budget hotels. If you plan to stay in the more modern west end of town, flag down a motorcycle taxi
The Central Museum in Western Madhya Pradesh
Indore's Central Museum (Mon-Sac 10am-5pm) is over in the southeast of the city, near the GPO. Its large collection includes finds from nearby prehistoric sites, as well as fine Jain and Hindu sculpture from the ruined eleventh-and twelfth-century temples at Hinlajgarh. The downstairs gallery boasts a handful of priceless Harappan terracottas unearthed at Mohenjo Daro, in southern Pakistan. None of the exhibits is adequately labelled, but the museum attendants are happy to show you around.
Information in Delhi
There are reasonably helpful tourist offices at the inCernational and domestic air por Cs, railway stations and bus tetminals, and the Government of India tourist office at 88 Janpath, just south of Connaught Place (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-4.30pm), is a good place to pick up information on Delhi's sites, city tours, shopping, cultural events and accommodation. They also provide free maps of che city; you'll find the same ones sold in the streets at negotiable prices.The information counter at the less busy DTTDC (Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation) office, Bombay Life Building, Middle Circle (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-lpm; )
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 city transport in the Varanasi at Eastern UP
An airport bus (Rs25) connects with flights landing at Babatpur Airport, 22km northwest of the city, and goes to the Indian Airlines office, via the Government of India Tourist Office, both in the Cantonment area. Taxis charge around Rs20D-250 for the same journey. Varanasi lies on the main east-west axis between Delhi and Calcutta, and is actually served by two stations: Varanasi Cantonment in the town itself, and Mughal Sarai, 17km out of town. Varanasi Cantonment is the most conveniently located, but depending on where you are travelling from, you may find yourself using the Mughal Sarai line. There are retiring