India - Travel Information

Population

1140 Million

Language

Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; English is the language for national, political, and commercial communication; there are 21 other official languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanscrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely in northern India although not an official language

Climate

Highly diverse, tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north.

Country Area

Just over one third of the US

Visa Requirements

Visa is required for the majority of foreign nationals. Consider multiple entry visas, and check where your nationality has any particular rules and requirements that apply.

International Airports

Main entry points are Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.

Currency

Indian rupee (INR)

Historic Exchange Rates $1AUD-INR:34.3(2007),34.1(2006),33.7(2005)

Time Zone

GMT/UTC +5:30

Eating & Drinking

Indian tea is available everywhere. The sensitivities of regions and religions will determine whether alcoholic drinks are acceptable. Famous beer is Kingfisher. Best to avoid any moonshine type drinks (ie tharra). Breads: paratha, chappati, rotis, naan. Rice dishes, kebab(grilled meat), tandoori chicken, koftas(meatballs), dosa, a thin, crispy pancake often stuffed with spiced potatoes to make masala dosa, sambhar, chutney, and sweet deserts.

Water

It is not advisable to consume ice or unbottled water in India.

Getting Around

Always allow a bit of extra time when tralling in India. Its a large country so it’s a good ideas to fly, or take an train. Remember to book an air conditioned class ticket. A/c sleepers are available but may need to be booked in advance. 

Electrical Plugs & Power

The standardardised voltage used in India is 230V 50Hz. Plugs mixture of type C, type D, type M

Banks

Exchange the major currencies once in India will generally give the best exchange rates. It is possible to get a cash advance on cards if they are Cirrus and Maestro enabled. You would be well advised to ask your particular bank for details.

Mobile Phone

Roaming enabled mobiles will function in most of India. Network is GSM 900/1800.

Internet

Internet Kiosks are common. Large hotels have internet access.

Phone Calls

India Country Code +91,

International code to dial out is 00,

00 + Country Code + City (if applicable) + Local number.

Tipping

In some resaurants 10%, unusual otherwise.

Dress Code

Comfortable casual clothing is acceptable.   Subtle dress may attract less attention for travellers.

Clothing

Please check your destination specific clothing requirements