Travel in India

India is a very well connected country. Public transport system remains the primary mode of transport for mot Indians, but other modes of transport are available and very useful adjuncts to the system.

As an overseas student, you will never face any problem in commuting within India with a myriad of choices available for connectivity. The main ways to commute in India include travel by Air, Rail and Road. The method used will depend on your budget, availability of booking opportunities and at time the destination.

Among the different means of transportation, Railways are the cheapest and safest mode both for passengers as well as goods goods. It is the most affordable method of transportation used for travelling long distance as well as short distance. Air conditioned travel is possible on most of the trains. Excellent online booking sytem is in place and functions very well. The only problem is that it is a busy system and one needs to book well in advance. The railways is the third longest system in the world and thus connectivity to remote areas is very good.

Another robust system to travel is Air travel. More than 100 cities are connected by Air and if booked in advance, the rates are not very high. Online booking systems are available and function well. The air system is the quickest way to travel to all main cities on India. Airports are well equipped and night travel is also available.

As per 2017 estimates, the total road length in India is 5,603,293 km making the Indian road network the second largest in the world. India has a network of National Highways connecting all the major cities and state capitals. Some of these are expressways. Thus Buses are an important means of public transport in India connecting even the remotest parts of the country. The bus fleet ranges from simple ordinary non AC buses to a fleet of air conditioned buses, sleepers and double decker buses. Booking can be done online; however, one can go the local bus stop and invariable will get a seat to travel anywhere within the country. It is not very expensive to travel by a bus in India.

Local travel also has many options which includes Taxi, Auto rickshaw, cycle rickshaw, local bus transport system and a fast moving Metro and Mono Rail systems within some cities. Booking of a taxi is easy as online booking systems are available on your phones. OLA and UBER are the most popular taxi systems in the country. However, recent developments suggest that bicycle riding is fast becoming popular in the metro cities of India. Use of separate bicycle lanes alongside the roads to combat pollution and ease traffic congestion is encouraged.

Generally, traffic in most of the cities in India moves slowly, where traffic jams are very common, but in some cities like Chandigarh, wide roads and less vehicles contribute to lesser traffic. One can also own a second hand vehicle to travel within India, which included scooters, Mo bikes and Cars. Indian license is required to drive these vehicles. Thus getting around within India is very easy with so many options available. Happy traveling and commuting!