Bengaluru (Bangalore), India — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
Airlines offering flights to Bengalaru include British Airways, Air Mauritius, Lufthansa, Malaysian Airlines, Oman Air and Singapore Airlines.
Bengalaru International Airport (BLR)
Tel: (080) 6678 2251/5.
Website: www.bengaluruairport.com
Bengalaru International Airport is 40km (22 miles) from the city center and serves domestic and international destinations.
Airport facilities
Facilities include currency exchange, ATMs, duty-free, shops, Wi-Fi access, a medical center and pharmacy, restaurants, cafés and postal services. Car hire is available from Hertz and Akbar Travels (tel: (080) 2222 7645; www.akbartravelsonline.com).
Transport to the city
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) ((tel: (080) 4143 1000; www.bmtcinfo.com) offers a shuttle bus service departing every 15 minutes from the airport to various city locations. Taxis operators are Meru Cabs (tel: All India 4422 4422) and Easy Cabs (tel: All India 4343 4343). The journey time to the city center is about 45 minutes. Credit card payments are accepted. Expect to pay around Rs15 per kilometer.
Approximate flight times to Bengalaru
From London - 10 hours 35 minutes; from New York – 19 hours 15 minutes; from Los Angeles - 19 hours 50 minutes; from Toronto – 17 hours 30 minutes and from Sydney – 12 hours.
Getting There By Road
Main roads connect all the major towns in Karnataka as well as neighboring states. Out of Bengalaru, roads are often unpaved and in the monsoon season, many become impassable through flooding. In principle, driving in Bengaluru is on the left. Foreign drivers must be over 18 and possess an International Driving Permit. It's far safer to use taxis or hire a car with a driver, particularly for longer journeys. Those taking their own car must obtain a Carnet de Passage from an international motoring associations (ie RAC) before entering India. This document guarantees that if the vehicle fails to be re-exported, then the issuing body will pay all duties liable. Motorists are advised to seek cover from an Indian insurer, as insurance is compulsory.
Emergency breakdown services
Automobile Association of Southern India (tel: (080) 2211 1561).
Routes to the city
The major roads are the NH-7 heading roughly north and south out of the city and the NH-4 traveling east and west.
Driving times to the city
From Mysore - 3 hours; Chennai - 5 hours ; Goa - 11 hours.
Coach services
The main coach operator is Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) (tel: (080) 2287 0099; www.ksrtc.in) who operate buses throughout Karnataka and to neighboring states. Interstate coach services arrive and depart from the Majestic Bus Stand, opposite the main city railway station. The state bus companies of the neighboring states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Goa also run buses in and out of Bengaluru. There are also a number of long distance private bus operators of whom the largest is Vijayanand Travels (tel: (080) 2228 7222).
Getting There By Rail
Rail Services
Trains to Bangalore arrive at the main Bangalore City railway station west of the center near Kempe Gowda Circle. For the north of the city, head to Cantonment station; for the east, visit Bangalore East and there is also Yesvantpur station in the northwest for trains to and from Goa.
Rail Operators
The national rail operator is Indian Railways (www.indianrail.gov.in) and there are frequent express connections between Bangalore and all the main cities in southern and central India. Train travel is the cheapest way of travel in India and the higher class prices offer good comfort and cleanliness. Bear in mind that some journeys can take more than 24 hours but some trains offer sleeper cabins.
Getting Around in Bengaluru (Bangalore), India
Public Transport
Transport in Bengaluru is by road or on foot. Pavements are often narrow and broken and crossing the roads can be difficult, so the best bet is to use metered auto-rickshaws (tuk-tuks) which are everywhere, and are cheap. They also cope with the often gridlocked traffic better than a bus.
Buses are run by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) (tel: (080) 2222 2542) and their services radiate from the City Bus Stand next to the Majestic Bus Stand. As well as regular stopping services, the BMTC operate a number of deluxe express services to designated destinations. The KR (City) Market bus stand is to the south of the city (tel: (080) 2670 2177), and Shivajinagar to the north (tel: (080) 2286 5332). Daily and weekly passes are available at discounted rates.
A new overland metro system is under construction.
Taxis
The main taxi companies are Meru Cabs (tel: (080) 4422 4422), Easy Cabs (tel: (080) 4343 4343) and Karnataka Taxi (tel: (080) 4252 5555).
Car Hire
Hiring a car with a driver is inexpensive. The main companies are Hertz (tel: 99725 02292) and Akbar Travels (tel: 1 800 226000), both are all-India call center numbers. Most of the hotels can also offer this service.
Driving in India requires familiarity with local driving customs, not to say skill and daring. Although traffic drives on the left, hazards include animals wandering in front of vehicles, speeding trucks and overloaded buses.
Visitors should have insurance and an international driving license to drive in India but the license requirement is often waived if you have your license from home.
