From the airport to the city centre Rajasthan

Delhi

Cab. From the Indira Gandhi International Airport, cabs are waiting for you at the exit of each terminal. You have to go to the "Pre-paid cab" counter and indicate your destination to the employee. You pay the fare at the counter, then give the voucher to the driver. It is necessary to count between 500 Rs and 700 Rs for a race to the center of the city.

Bus. Buses run from Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport to the capital's Inter State Bus Terminal: Kashmiri Gate ISBT in North Delhi, Anad Vihar ISBT in the Yamuna district and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT in South East Delhi. Departures are approximately every 30 minutes. It costs Rs 60 from the airport to Connaught Place. Due to the legendary traffic jams in Delhi, the bus is not the most convenient way to travel.

Metro. An automated metro line (Airport Express Line) connects the airport to New Delhi Central Railway Station (NDLS) in 30 minutes. The metro runs about every 10 minutes between 5:15 am and 11:30 pm. Cost of ticket: Rs 60. This is definitely the most convenient and fastest way to reach the city center. The stop is located in front of Terminal 3, the international flight terminal.

Jaipur. Sanganer Airport is located 13 kilometers from the city center. There is apre-paid cab stand in front of the arrivals terminal. It takes about Rs 400 and 30 minutes to get to the city center

Arrival by train Rajasthan

Delhi. The city of Delhi has many railway stations. Trains to Agra leave from Hazrat Nizamuddin, east of the city and near Humayun's tomb. Trains to Jaipur depart mostly from the Delhi Junction (DLI) station north of Old Delhi. A few trains leave from New Delhi Central Station (NDLS) north of Connaught Place.

Jaipur. Jaipur Junction station is located in the center of the city. Metro, cabs and auto-rickshaws are available in front of the station.

Those who like to travel by train will take the train

For the rest of the country: the Indian railway network is the second largest in the world and serves almost all regions of the country. Much cheaper than the plane, the train is the best way to travel at a lower cost, but it is not very fast. It takes about 50 km/h on average, if the train does not stop at all stations (passenger train) or in the countryside for no apparent reason. The rail network is not double-tracked everywhere and you often have to wait to let an oncoming train pass. Indian Railways is making a lot of progress in terms of regularity and the trains showing several hours of delay are becoming rarer. Traveling by night train allows you to save a night in a hotel and to gain a day of travel, if your time is limited. How the network works, the different train categories or comfort classes may seem confusing at first.

Train categories. There are several categories of trains that offer different classes of comfort and priority on the tracks. Each train has a car called "general car" for passengers traveling without a reservation. While this is the best way to meet the locals and experience the adventure, they are always crowded and not air-conditioned

Express trains are divided into two sub-categories. The trains withberths and those with seats(chair). They have several classes of comfort. Many of them cover very long distances and are equipped with sleeping berths, even if you only use them for a few hours during the day. Passenger trains are local trains that stop at all stations. They take hours to travel short distances and do not have priority. They therefore stop often and for a long time at stations or in the countryside. It is not possible to book a ticket and they are often crowded. Shatabdi trains are trains that run only within a state and make few stops. There are no berths on these trains, only seats. There are several classes of comfort. Rajdhani trains connect Delhi to other state capitals. They make few stops and have priority on the tracks. They are air-conditioned sleeper trains and the classes range from 3AC to 1AC. Meals are included in the fare.

The different comfort classes. There are 5 different classes. Not all trains offer these 5 levels of comfort. It depends on the distance travelled and whether they are sleeper trains or trains with seats.

For sleeper trains, the different classes are 1AC - 1st class air-conditioned with closed compartments of 2 or 4 berths; 2 AC - 2nd class air-conditioned with open compartments of 4 berths and 2 in the corridor; 3 AC - 2nd class air-conditioned with open compartments of 6 berths and 2 in the corridor; sleeper - 2nd class non-air-conditioned with open compartments of 6 berths and 2 in the corridor; General car or chair car - carriage at the end of the train with wooden benches for passengers traveling without reservation.

For trains with seats, there are 3 different categories. CC(chair car) - air-conditioned cars with reclining seats; 2S(second seating) - cars with non-air-conditioned seats or benches; General car or chair car - car at the end of the train with wooden benches for passengers travelling without reservations.

If you don't like to be crowded, you can opt for the 1AC or 2AC. In the sleeper, the benches are a bit hard and it is better to bring a blanket in winter (December to February).

Services on board. If you travel by night train, pillow and blanket are provided in 3AC, sheets are provided in addition in 2AC and you will be entitled to a comforter in 1AC. In these three classes, the cars are air-conditioned in summer and heated in winter. The passage between the cars of the different classes is locked at night. If there is no food service on board, street vendors regularly pass by offering snacks and chai. You can also go to the station to buy food during a long stop.

Fares. In India, the train is a really attractive way to travel. Fares are proportional to the distance traveled and the class chosen. The longer your journey, the lower the price/km ratio. In express train, count about 315 Rs for 500 kilometers in sleeper class, 815 Rs in 3AC, 1 135 Rs in 2AC and 1 885 Rs in 1AC.

Book a train ticket.

You can book your train ticket at the station ticket offices (often in the courtyard), do it yourself on the Internet or through a local agency. Reservations are open 3 months before the departure of the train. Seats in night trains or for long distances can go very quickly, especially during the high season, during Indian school vacations (April to June) or during festivals (Diwali, Eid...). It is better to plan in advance.

If you go to the ticket office , you will have to fill in a form with your identity, your age, the name and number of the train, the departure and arrival station, and the comfort you want. There is no need to wait in line if you have not completed the form beforehand. You can ask for it at the ticket office. The website www.erail.in will give you all the information you need. Enter your point of departure and destination, choose the date and the site will show you the trains in circulation. You will also get the fare (move the mouse over the desired class) and the number of seats remaining (click on the desired class). Stations in very large cities sometimes have a reservation desk for foreign tourists, who have a special quota, but it is limited. To get a seat on this quota, you will need to show your passport.

You can make a reservation on the Internet by visiting the Indian Railways website www.irctc.co.in. The procedure is complex, as you have to register in advance by providing an email address and a cell phone number. Please note your login and the associated password. The validation of the application is done manually and can take at least 48 hours. Until your account is validated, you cannot make a reservation. As for a reservation at the ticket office, please have all the information concerning the train to be taken with you. If you want to book several tickets, you will have to repeat the operation, as it is not possible to make several reservations and pay at once. This can lead to payment problems, as your bank may block the transaction if you make more than one reservation. If possible, it is best to limit yourself to one reservation per day. You will receive the confirmation and your ticket by email. You will also receive a confirmation SMS on the day of the train departure.

If you use a local agency, you will not have to take care of anything, but you will pay a small fee for the service.

Waiting List. Indian Railways practices overbooking. Many cancellations occur a few days before departure. It is therefore possible to book a ticket by placing yourself on the waiting list. You take little risk until the 25th seat, except on the night train Jodhpur-Jaisalmer where there is only one car open for booking. You can check the status of your reservation by visiting www.indianrail.gov.in. Choose the "PNR Status" option and enter your reservation reference. You are guaranteed a seat as soon as you move to RAC(Reservation Against Cancellation) status. The final reservation status list is determined two hours before the train departs from the initial station. It is posted in the station. If you are in RAC status, contact the controller who will assign you a seat. If you have a confirmed seat, move to the assigned car and seat number. If you have not been assigned a seat, you can get a refund, but only before the train departs. To do this, you must go to a station.

Tatkal ticket. If you could not book a train ticket in time or the waiting list is too long, nothing is lost. You can buy a tatkal ticket the day before the train leaves. Be sure to check the date and time of departure of the train from its original station. Indian Railways keeps a quota of seats for sale at the last moment. Prices are obviously much higher than for a normal ticket. You have to present yourself at the tatkal ticket office of a station at 10 am (better to come a little earlier in case of overcrowding)

IndianRail Pass. There is a pass for foreign travelers which allows to take the train at will for a given period. The price varies according to the duration (24 hours to 3 months) and the class chosen. But the price is high and not at all advantageous. It is better to book normally.

Public transport Rajasthan

Delhi

Metro. Delhi's metro network continues to expand. It now has 12 lines that criss-cross the city and its suburbs, and 286 stations. Fares vary according to the distance traveled. You can buy tokens at the machines in the station's ticketing rooms or buy a transport card to recharge. The card costs Rs 50 and is valid for 10 years. There is also a tourist pass, the Tourist Card, valid for 1 day or 3 days. The daily rate is Rs 200 and Rs 500 for 3 days. When you return your card, you will be refunded Rs 50. The card can be bought at the ticket office of the stations.

Bus. The bus network is very dense, but unless you know Delhi very well, it is difficult to understand. On the other hand, it is a guarantee to get stuck in traffic jams, often in crowded vehicles. If you wish to take the bus, the ticket can be bought on board from the operator who stands next to the door.

Jaipur

Metro. The city of Jaipur is in the process of building a metro system. After years of work, it is finally completed in the old city. There is only one line for the moment that you can take between the railway station and Badi Chaupar in the pink city. The fare varies according to the number of stations: Rs 6 for 2 stations, Rs 12 for 3 to 5 stations, Rs 18 for 6 to 8 stations and Rs 22 for 9 to 11 stations.

Buses. Often crowded, buses and minibuses criss-cross the streets and surroundings of Jaipur. It is not the most convenient means of transportation, except to get to Amber from Badi Chaupar (Hawa Mahal). You can take bus number 29 or number 113. Count 15 Rs for the journey

Bike, scooters & co Rajasthan

To move by bike in the big Indian cities is a suicidal desire. However, there are a few companies that offer tourist routes in Delhi or Jaipur. In general, the tours start very early in the morning to avoid the heavy traffic and the heat.

With a driver Rajasthan

Delhi

Cab. There are a few cab companies in the city, whose contact details you will find in our pages. Make sure that the driver sets the meter at the beginning of the trip, to avoid any problems later on.

VTC. Both Uber and Ola are present in Delhi. You can download the apps from Google Play Store or Apple Store. However, you will need a local SIM card in your cell phone.

Auto-rickshaw. The rickshaw is the most convenient way to travel the last mile. They wait patiently at the exit of the metro stations or you can hail them in the city. Most of them refuse to put their meter and you will have to negotiate the price of the ride. Count between 30 Rs and 100 Rs for small journeys.

Jaipur

Cab and VTC. There are a few cab companies in Jaipur, and you can find their contact details in our pages. Uber and Ola are present in the city. You can download the apps from Google Play Store or Apple Store. However, you will need a local SIM card in your cell phone.

Auto-rickshaws. You can hail an auto-rickshaw just about anywhere in the city. Drivers tend to quote prohibitive rates to tourists. Ask your hotel for an estimated fare beforehand and be prepared to negotiate hard.

Chauffeur-driven car. A chauffeur-driven car is the best way to plan a tour of Rajasthan. While it is easy to get around the state by train or bus (and less expensive), the car allows you to get off the beaten track a bit and stop as you please. The average speed of travel is the same as that of the trains, so you won't lose time. It is necessary to count at least 3 000 Rs per day for a small car (type Indigo) air-conditioned.

By car Rajasthan

It is not advisable to rent a car in India. The traffic is eccentric, to say the least, and in addition to other vehicles, you will have to be careful with the numerous two-wheelers, pedestrians, animals crossing the roads, and vehicles driving against the flow of traffic. On the other hand, there are only a few car rental companies, as this service is not yet commonplace.

Accessibility Rajasthan

India in general is not a recommended destination for people with physical disabilities or small children. Sidewalks are not level (when they exist), train or metro stations are rarely equipped with elevators, hotels rarely have rooms adapted to handicapped persons, etc.

Tourist traps Rajasthan

Upon arrival at the airport or train station, you will inevitably be confronted by a tout who will offer you a cab, rickshaw, hotel and try to divert you from official or secure services. Ignore them.