Flights
Direct connections from Europe, the Gulf, South-East Asia and North America to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi. Eight to nine hours from Europe. The Gulf carriers offer the widest network at the lowest fares and add three to four hours.
Getting around
Domestic flights are frequent and inexpensive, and for any journey over five hundred kilometres they are the sensible choice. The rail network is vast and an experience in itself: book well ahead online, choose air-conditioned classes for long journeys, and understand that overnight trains save a hotel night. Road travel is slow — average speeds are far lower than distances suggest — and night driving between cities is best avoided.
When to come
October to March is the season for most of the country: dry, warm, and pleasant. April to June is extremely hot across the north and centre, with temperatures above forty-five degrees. The monsoon arrives in Kerala in late May or June and sweeps north through July, bringing heavy rain, disruption and — in Kerala and the Western Ghats — a green landscape many prefer. The Himalayan season is inverted: summer is the time to go up.
Money
The rupee is not freely exportable in quantity. ATMs are everywhere in cities and reliable; cards work in hotels, restaurants and modern retail, and digital payment by QR code is ubiquitous — more so than in most of Europe — but usually requires an Indian bank account. Carry cash for small purchases and transport.
Orders of magnitude
| Return flight from Europe | €500 to €900 depending on season and carrier |
|---|---|
| Mid-range hotel night | ₹3,000 to ₹8,000 |
| Restaurant meal | ₹200 to ₹1,000 depending entirely on the establishment |
| Domestic flight | ₹3,000 to ₹8,000 booked ahead |
What holds everywhere
- Insurance covering medical costs and repatriation stops being optional as soon as local healthcare is limited. Check it actually covers the destination: many policies exclude areas under adverse travel advice.
- Carry cash. In much of the world cards work in the big cities and nowhere else. Check the ATM situation and your bank's charges before leaving.
- Leave margin on connections. A tight transfer on a thinly served route is expensive: the next flight may be tomorrow, or in three days.
- The real budget runs over two years, not one trip: repeated flights, paperwork, translations, legalisations, any support sent. It is always underestimated.