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Home - City Guide - Delhi - Getting Around | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Getting Around Getting Around Delhi Public Transport An underground metro system for Delhi is still being talked about, but, in the meantime, city traffic remains over-congested and utterly chaotic for visitors newly arrived in India. There are public buses in Delhi, although finding a seat is an undertaking that challenges all Western notions of courtesy and personal space. Once on, passengers should be prepared for a numbing, bone-crunching ride. The Delhi Transport Corporation (tel: (011) 331 9075) operates a centralised bus network of more than 300 routes. There are a number of tourist services, including bus 454 between Connaught Place and Nizamuddin, bus 505 to Mehrauli and Qutb Minar, bus 620 to Chanakyapuri, and buses 101 and 139 between Park Hotel and the Red Fort. There is a row of seats on the left of each bus reserved for women, but the rule is observed only on a whim. Tickets cost Rs1-5. The easiest and quickest way to negotiate the city is by auto-rickshaw - a scooter converted into a three-wheeled taxi - which compensates for a choking, open-sided ride through the city's pollution by wheeling through the traffic and bypassing a good chunk of the congestion. Travelling by taxi does not necessarily lessen the lung damage of the auto-rickshaw experience - air-conditioned taxis are rare and expensive. Statistics for accidents and deaths on Indian transport are among the highest in the world. But, in the absence of alternatives, it is a question of simply taking a deep breath and plunging in (see below for details). Rickshaws Auto-rickshaws can be stopped pretty much anywhere in the city. They will also be queuing for custom at the main tourist sites, although they may well charge a little more here. Four- and six-seater motorcycle rickshaws are also available, and run fixed routes at fixed prices, including the route between the Red Fort and Palika Bazaar at Connaught Place. In Old Delhi, bicycle rickshaws are useful for short distances. There are official rates for auto-rickshaws, but meters are invariably out of order and surcharges can exist over and above the metered price, so prices should be negotiated at the start of the journey. Taxis Yellow and black Ambassador taxis are readily available, especially at local taxi stands where taxis can be booked and prices fixed in advance. Drivers do not usually expect tips unless they have gone to some trouble on their passenger's behalf. There is a 100% surcharge between 2300 and 0500. Taxis can best be booked through hotels. Like auto-rickshaws, there are official rates for taxis, but metred prices are generally subject to high surcharges, and can be twice as expensive as auto-rickshaws. Prices should be negotiated at the start of the journey. Limousines For longer journeys or a day of sightseeing, Ambassador cars - of the yellow and black, or plain cream variety - with driver are a good idea. These can be booked at the Tourist Office, through hotels, or at private travel agents. Services International (tel: (011) 578 2636) provide chauffeur-driven 'luxury' cars, including Mercedes and Fords. In Delhi, one-day hire of a Mercedes plus chauffeur would cost $20 or $37 with air conditioning. Driving in the City Driving in Delhi takes a certain degree of steeliness. The broad boulevards of New Delhi pose few potential hazards, but negotiating the vehicular chaos that is Old Delhi can test the skills of the most able driver, with bicycles and rickshaws careering through choking traffic of buses, trucks and Ambassadors - not to mention ox carts, lone wandering cows, goats and elephants. Road travel is also subject to the vagaries of VIPs, of which India has an astonishing number, with roads frequently closed for 'VIP movement'. Night driving can be particularly dangerous, with streets and cars lit only sporadically. Car parks are few and far between and, in general, driving oneself around the city is not recommended. Car Hire Service providers include: Hertz (tel: (011) 987 7188); Wheels Rent A Car (tel: (011) 331 8695); Eco Rent A Car (tel: (011) 462 3261); Europcar Inter-Rent (tel: (011) 688 3498 or 301 0101 at the Maurya Sheraton); and Budget (tel: (011) 371 5657). Most major hotels can also arrange car hire on visitors' behalf. An International Driving Permit is essential for driving in India; rates begin at $45 a day. Bicycle Hire Cycling in New Delhi can take some courage, but is also a good way of getting around the wide boulevards, which are fairly uncrowded and in relatively good condition. Bike rental is hard to come by, but there is a small unnamed shop, in Pahar Ganj, a few doors down from Hotel Vivek, which has bikes for hire. Motorcycles Lovers of vintage motorcycles come to India to indulge a penchant for its locally built Enfields. Inder Motors, on Hari Singh Malwa Street (tel: (011) 572 8579), has new and second-hand Enfields for sale, while Lucky Auto Accessories, on Shri Kishan Dass Road (tel: (011) 738 815), stocks renovated Enfield Bullets. |
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