FROM AN EXPERIENCED TRAVELLER

TO THE HOTEL OR TRAIN STATION FROM DELHI AIRPORT 

GENERAL ADVICE

Be careful in India, watch your bags and always carry your money belt and passport on your body, inside your clothes preferably. Especially be watchful in airports and train stations.

But also relax and enjoy - it's a bit of culture shock at first coming to India, but once you get used to it, it's quite amazing.

AT THE AIRPORT

If you fly into Delhi, after you collect your luggage and pass through Customs, while you are still walking inside the terminal building you will come to some  Pre Paid Taxi booths.  These are fairly expensive ones AS THEY ARE PRIVATELY OWNED ( and more expensive cars)

Once you step outside the terminal door, on the right in front of you is another, cheaper Pre Paid Taxi Booth.  You tell them where you want to go, and pay for the taxi at that counter and they direct you to your taxi and you get dropped at your destination (don't pay the driver any more money when you reach your destination even if they ask!  And the driver needs to take your taxi receipt back with him to claim his money) That is usually the cheapest way to get a taxi.

Once you are past the new fancy arrival lounge , you can catch an ex-servicemens bus to the city - EATS. run by exarmy personnel , this is the cheapest way to get to the city.

STICK TO PREPAID

Even when you have your Pre-Paid ticket in your hand and are walking to the taxi, the other taxi sharks will sometimes still hassle you, and try to lure you away from your alloted taxi, so walk resolutely with the person guiding you!  There are often hordes of people milling around the airport, and if it's your first time, it can be daunting - so once you have paid your money and got your taxi receipt, demand that someone walks with you to show you which one is your taxi. 

IF CATCHING A TRAIN

If you plan to catch a train from Delhi to another city there is now a booth at Delhi Airport just after you get your bags and pass Customs, where you can buy tickets. It's a good idea to buy your ticket there if you know what day you want to travel, as they do it instantly and usually there are no queues. If you buy one at the Train Station, it can take several hours of waiting.  However, the airport train booth does not operate at night which just happens to be when most of the international flights get in!

WARNING

Warning - If you are catching a taxi to Old Delhi station, allow plenty of time as the traffic can be very bad on the last part of the journey through Old Delhi streets.   The traffic can often be at a standstill at various points along is road, especially if you are catching the Jammu Mail train in the evening.

Porters at Railway Stations -

All Indian Railway stations have red jacketed porters waiting for you!   They are brilliant.

They meet you at the station entrance, and carry your luggage (no matter how heavy) and they know exactly which platform each train leaves from, and exactly where your carriage will pull up.  They will lead you to your train,  find your seat and stow your luggage away.  

If your train has not arrived at the station yet, they will put your luggage on the platform and either wait with you, or depending how long your train will be, go away and come back when the train pulls in.  

So they are a great help but beware of being overcharged - Indian people only pay between Rs10 or 20 per load, but westerners should expect to pay a bit more, say up to Rs 50 per load.  And DON'T pay them until you are safely on the train, in your seat, with your luggage stowed away! 

They will be quite insistent with westerners to be paid exhorbitant rates so if they demand too much, ask an Indian near you what rate you should be paying.

WHERE TO STAY IN DELHI
(Also look up Lonely Planet Guide)

 If phoning these hotels from outside of India, the country code and area code are - 91-11 followed by the number.

There are two areas in Delhi where most backpacking travellers stay on their way to Dharamsala - Paharganj and Majnukatila (marj-noo-ka-tilla).

Majnukatila
Majnukatila is a Tibetan Settlement on the north side of the city. Here there are lots small hotels and guesthouses all close and within walking distance of each other. And Tibetans are always friendly, helpful and generally trustworthy, so if you need help just ask.

You could try either of these Guesthouses:
Gomang House, 14-A New Tibetan Camp,
Majnukatila, phone 2932537.
Wongden House, 15-A New Tibetan Camp,
Phone 391 0953 or Fax 3945962
Air conditioned delux room is Rs 650, and delux
room 450, and delux double room 350. They also sell tickets for the 7 pm bus to MG.

 You can easily get cheaper rooms in Majnukatila if required. It takes about an hour by taxi from the International Airport to Majnukatila, although if you arrive in the middle of the night, it might take less time.

Paharganj

Paharganj is near New Delhi Railway Station and Connaught Place. Definitely more "convenient" if you want to do shopping and official stuff like plane tickets, visa stuff etc. There are literally hundreds of little and big hotels and guesthouses along this strip of road, lots of eating places and cheap shops. Be careful of yourself, bags and valuables when staying here. Because so many travellers hang around this area, it's a good place for thieves also!

There are many, many hotels in Paharganj, with a range of prices from very cheap to middle priced. Here are two that we know of which are okay -
Anoop Hotel, 1566 Main Bazar, Paharganj, New Delhi.
Phone 352 1451 or 352 1467. Fax 91-11-753 2942
Email: sent@ndf.vsnl.net.in
(This hotel has quite a good restaurant on their rooftop)


Cost: Single rooms around 180-260 approximately. Not sure of double room prices.
Major’s Den, 2314 Lakshmi Narain Street, 
(Behind Imperial Cinema) Pahaganj
Phone 362 9599, 351 4163, 353 9010
Email - majorsden@hotmail.com Cost: Single rooms 250 and upwards Double & triple rooms 350 and upwards They have tea, coffee and food room service available. Our experience is that the people running this hotel are very nice and helpful, especially Major Den himself. It feels like a safe and honest place, and they say a lot of their clientele are women. The hotel is also set slightly back from the main bazaar, so is a bit quieter than most of the other hotels.

 Good luck and welcome to India!

ARE YOU AN EXPERIENCED TRAVELLER - CHENNAI, MUMBAI,KOLKATTA TO GO - webyatra@yahoo.co.in