India Travel
India's large size and uncertain roads make flying a viable option to get around. Most Indian airports continue to function with one runway and a handful of boarding gates. Check in and security queues can be terrible long, so have patience. In the last few years deregulation has meant improved services, lower prices and a swollen number of secondary operators. Sahara Indian Airlines and Jet Airways are probably the most stable of the new competitors.
The Indian railway system is deservedly legendary and Indian rail travel is unlike any other travel on earth. There are a number of different classes and a number of different trains. The Indian reservation system is very complicated, but be patient because it is one of the few bureaucracies in the country that actually works. When booking tickets, take advantage of the tourist quota allotment if one exists. You will find it easier to reserve a seat this way.
Buses vary widely from state to state, but there is often a choice of buses on main routes - ordinary, express, semi-luxe, deluxe air-conditioned and even deluxe sleeper buses.
You can hire a car and a driver very easily, but you need nerves of steel and excellent carma to consider driving yourself. Cars are usually rented on a daily basis and come with a limited number of kilometers a day. You will probably be responsible for the driver's expenses, so be sure to clarify how much this is to be each day before you set off. To get a license to drive in India, you do not need to pass a test, so if you are planning a long trip, it is wise to go for a short spin with your prospective driver just in case you do not like his breaking ability.
