India Travel

Travel insurance

Related Properties from Gurgaon

Rough Guide travel insurance

Rough Guides now offers its own travel insurance customized for our readers by a leading UK broker and backed by a Lloyd’s underwriter. It's available for anyone, of any nationality or age, travelling anywhere in the world. There are two main Rough Guide insurance plans: Essential for basic, no-frills cover (£23.03 worldwide) for two weeks; and Premier- with more generous and extensive benefits (£28.79 worldwide). Alternatively, you can take out annual multi-trip insurance which covers you for any number of trips throughout the year (with a maximum of 60 days for any one trip) at £83.99 (worldwide). Unlike many policies, the

Shopping for tickets

Airline tickets are sold through many channels, and there's no magic rule for predicting which will be cheapest. Whatever the airlines are offering, however, any number of specialist travel agents set out to beat it. These are the outfits you'll see advertising in the Sunday newspaper travel sections, and they come in several forms. Consolidators buy up large blocks of tickets to sell at a discount. Besides being cheap, they don't normally impose advance purchase requirements (although in busy times you'll want to book ahead to be sure of getting a seat), but they do often charge very stiff fees for

From Calcutta to Andaman Islands in Calcutta

Alliance Air (Indian Airlines) fly to Port Blair five times a week but if you want to take a ship (leaving every two weeks) you'll need to book through the Shipping Corporation of India. 13 Strand Rd. Although theoretically you need a permit before buying your ticket, the Foreigners Regional Registration Office at 237 AJC Bose Rd has informed travellers to get their permits on arrival in Fort Blair; check in advance. There are four classes starting with bunk beds (from around Rs1000) to a/c dorms and cabins; the journey takes three to four days, so bring plenty to read

Practicalities of Rishikesh in Uttaranchal

Far more visitors arrive in Rishikesh by road or rail than at the airport, 18km west. The Main Bus Stand, used by Haridwar and Dehra Dun government buses, as well as direct services to and from Delhi (6hr), is on Bengali Road, close to the centre; buses for the Garhwal hills use the Yatra Bus Stand, also known as the Tehri Bus Stand, off the Dehra Dun Road. Rishikesh is at the end of a small branch railway line, served by trains to and from Haridwar. Advance reservations can be made from the station, which only has a small quota

Moving on from Mumbai

Most visitors feel like getting out of Mumbai as soon as they can. Fortunately, Mumbai is equipped with "super-fast" services to arrange or confirm onward travel. All the major international and domestic airlines have offices in the city, the railway networks operate special tourist counters in the main reservation halls, and dozens of travel agents and road transport companies are eager to help you on your way by bus.

What about the water?

One of the chief concerns of many prospective visitors to India is whether the water is safe to drink. To put it simply, it's not, though your unfamiliarity with Indian micro-organisms is generally more of a problem rather than any great virulence in the water itself. As a rule, it is not a good idea to drink tap water, although in big cities it is usually chlorinated. However, you'll find it almost impossible to avoid untreated tap water completely: it is used to make ice, which may appear in drinks without being asked for, to wash utensils and so on. Bottled

Moving on from Delhi

Delhi has good domestic and international travel connections. Anyone heading from the south to the western Himalayas (Himachal Pradesh, Kullu. Manali, Ladakh) will pass through Delhi; it seldom takes more than a day to arrange the onward journey. Scores of travel agents sell bus and air tickets, and many hotels (budget or otherwise) will hook private buses for you; touts, concentrated at the top of Janpath, waylay tourists with promises of cheap fares, but can't always be trusted.

Australia and New Zealand

Auckland Hospital, Park Road, Grafton 09/797440. General traveller health advice. Travel-Bug Medical and Vaccination Centre, 161 Ward St, North Adelaide 08/8267 3544.Consultations, inoculations, first-aid/medical kits, post-travel examinations. Travellers' Immunization Service, 303 Pacific Hwy, Lind field, Sydney 02/9416 1348. Offers inoculations and general advice.

Charter flights

Various package specialists (see overleaf) operate winter (Oct-May) charters to Goa and Kerala. Leaving from Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow and Newcastle, these are usually for stays of two weeks (though 1-6 weeks are also possible) and often work out cheaper than a standard scheduled deal to Mumbai. Your fare must include some form of accommodation, which you can occupy on arrival and then ditch when you're ready to move on. Charter tickets are generally sold through high-street travel agents, and are also advertised in the travel pages of newspapers. Limerick and Waterford.

Book and map outlets in the UK and Ireland

Blackwell's Map and Travel Shop, 53 Broad St, Oxford 0X1 3BQ 01865/792792, Daunt Books, 83 Marylebone High St, W1M 30E 020/7224 2295, 020/7224 6893; 193 Haverstock Hill, NW3 4QL 020/7794 4006, Heffers Map and Travel, 20 Trinity St, Cambridge, CB2 1TJ 01223/586 586, John Smith and Sons, 26 Colquhoun Ave, Glasgow, G52 4PJ 0141/221 7472, James Thin Melven's Bookshop, 29 Union St, Inverness, IV1 1QA 01463/233500, The Map Shop, 30a Belvoir St, Leicester, LE16QH 0116/2471400 National Map Centre, 22-24 Caxton St, SW1HOOU 020/7222 2466, Newcastle Map Centre, 55 Grey St, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6EF 0191/261 5622, Stanfords: 12-14 Long Acre. WC2E 9LP 020/7836 1321; British Airways

Information, websites and maps

The Indian government maintains a number of tourist offices abroad, where you can pick up a range of pamphlets. Their main purpose is to advertise rather than inform, but they can be extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Other sources of information include travel agents (who are in business for themselves, so their advice may not always be totally unbiased), and the Indian Railways representatives listed. Inside India, both national and local governments run tourist information offices, providing general travel advice and handing out an array of printed material, from city maps to glossy leaflets on specific destinations. The Indian government's tourist department,

By air in Delhi

Indian Airlines, whose main office is in the Malhotra Building on F-Block, Connaught Place, near Wimpy, operate the largest network of internal flights, though private carriers serve more destinations; tickets can be bought through travel agents or the main offices. All flights leave from the domestic terminal, 15km southwest of town, easily reached by the convenient EATS bus service (Rs50 plus Rs5 for luggage; 30min) that departs from Pahka Bazaar, just opposite Wimpy. Rickshaws and taxis are more expensive, but slightly quicker. Passengers on domestic flights must check in two hours prior to departure. A simple food counter sells tea,

Arrival, information and city transport of Puri in Orissa

Trains arriving at Puri's end-of-line station, in the north of town, are greeted by fired-up cycle rickshaw-wallahs sprinting alongside in the race to catch a foreigner. You'll encounter similar "rickshaw rage" at the main bus station I and the Jagannath temple, caused by competition for the commission offered by the aggressively touting hotels. The bus stand is further in the north of the city, a ten-minute rickshaw ride from the centre through the bumpy back- I streets. The OTDC tourist office on Station Road (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, closed 2nd Sat of the month; 06752/22664) is friendly and helpful; the 24-hour counter at

Arrival and information Gwalior

Gwalior's main-line railway station, linked to Delhi, Agra, Jhansi and Bhopal by the fast Shatabdi Express, lies in the east of the city, just around the corner from the state bus stand. Most of the decent accommodation is within walking distance of the station, with more places an auto-rickshaw ride away to the west, down the busy MLB (Maharani Lakshmi Bai) Road. If you're travelling light, you could save on the fare by squeezing into one of the inexpensive tempos that run along Station Road. Gwalior airport, 9km to the northeast of the centre, is served by taxis and auto-rickshaws.

Practicalities of Allahabad in the Uttar Pradesh

Allahabad has four railway stations (including Prayag, City and Daraganj), but major trains on the broad-gauge Delhi-Kanpur-Calcutta line arrive at the main Allahabad Junction. Most of the city's hotels are nearby; be sure to use the exit appropriate to the area where you plan to stay. Leader Road bus stand, used by buses from western destinations such as Agra. Lucknow, Kanpur, Kausambi and Delhi, is just outside the station's south gates on the ciry side, while the smaller Zero Road bus stand, serving Mahoba and Satna and Chitrakut to the south - the railheads for Khajuraho - is 1km southeast. Buses

Medical resources for travelers

For up-to-the-minute information, make an appointment at a travel clinic. These clinics also sell travel accessories, including mosquito nets and first-aid kits. Information about specific diseases and conditions, drugs and herbal remedies is provided as well as advice from health experts. You could also consult the Rough Guide to Travel Health by Dr Nick Jones. UK British Airways Travel Clinics Operates several clinics located in London including 156 Regent St, London W1 020/7439 9584 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.15pm, Sat10am-4pm; no appointment necessary). There are appointment-only branches at 101 Cheapside, London EC2 020/7606 2977, and at the BA terminal in London's Victoria Station 020/7233 6661.

Moving on from Manali in Himachal Peadesh

Manali is well connected by bus to other Himachali towns and major cities on the plains. HPSRTC run luxury, deluxe and ordinary buses, all of which can be booked at the bus stand. During the summer, demand invariably outstrips supply, particularly for the faster services, so book as far in advance as possible, and be prepared for regular and fruitless visits to ticket offices. The numerous travel agents dotted around town also sell tickets for private "deluxe" services to Delhi, Shimla and Dharamsala. Consider breaking your journey in Mandi (for Rewalsar) or using the Kangra valley railway to reach Dharamsala,

Overland travel in Delhi

For journeys to neighbouring countries, there's always the alternative of overland travel, a long haul by train and/or bus. Crossings to Pakistan should be made from Amritsar, ten hours by train from Delhi, where buses cross, the border and head to Lahore (lifts with trucks are no longer easy to find). The twice-weekly direct Delhi-Lahore bus, inaugurated by Prime Minister Vajpayee in 1998, was short-lived, terminated by the Kargil War ot 1999; check with tourist information or the ISBT in Old Delhi. Those travelling overland to Nepal should make for Gorakhpur. to pick up a bus to the border, which

Arrival and information in Gujarat

The centre of town from a tourist's point of view is Bedi Gate near the shopping centre and office complex of New Super Market. As its name suggests, this junction was one of the gates of the old city, which lies to its south, but most of the walls have long since been demolished. Northwest of Bedi Gate, Pandit Nehru Marg leads past Teen Bati, an imposing triple gateway, and on towards the railway station, 6km out. The ST bus stand is 2km or so west of Bedi Gate, on the other side of Ranmal lake, and the airport 8km

Moving on from Aurangabad in Maharashtra

Daily flights from Aurangabad to Mumbai (40min; $75) are operated by Jet Airways (8.45pm) and Indian Airlines (5.30pm). The Indian Airlines flight also carries on to Delhi ($175). Their office is on Jalna Road (3 0240/485421). Ail the state transport corporation (MSRTC) buses leave from the Central bus stand and the MTDC buses depart from the MTDC Holiday Resort. The MSRTC run good-value "luxury" daily night-buses to Mumbai. If you feel like a little more comfort, there are a couple of companies running more expensive a/c buses to most of the larger destinations; tickets can be booked through travel agents. Getting