This article is meant to be a brief India travel guide for tourists who need some information about means of transport in India . Anyone traveling to India for the first time is sure to be overwhelmed by the diversity of cultures, languages, people, food, climates and almost everything else. It isn’t possible to write a comprehensive India travel guide which can cover even a fraction of what a tourist may encounter in India. We aim to cover as much vital details as possible without drowning the reader with too much information. We have already posted some India travel guides on this website,:
This guide intends to cover some of the general issues related to transport and travel in India. So let’s begin with :
Travel by trains in India
India has the biggest system of railway lines on the planet and the service is very good, if not excellent. Traveling in India on via train gives you the chance to explore India in detail and in general is cheaper than domestic air travel. Train travel in India offers good connectivity all over India for people with all kind of budgets .For someone with an inquisitive and open mind, it’s a great way of meeting all kinds of Indian people belonging to different regions and classes. There are different types of trains with different levels of service catering to people with different budgets and needs. Trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi are air-conditioned, fastest in India and provide meals. There are other trains like Duronto, Garib Rath, various Express and other trains which offer varying levels of service at different prices.
Apart from that, there are some luxury trains Palace on Wheels, Maharajas’ Express, The Golden Chariot and a few more. These trains are run jointly by Indian railways and tourism ministries of different states in which they operate. Journeying on these trains covers all aspects of transport, food, lodging and sightseeing. Service and level of comfort offered is among the best in world
One major drawback of trains is that it can prove difficult to procure tickets. Another one are the delays which can happen frequently on long routes. If you are very tight schedule, relying on trains for your India journey can backfire.
Inter-city or inter-state travel in India by Bus
In India, travel by bus is 2nd most popular way of cheap travel and in some cases, the only way of public transport to reach places like Manali, Laddakh etc, not yet connected by train network. There are different types of buses available on budget of the traveler. Ordinary buses are usually very crowded and it’s not possible to reserve tickets. They don’t have any air-conditioning or comfortable seats either, But they are very cheap as even a 5 hour journey may cost only Rs 100. Then there are luxury buses with better seats which may or may not have air-conditioning available. They are generally more comfortable and price for a 7-10 hour journey may vary between Rs 300 to Rs 800 for different places and operators. Tickets in air-conditioned buses cost around 1.5 times to double for same kind of seats.
Apart from these, there are luxury buses operated by private as well as government which offer maximum comfort at slightly higher prices. These buses are usually supplied by Volvo or Mercedes and have more comfortable seating arrangements than the rest.
Travel by Car
Connaught place, Delhi
A car with driver is the most comfortable and safest way of travel in India.It is possible to get a car on rent and drive it yourselves, if you have necessary paperwork, but Indian roads are too chaotic for a foreigner. It’s better to hire a driver along with the car. Salary for driver is about Rs. 150-300 per day which is included in rent for the car and you don’t have to pay for his food or lodging. Different varieties of vehicles have different rent prices and they vary between Rs 8 per km to Rs 20 per km for most models which include Ambassador, Tata Indigo, Toyota Qualis and a few others.
Renting a car is a good option for various reasons as you have much more flexibility and don’t have to worry about following a strict schedule or missing a train or worry about tickets. Having a good driver who can communicate well also means that he can help you with finding good hotels, restaurants and other amenities easily. But be wary of drivers who act as touts. A majority of them try to take tourists to businesses which offer them commissions. It isn’t exactly illegal, but tourists should evaluate their choices before making decisions. They should make sure that they are getting good value for their money for the services availed.
Travel by motor-bikes
Using a motorbike (motorcycle) can be a great adventure if you are up to driving on dangerous roads. Royal Enfield is the most popular brand for motorcycle enthusiasts in India. It’s less fuel efficient but is powerful enough for most Indian roads including those on mountains. Motorcycles with engines of 100 to 220 cc are more common and cheaper and cam offer a mileage of 40kmpl to 70 kmpl depending upon various factors. It is possible to rent or buy new or used motorcycles. Rental cost per day for bikes vary between Rs 600 to Rs 1500 in different places for different bikes. While buying, it’s advisable to go for 2nd hand bikes which may cost anything between Rs 12000 to Rs 40000.
Travel in Indian cities by auto-rickshaws (tuk-tuk)
Auto/ tuk-tuk/three-wheeler is a good albeit slightly uncomfortable choice for short-distance travel inside Indian cities. Due to their small size, they can dodge traffic rush easily but have slow speeds which is actually good due to less safety features. Before getting in to an auto, always confirm with driver about fare. They’ll either go by distance covered on meter or ask for a flat fare. It’s different in different cities. Rest precautions are similar to those followed while hiring taxis anywhere in the world.
Well, this is gist of what a tourist should know about various modes of transport while traveling in India. We hope that it proves useful for some people. Email us at info@indiafoodtour.com or use this contact form for feedback or more information.
The food of Kerala is a blend of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. It includes a variety of items like fish, poultry and red meat. Rice, fish and coconut are the three most common ingredients of Keralite food. Banana chips and Kerala go hand in hand.Most of the tourists prefer banana chips as their snacks as they are easily available and can be tried at any time of the day. Banana chips are dried slices of bananas.They can be covered with sugar or honey to have a sweet taste, or they can be fried in oil and spices to have a salty or spicy taste. Cheera Parippu Thoran or spinach stir fry with coconut is for health conscious people who are looking for a dish that is healthy and is very less in calorie count.The dish is made using leafy vegetables. It makes the best side dish which one can either try with roti, rice. It is a rich source of minerals, vitamins, and iron. Ela Ada is one of those dishes which represent the best and authentic flavors of South India.The dish comprises of rice, coconut, jaggery, etc.One can try this dish for either breakfast or can even as an evening snack. Idiyappam is also known as Noolappam in Kerala cuisine. Idiyappam is made of rice flour, salt and water with a number of thin strands entwined together to make the lovely texture that this dish bears. It is this texture that makes it versatile. It tastes best with Egg Curry. Parippu vada or masala dal vada is a savoury fried snack in Kerala. It is made from legumes and is best consumed for breakfast. Sambar and coconut chutney are the standard accompaniments for Parippu vadas. Puttu and Kadala curry is a famous breakfast recipe out of the many Kerala. Puttu is a cylindrical steamed rice cake that is cooked in a mould with grated coconut. It is served with kadala curry(black chickpeas).It tastes best when served with poori or with roti. Semiya Payasam or popularly known as Vermicelli rice is one of the most famous and popular sweet dishes of Kerala.It is prepared only for some special festivals and occasions. It is served in mud pots which makes the dish even tastier and attractive for the tourists. It is served with lots of nuts and is made using milk, rice, etc. thus is one healthy dish to try.
The food from Karnataka includes a wide range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and comprises of various cuisines that include Udupi, Malnadu and Mangalorean cuisine. Ragi and rice are the staple food items for Karnataka especially in the southern region of the state whereas natives from coastal regions mainly consume fish curries. Bisi bele bath is a spicy, rice-based dish with origins in the state of Karnataka.Bisi bele bhath, which translates to ‘hot lentil rice dish’ in Kannada language, is a wholesome meal. The preparation of this dish involves the use of masalas, toor dal, rice, ghee and vegetables. Spices like nutmeg, curry leaves and tamarind pulp contribute to its unique flavour and taste. Chiroti is a delicacy predominantly served in Karnataka.It’s prepared by rolling out kneaded dough made of maida into layered circular shapes and then deep frying in gheel. The outcome resembles a semi golden brown fluffy poori, which is then sprinkled with powdered sugar and grated almonds and cashews. Mysore Bonda is a very popular South Indian snack recipe which requires only a few simple ingredients. This mouth-watering snack is prepared with rice flour, baking soda, onion, all purpose flour, yoghurt, cumin. These are served with coconut chutney. Mysore pak originally called Mysuru paaka, is an Indian sweet prepared in ghee that is popular in Southern India. It originated in Mysore in the state of Karnataka. It is made of generous amounts of ghee, sugar, gram flour. The texture of the sweet is similar to fudge. Pori urundai is a traditional Indian sweet generally made from puff rice balls and jaggery.The preparation consists of first preparing the hot jaggery syrup with a minimum of water and adding it to puffed rice.Then ,they are moulded into spherical shape balls. Rava Kesari or Kesari Bath consists semolina, sugar, ghee, water, and milk. The dish can also be prepared with pineapple, banana, mango, coconut or rice. It assumes the texture of a crumbled cake.
When it comes to food, Maharashtra will never disappoint you. From the world famous pav bhaji to the delicious bhelpuri, Maharashtra has a lot to offer to food lovers. It is food heaven for both vegetarians and non vegetarians alike. Basundi is a sweet dish made in Maharashtra. It is condensed by boiling the sweetened milk on low heat which gives it a nice flavour. Sugar, cardamom or saffron is added to augment the flavour and texture. Different types of basundi are custard apple basundi and angoor basundi. Bhelpuri is a savoury snack common in Maharashtra.It is a mixture of puffed rice, chopped onions,chopped tomatoes,tamarind chutney. Bhelpuri can be served in a lot of ways, but usually it is served on a paper which is folded in the form of a cone and is consumed using a paper spoon. Misal pav has a spicy and tangy lentil curry which is made with moth beans and is served with Pav bread. At times, it is eaten with yoghurt to lessen the spice.It is decorated with a slice of Lemon and Onion Coriander sprinkled on it. This street food is readily available at any street food joint and served hot. Modak is extensively eaten during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival all around the state. The sweet filling is made up of fresh-grated coconut and jaggery, while the soft shell is made from rice flour, or wheat flour mixed with maida flour. The dumpling can be fried or steamed. Pav Bhaji is one of the spiciest, vegetarian dish. It is a mixture of boiled vegetables along with a lot of Spices and Onion Coriander mixture for garnish.Fresh and thick slices of bread, smothered in butter served with a delicious mix of moderately spiced vegetables. Vada Pav is the most favorite snack in Maharashtra.It is Potato Bhaji ball dipped in Besan Flour and fried in hot oil. It is stuffed in Pav with Garlic Chutney and fried Chilli. VadaPav is super delicious when served hot- hot spicy and slight crunchiness. It is also known as ‘INDIAN BURGER’.
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Arunachal Pradesh street food differs from tribe to tribe. As one move toward the eastern side of Arunachal people are dependent on bamboo and other leafy vegetables which are strictly boiled. Fried food is not as popular as people like to eat either boiled or smoked food. Apong is a type of rice beer, which is traditionally prepared by tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.India. Apong is prepared by fermenting rice. The two types are Nogi Apong and Poro Apong.The two apongs differ in their taste and colour. Chura Sabji is a kind of curry made of fermented cheese made by either yak milk or cow’s milk and not to forget the most important the flakes and a few pieces of the King chilly which makes it spicy but delicious. Lukhter is another delicacy of the Arunachal Pradesh.Lukter is a combination of cooked dry meat and chilli flakes from the King chilly or Bhut Jolokia. Like the norm goes with Aunachal, this is a side dish meant to be eaten with rice. Pehak is made by use of fermented Soybean and King chilly. In this dish, the king chilli is used as the main ingredient. It is also used as a side dish with rice. The pickle is hot and very spicy that gives the rice a very unique hot flavor. Pehak is very popular among Arunachalis. Pictures sourced from various sources on internet. Please contact for credits. Visit:- if you want to visit Golden traingle along with food Tour
Gujarati food is more than just Dhokla. North Gujarat, Kacch, Kathiyawad and Surti Gujarat are the four major regions of Gujarat and each of these bring their own uniqueness to Gujarati cuisine. Dabeli, Kutch dabeli or double roti is a popular snack food originating in the Kutchof Gujarat. Dabeli literally means “pressed” in Gujarati. It is made with mixing boiled potatoes with a special masala and served with chutney, pomegranate and roasted peanuts. Fafda is a popular Gujarati snack. Fafda is usually yellowish in complexion. It is eaten with a chutney and salty fried-green chilis. Jalebi is sweet and crunchy making this sweet-savoury dish a favourite. Khaman is a food common in the Gujarat , made from soaked and freshly ground chana dal .The final touch to the soft and fluffy khaman is added with a garnishing of sesame seeds, mustard seeds, coriander leaves. It is a variant of Dhokla and has a lighter colour. Khichu is a dough for making papad made from rice flour, however, a few other flours are also used. The snack is prepared by cooking flour in water like porridge with cumin seeds and an alkaline salt known as Papad Khar.The name khichu is derived from the ductile nature of the dough. Khandvi consists of yellowish, tightly rolled bite-sized pieces and is primarily made of gram flour and yogurt. Khandvi is readily available across India and is commonly eaten as an appetizer or snack and is served with garlic chutney. Muthia is a staple of Gujaratis. The name is derived from the way it is made, from the ‘gripping’ action of the hand. Muthia assembles a shape of sausage. The inclusion of fenugreek makes Muthia good for bowel movement. Sev Tameta is made using juicy tomatoes served with heaps of besan sev. The gujrati version of the dish is a bit sweeter with the inclusion of jaggery.
Haryana is one of the wealthiest states in India with kindhearted people. The occupation of the majority of the people is agriculture and dairy. Predominantly, Haryanvi diet is a vegetarian one and they consume a lot of milk and ghee. Haryana is also referred to as ‘The Land of Rotis”. Alsi ki Pinni is prepared with alsi (flaxseed), whole wheat flour, sugar, ghee, nuts and cardamom powder. This sweet is not only delicious but also very healthy. Alsi is high in fiber, omega 3, iron and potassium among others. Bajra Aloo Roti(haryanvi food) is prepared with a mix of bajra flour, mashed potatoes, ginger garlic paste, coriander leaves, garam masala. It is served hot with white butter with raita as accompaniments. It tastes heavenly and just melts in the mouth. Hara Dhania Cholia is a mix of green chickpeas and variety of vegetables. It is prepared with onion, tomato, red chili powder, cumin seeds, coriander leaves and turmeric amongst others. It is a rare and unique combination that is popular in Haryana and is eaten with chapatis or paranthas. Meethe Chawal or sweet rice are prepared using basmati rice, ghee, and sugar along with some cardamom and saffron. Basmati rice grown in Haryana is the best. The dish is very famous and is served during Basant Panchami festival.Every individual must try it at least once.
