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Getting There By Air:

Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)
Tel: (011) 2566 1000 (Terminal 1) or 2000 (Terminal 2 - international).
Website: www.newdelhiairport.in

Indira Gandhi International Airport is located 23km (14 miles) southwest of central Delhi and is one of the main international gateways to India. Passengers flying to Indian destinations beyond Delhi should be aware that the domestic terminal at Palam (tel: (011) 2567 5126) is located some 5km (3.1 miles) away from the international terminal.

Approximate flight times to Delhi: From London is 8 hours 25 minutes; from New York is 16 hours; from Los Angeles is 24 hours; from Toronto is 18 hours and from Sydney is 17 hours.

Airport facilities: These include foreign exchange facilities, a tourist information counter, snack bars, a bookshop and duty-free shops. Car hire (chauffeur-driven and self-drive) is available at both domestic and international arrivals. For self-drive hire, it is advisable to book ahead so that the car of your choice is available.

Transport to the city: Although metered taxis are available outside the airport, it is far easier to pre-book at the reliable Delhi Traffic Police Pre-Paid Taxi Booth which is located outside the international terminal entrance. Here, a ticket is given to the allocated driver in lieu of a cash payment. You should only surrender your ticket to the driver once you have reached your destination. The journey to central Delhi should take 30 to 45 minutes. Hotels and travel agents can, by prior agreement, arrange airport transfer by private taxi; 5-star hotels usually offer complimentary airport transfers.

Getting There By Road:

For those willing to brave Delhi’s congested roads, driving is, in principle, on the left and foreign drivers must be over 18 and in possession of an International Driving Permit. Beyond that, there are few rules that are either adhered to or enforced. The consensus is that it is far safer to use taxis or hire a car with a driver for longer journeys. National Highways are designated by a number.

Those intending to take their own car to India must obtain a carnet from one of the international motoring associations (such as the RAC or the AA) before entering the country. This document represents an undertaking that the car will not remain in India for more than six months. Most European motor insurance policies do not extend to India and motorists are advised to seek cover from an Indian insurer, as insurance is compulsory.

Automobile Association of Upper India (tel: (011) 2696 5397; website: www.aaui.org) provides further information.

Emergency breakdown service: The AAUI provides a 24-hour breakdown service.

Routes to the city: Five National Highways pass through Delhi, making the city a hub of the country’s road system. The most important of these are the Grand Trunk Road (National Highway 1) from Amritsar in the north, Mathura Road from Agra in the south, National Highway 2 from Kolkata (Calcutta) in the east, and Gurgaon Road or National Highway 8 from Jaipur in the west.

Approximate driving times to the city: From Agra - 4 hours 30 minutes; Jaipur - 5 hours; Amritsar - 9 hours 30 minutes.

Coach services: Delhi is linked by bus services (air conditioned, deluxe and ordinary) to all major destinations in northern India. The Interstate Bus Terminus (ISBT) (tel: (011) 2386 0290), at Kashmir Gate, north of Old Delhi railway station, is the terminus for all intercity bus services. It has a left-luggage service (charges apply). There are two other ISBTs in Delhi and together they cater for upwards of 150,000 passengers and over 2,000 buses per day. State operators based here include Delhi Transport Corporation (tel: (011) 2386 5181; website: http://dtc.nic.in), Haryana Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 1262), Himachal Pradesh Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 3473), Punjab Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 7842), Rajasthan Roadways (tel: (011) 2338 1884) and Uttar Pradesh Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 8709).

Getting There By Rail:

Delhi is the hub of the Indian Railways network (tel: (011) 2334 8787 for reservations; website: www.indianrail.gov.in). The city has two major railway stations, in New Delhi and Old Delhi. New Delhi station, east of Main Bazaar (Paharganj), is about 1km (0.6 miles) from the northern fringe of Connaught Place. Main Delhi station (Old Delhi), west of Red Fort, is about 7km (4 miles) from Connaught Place. All stations have basic waiting room and restaurant facilities. Railway stations and trains are notorious for theft and luggage should be securely locked and never left unattended. There is a recorded information service available (tel: 131).

Rail services: Delhi offers express trains to most parts of the country. One of the most popular services is the Shatabdi Express, which travels to various destinations including Agra, Jaipur, Lucknow and Amritsar. Tickets are available at the International Tourist Bureau (tel: (011) 2340 5156), located on the first floor at New Delhi station. This service is for foreigners only and the office takes payment in US Dollars, Euros or Pounds Sterling; payment can only be made in Rupees if backed up with money-exchange receipts or ATM slips. You may be required to show your passport. For a small fee, travel agents take the time-consuming bureaucracy out of the protracted business of booking rail tickets, but only deal with accredited agencies, to avoid scams. The Indrail Pass, valid for seven to 90 days, allows unlimited travel for the period of validity but does not dispense with the need to make advance reservations.

Getting Around:

Public Transport
Three phases of Delhi’s excellent underground metro are now in operation: Shahdara-Rithala, Vishwa Vidalaya-Central Secretariat, and Dwarka-Barakambha Road. The remaining phases are expected to be completed by around 2010. The system is technologically very advanced: fare collection, for example, is done using ‘smart’ cards and tokens. The metro is expected to reduce the dependence of Delhi’s population on the car, reduce average commuting times by three-quarters and significantly cut pollution. 

There are also several schemes underway to improve the flow of traffic in the city, the most significant of which is the construction of flyovers. Around a dozen flyovers have now been completed, while several dozen others are at various stages of the planning process. However, Delhi remains addicted to the car (the number of vehicles registered in the city is a staggering 1.3 million and forecast to increase by around 7 to 8% per annum) and congestion, noise and pollution are an ongoing problem.

There are public buses in Delhi (all now converted to CNG or compressed natural gas), although finding a seat on the mostly decrepit vehicles is quite an undertaking due to the sheer number of passengers. The Delhi Transport Corporation (tel: (011) 2386 5181; website: http://dtc.nic.in) operates a centralized bus network which covers numerous routes within Delhi as well as interstate routes. Within Delhi, there are more than 700 routes serviced by over 3,000 buses. DTC also runs daily morning and afternoon sightseeing tours which take in the principal attractions of the city (see website for further information). There is a row of seats on the left of each bus reserved for women, although this rule is observed only on a whim.

The easiest way to get around the city is by taxi or auto-rickshaw (see below). Over recent years, the government, in an attempt to tackle the city’s air pollution, has forced taxis and auto-rickshaws to convert from petrol to CNG. This has made a statistical impact (Delhi has now moved below Mumbai and Kolkata (Calcutta) in the list of India’s most polluted cities) and the areas around even the busiest roads do now feel less polluted.

Rickshaws
Auto-rickshaws are open-sided, motorized tricycles, which weave in and out of Delhi’s thick traffic and can be stopped pretty much anywhere in the city. Visitors should be prepared for an uncomfortable ride as they lurch over the bumps and potholes of Delhi’s roads, at the same level as the exhaust pipes of most lorries and buses. Four- and six-seater motorcycle rickshaws are also available, which run fixed routes at fixed prices, including the route between the Red Fort (Old Delhi) and Palika Bazaar at Connaught Place. In Old Delhi, bicycle rickshaws are useful for short distances, although the government is planning to phase them out by 2010 in a bid to solve escalating congestion problems. Fares should always be negotiated at the start of the journey. Tipping is optional but especially encouraged for bicycle rickshaw drivers; 10% of the fare is the usual starting point.

Taxis
Yellow and black Ambassador taxis are readily available, especially at local taxi stands, where taxis can be booked and prices fixed in advance. Taxis can also be booked through hotels. Drivers do not usually expect tips unless they have gone to some trouble on their passenger’s behalf. There is a 25% surcharge between 2300 and 0500. Like auto-rickshaws, there are official rates for taxis but metered prices are generally subject to high surcharges and are at least twice as expensive as auto-rickshaws. Fares should be negotiated at the start of the journey as even those taxis that have meters can be misleading.

Driving in the City
Driving in Delhi takes a certain degree of steeliness. The broad boulevards of New Delhi pose few potential hazards. However, negotiating the vehicular chaos that is Old Delhi can test the skills of the most able driver, as bicycles and rickshaws career through the choking traffic of buses, trucks and cars, not to mention ox carts, lone wandering cows, goats and even the occasional elephant. Road travel is also subject to the vagaries of VIPs, of which India has an astonishing number, with roads frequently closed for ‘VIP movement’. Night driving can be particularly dangerous, with streets and cars lit only sporadically. Car parks are few and far between and, in general, driving oneself around the city is not recommended.

Car Hire
Service providers include Avis (tel: (011) 5539 7112; website: www.avis.com), located at the Oberoi Hotel and Hertz (tel: (011) 2412 1496; website: www.hertz.com) at Chankyapuri. Most major hotels can also arrange car hire on the visitor’s behalf. An International Driving Permit is essential for driving in India and in most cases the driver must be 25 years or over. Third party insurance is required by law.

Bicycle Hire
Cycling in New Delhi can take some courage but it is a good way of getting around the wide boulevards, which are fairly uncrowded and in relatively good condition. Bicycle hire in Delhi is surprisingly hard to come by - ask at your hotel, or at the Jhandewalan Cycle Market which is located several kilometers northwest of Paharganj.

Lovers of vintage motorcycles come to India to indulge a penchant for its locally built Enfields. The reputable Inder Motors, on Hari Singh Nalwa Street in Karol Bagh (tel: (011) 2572 8579; website: www.lallisingh.com), has new and second-hand Enfields for hire and sale.

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