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Travel - International
Note: Visitors are strongly advised not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir, areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab close to the border or areas of Ladakh close to the Line of Control due to political unrest. For further information, visitors should seek official advice.
AIR: India’s national airline is Air India (AI). British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly to India from the UK; United Airlines and Delta Airlines fly from the USA.
Approximate flight times: From London to Delhi is 9 hours, to Kolkata (Calcutta) is 12 hours, to Chennai is 12 hours 30 minutes and to Mumbai is 9 hours. From Los Angeles to Delhi is 25 hours 30 minutes. From New York to Delhi is 18 hours. From Singapore to Delhi is 5 hours. From Sydney to Delhi is 10 hours.
International airports: All the airports mentioned below have money exchange facilities, tourist information offices and hotel reservation services:
Delhi (DEL) (Indira Gandhi International) is 22km (15 miles) south of the city (travel time – 45 minutes). There are coach, bus and taxi services to the city. There are 24-hour duty-free shops, banks/bureaux de change, post office (0600-2000), restaurants and car hire.
Mumbai (BOM) is 29km (18 miles) north of the city (travel time – 50-75 minutes). Taxi services go to the city. Taxi fares should have fixed rates from the airport to the city. Public transport is also available in the form of the EATS bus service and local buses. Facilities include a bank/bureau de change, 24-hour post office, nursery, restaurant and shops.
Kolkata (Calcutta) (CCU) is 13km (8 miles) northeast of the city (travel time – 40-60 minutes). There is a 24-hour coach service to Indian Airlines city office and major hotels. A bus goes every ten minutes 0530-2200. Taxi services go to the city. There is a 24-hour post office, 24-hour bank, bars, duty-free shops and restaurants available.
Chennai (MAA) is 14km (9 miles) southwest of the city (travel time – 20 minutes). A coach meets all flight arrivals 0900-2300. There is a train every 20-30 minutes from 0500-2300. Bus 18A runs every 25 minutes from 0500-2200. Taxi services go to the city.
Departure tax: £10. (£8 for neighbouring countries only).
SEA: The main passenger ports are Mumbai, Kolkata (Calcutta), Kochi, Chennai, Calicut, Panaji (Goa) and Rameswaram (the main departure point for the sea crossing to Sri Lanka; passenger services are presently suspended owing to the political situation in Sri Lanka). Indian ports are also served by several international shipping companies and several cruise lines. There are, however, no regular passenger liners operating to South-East Asia.
Departure tax: Seaports levy the following departure tax: RS150 (for journeys to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). RS500 (all other destinations).
RAIL: This section gives details of the major overland routes to neighbouring countries (where frontiers are open); in most cases these will involve road as well as rail travel. Details should be checked with India Tourism as they may be subject to change (see Contact Addresses section).
Connections to Pakistan: Currently only possible between Amritsar and Lahore (New Delhi–Amritsar–Lahore–Hyderabad–Karachi).
Connections to Nepal: The most practical and popular route to Nepal is by train to Raxaul (Bihar) and then by bus to Kathmandu or by train to Gorakphur (or by bus if coming from Varanasi) and then by bus to Kathmandu crossing the border at Sunauli; also, by train to Nantanwa (UP) and then by bus to Kathmandu/Pokhara, or Bhairawa to Lumbini for Pokhara. It is also possible to make the crossing from Darjeeling by bus to Kathmandu across the southern lowlands.
Connections to Bhutan: The best way of reaching Bhutan is by train to Siliguri, then bus to Phuntsholing. There is also an airlink from Kolkata (Calcutta) to Paro by Druk Air.
Connections to Bangladesh: The best route to Bangladesh is Kolkata (Calcutta) to Bongaon (West Bengal) by train, rickshaw across the border to Benapol, with connections via Khulna or Jessore to Dhaka. Another route is from Darjeeling via Siliguri, then train or bus from Jalpaiguri to Haldibari.
Currently no land frontiers are open between India and Myanmar or India and the People’s Republic of China.
ROAD: Of late, the overland route from Europe to India has become very popular, but travellers should have accurate information about border crossings, visa requirements and political situations en route. The most popular border crossings into India are Sunauli (for Delhi and northwest India), Birganj (for Kolkata (Calcutta) and east India) and Kakarbhitta (for Darjeeling). Amritsar is now open for overland crossings into Lahore (Pakistan). Several ‘adventure holiday’ companies arrange overland tours and buses to India. A bus service between New Delhi and Lahore (Pakistan) has recently been launched (the first one in 50 years). The journey takes roughly ten hours and there are four weekly return trips available. For information on this and other overland routes to neighbouring countries, contact India Tourism (see Contact Addresses section).
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