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.
Madhya Pradesh is a food haven for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike and the passion for food runs deep in the veins of its people. It is not at all surprising to walk down a narrow lane and find yourself losing all inhibitions and indulging in crisp jalebis, Khasta Kachori or the most-loved local street food Bhutte Ka Kees. Bhopali Paan or betel leaf is a complete culinary delight by itself. It not only tastes good but also has a part to play in the digestive system needs.It is a pastry made from betel nut, stuffed with chuna, kattha and supari, and a generous dollop of gulkand.It is said to be one of the most common mouth fresheners. Bhutte ka kees comprises of corns.This dish is only made in Madhya Pradesh and is a healthy and yummy food that is made with grated corn kernels cooked in spices, coconut and skimmed milk. Mustard seeds and green chilies are added to up the spice factor of the dish. Dal Bafla is influenced by the Rajasthani specialty dal bati, is a popular dish in Madhya Pradesh. Crispy baked wheat balls called bafla cooked until they become crisp, and then dipped in ghee. It is eaten with spicy daal, pickles or curry. Mawa Batti has the perfect crisp, the right amount of sweetness and the perfect texture.. It is prepared with mava dough which is mixed with rich dry fruits. After deep frying the mava dough balls, the dish is well-soaked in the sugar syrup to add the sweetness in the dish. Poha is a popular breakfast eaten all across the country and originated in the state of Madhya Pradesh.Super light and super healthy dish,Poha is made with the flattened rice along with the well-cooked onions, tomatoes and is best savoured with green chillies, curry leaves and a bit of lemon.
Tourism in India is a tale of amazing potential, confusing paradoxes, missed opportunities and massive under utilisation of resources. Compared to rest of the tourist hotspots around the world, India has mind boggling variety of tourist attractions of all types which can attract almost every single type of tourist out there. Ancient archaeological heritage of India which goes back to nearly 4000 years is spread all over India, from Laddakh to Kanyakumari. India is blessed with such awe inspiring ancient monuments at a scale unrivaled by any other country in the world. Forts of Rajput rulers in Rajasthan, artful temples of Bundels, luxurious monuments constructed by Mughals, amazingly beautiful Konkan temples are just a small fraction of this wealth spread across it’s length and breadth. Adventure tourists have some of the best and virtually untouched destinations in Laddakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttranchal, Sikkim, Mizoram and other north-eastern states . Wild life enthusiasts have the option of seeing some of the rarest wildlife not found anywhere else in world in Gir, Jim Corbett and many other national parks. Adventure tourism, specially in north-eastern states has a lot of potential but hasn’t been explored even partially. The north-eastern states states have some of the best places for adventure activities like trekking, mountain climbing, camping and much more. Culinary tourism in India which has the biggest potential is just a small speck. Considering the vast culinary diversity of India, the country should be the top destination for all foodie tourists. So many religions like Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism originated in India and their followers from all over the world wish to visit places important to their faiths. Medical tourism in India due to high quality healthcare at very low prices attracts people from all over the world. Culture and food junkies can’t find any place better than India with it’s diversity in languages, people, food, music, literature and culture which go back thousands of years. To top that, India is one of the cheapest tourist destinations compared to most of western countries. There is no other country in the world which offers so much diversity in such a package. Anyone would think that with so many blessings, India would be the tourist hub of the world. To top it all, India is one of the cheapest destinations in the world for tourists. In 2011, 62 lakh foreigner tourists arrived in India. Tourism sector in India employs nearly 4 crore people and is $ 121 billion dollar industry. Seems impressive, only till compared to 2.5 crore tourists per year Malaysia which has little to offer except beaches and and cheap shopping. Top tourist destination in world is France with 8.2 crore tourists in 2011 and 8.3 crore in 2012. India is not even in top 10 tourist destinations in world or even Asia. It’s actually ranked 38, preceded by countries like Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Egypt and even Tunisia. Just for sake of perspective, go through the following list: ( 1 million = 10 lakh, 100 lakh = 1 crore) Country No. of tourists Turkey 3.5 crore Morocco 92 lakh Tunisia 69 lakh South Africa 80 lakh China 5.8 crore Saudi Arab 1.7 crore Egypt 94 lakh Thailand 1.9 crore Looking at these figures, one can’t help but wonder what is wrong with Indian tourism sector. It’s not that people around the world are unaware of what India has to offer. Established travel forums like TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet are full of foreigners discussing and asking for information related to travel in India. Sections related to India are the ones with maximum number of posters. On Tripadvisor, India section has more than 10000 threads, exceeded only by 15000 threads of Thaliand. A lot people from all over the world wish to visit India but are turned away by numerous factors. Some of such issues are: 1) Complicated visa procedures: Infamous Indian red tape and bureaucracy is a nuisance outside the country too. Unlike other tourist hotspots, India makes it much more difficult and expensive for tourists to get a visa. India offers on arrival visa to only a handful of countries including Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and 4-5 others. In comparison, Malaysia offers on arrival visa to majority of countries except Israel, India, China and some African countries. 2) Bad infrastructure : Even though rapid development is happening, India is still a long way from having a world class tourist infrastructure. 3) Safety : Image of India has taken a severe beating recently due to various factors. Pakistan sponsored terrorism in various parts of India is also a big turn 0ff. 4) Lack Of Promotion Unlike other countries where governments and private organisations, spend large amounts of money and effort to promote tourism in their own countries, Indian efforts in this case have been very limited. Incredible India campaign which was launched with much fanfare a few years back ran out of steam pretty quickly. Above mentioned points are not unique to just India. A lot of countries face similar problems, have very little tourist attractions but still manage to attract many more tourists than India. We need to learn from them and make necessary changes as soon as possible. Some recent high profile projects like Golden Quadrilateral Highway project, Delhi Agra expressway, high speed trains with bio toilets etc are steps in right direction. But a lot more needs to be done. A lot of our customers are solo travelers, men and women of all ages. Some of them spend months or even years traveling inside India without facing any problem. But the recent bad press and selective reporting has messed up image of India badly. In an industry where perception counts for a lot, an effort has to be made to promote the attractions and good points of India rather than just the bad news. Development
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.
India is a fascinating land of eclectic cultures. This is because from the earliest times people of myriad races and nationalities have come to India-some as conquerors who came for some time and others who made India their home. All of them contributed something to the brilliant mosaic that makes up Indian culture, and nowhere is it more visible than in its varied cuisine. From Kashmiri cuisine with its more than a dozen meat dishes to the extensive vegetarian fare of the Gujarat’s; from the robust cuisine of the Punjabis to the delectable fish based recipes of the Bengalis, and from the fiery Goan curries to the fiery Chettinad chicken dishes of the South, one could go on till the cows come home and still not be done with describing the glories of Indian food. For the sake of convenience let’s just pick up two cities as examples of places where you can sample the best of Indian food. Though I daresay, just about any city would do considering the fact that Indians love their food as they do. Delhi Delhi is one of the most ancient cities of the world and has been the centre of many empires including the Mughal and the British. Some of the most popular eating joints in the city are: 1. Karims’ – This is near the historic Jama Masjid(Friday Mosque ) that was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan who also had the Taj Mahal built. You can sample the best of Mughlai food in the shape of Chicken Shorbha, Mutton Shorbha, Tandoori Chicken, Tandoori Raan, Tandoori Burra, Murgh Massalam and a variety of Indian breads. For those who know Mughlai cuisine Karim’s is right there at the top. 2. Parnthey Wali Gali – This is located in the Chandni Chowk or the moonlight square area of Delhi, and again the Emperor Shah Jahan, had this place come up in his rule as a trader and merchant hub. Paranthey Wali Gali or the fried flat bread street consists of a number of pretty basic eating joints that serve old style paranthas(fried Indian bread) in a variety of stuffing options. The bread is quite wholesome and filling, fried as it is with clarified butter. This is accompanied by a little vegetable side dish or two. For anyone visiting Delhi a visit to the Paranthey Wali Gali is de rigueur. 3. Moti Mahal Restaurant -This chain of restaurant’s claim to fame has to be the invention of the butter chicken, the ubiquitous chicken dish that defines Indian Punjabi cooking. That apart you can have top rate chicken tikkas, dal makhni, seekh kebabs and shami kebabs. Lucknow This imperial city was home to the Nawabs who were known for their fascination with food, and this led to the evolution of the world famous Awadhi cuisine. A few examples of this awesome way of preparing food are given below- 1. Kakori Kebab -Made from the mince obtained from the tendon of a leg of mutton, it is defined by its legendary softness. 2. Shami Kebab – Again made from mince tempered with raw mango. Absolutely mind blowingly delicious. 3. Boti Kebab – Delectable kebabs that are the result of lamb marinated in yoghurt, which is then skewered and cooked. If your mouth is watering already and you can’t wait to get on that plane to India you may want to start making the arrangements right now. Guest post by Amy Lawson from National Express .
Assam offers just the right kind of flavours to tickle your taste buds. With a wide variety of indigenous food to offer, Assamese food is famous for its distinct flavoring and influences. Delicious pork, chicken and mutton dishes are a must try. Baanhgaj or Lagot Kukura is essentially chicken cooked with bamboo shoots and lentil.The dish goes well with rice and it can be garnished with chopped green chillies and onions. Khaar is truly a unique Assamese preparation. Khaar is a heartwarming dish made with vegetables and pulses and the main ingredient being meat, fish or even duck. Even dried banana leaves which imparts burst of unexpected yet refreshing flavors. Lucchi is prepared by deep frying a roti made up of white flour, without making it crisp. It is served with a delicious potato curry. Lucchi is also known as Poori in other parts of the country. Masor Tenga is slow cooked fish with a broth made from outenga, tomatoes, and lemon and offers an extremely tangy refreshing flavour once done. Every Assamese definitely loves Masor Tenga. Payash is made using Joha rice and is loaded with ghee, dry fruits, and milk. Cooked on a low flame, one can also add cardamom and saffron for garnishing the dish. Overall, it is a must try dish for all those with a sweet tooth.
Manipur has been dubbed “The Jewelled Land” due to its natural beauty. The food of Manipur is considered to be very healthy as they use a fresh vegetables a lot. The preparations are simple yet, tasty. Manipuri food is spicy and contains less oil. Chakhao Kheer is a delicious kheer. It has a pleasing shade of purple and is prepared using milk, black sticky rice, and cardamom powder. It’s typically fancy with dried fruits like raisins,cashews or different nuts. It is usually prepared on special occasions like festivals and weddings. Eromba is prepared nearly always with a fish referred to as Ngari. Eromba is made by boiling a large number of vegetables together with some Ngari and king chili. It’s mixed till the mixture becomes sort of a paste. Kangsoi is a vegetable stew that consists of seasonal vegetables that are cooked and flavored with sliced cloves, garlic, onions, salt, maroi and a touch of ginger lidded with ngari, dried fish, or deep-fried fish items and water. The stew is mostly served with rice and consumed piping hot. Singju is a kind of dish that consists of chilies, tomatoes, onions ,finely cut banana stem, cabbage, banana flower, lotus stem, a reasonably scented herb, tree beans, coriander leaves, ginger mixed with ngari fish. Singju is seasoned with red chili powder, salt, roast chickpea powder and roast herb powder.
This photo series highlights best of street food items from different regions in India. First is Jammu. 1.Kimb a citrus fruit is skinned, juice & seeds squeezed out and then mixed with spices, salt, bit of sugar etc. A sweet, sour and spicy snack commonly prepared in many homes, but rare to find it for sale. 2. Bhijja Kulcha with Rajma (kidney beans) –World’s best Rajma are grown in Jammu and this is evident in the number of Rajma dishes available in region. Another popular dish is Raajma Chawal served with mango pickle, chutney and clarified butter on some food shops on NH1 near Banihal. 3.Pattode, made with Colocassia Leaves – These are made in many parts of northern India. But each region has it’s own flavours. 4.Chana Kulcha- a very popular snack food item sold by street food vendors outside schools. Now there are a few other versions of it, like one with soyabean. 5.Kaladi Kulcha:- Kaladi is a dense, salted cheese very popular in most parts of Jammu. It may have a bit of fungus on it which gives it a unique flavour. Eaten by heating on a pan with little oil and addition of salt, sauce or spices. It can be eaten with or without the bun. 6.Kachalu chaat: Another very popular street food snack for school children. Made of Taro rootstock and mixed with a wide variety of spices like tamarind, chilli, rock salt, pepper and more. Different places have different flavours. 7. Bhalla- Though this dish is quite common in most of northern India. But residents of Jammu just love these bhallas sold by small vendors in a few bus stands in southern border of Jammu. Served with spicey chutney and radish. Visit Here:- Lucknow Food Tour
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
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