Getting Around India: Cars, Trains, Flights and City Transport

India's distances decide most of it. As a rule of thumb from the trips we plan:

• Within a region, such as Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, or the towns of Rajasthan or Kerala, a car and driver is the most flexible choice: door to door, with stops where you want them.
• Between regions that are far apart, such as Delhi and Kerala, or the plains and Ladakh, a domestic flight saves a day or more on the road.
• On routes worth riding, or between two cities with good fast trains, take the train. A day train in a chair car, or a night in an air-conditioned sleeper, is part of the trip rather than dead time.

Each of these has its own guide below. For how they fit together over one, two or three weeks, see India itineraries, and for what each costs in the budget, what a trip to India costs.

A private car with a professional driver, hired by the day for your route, is how most of our itineraries move within a region. The same driver usually stays with you throughout, waits while you visit, and knows the roads and the timings. A good quote includes fuel, tolls, parking, state permits and taxes, and the driver's daily allowance for meals and lodging. Our guide to private drivers in India explains how the days run.

Road safety shapes how the days are planned. The UK Foreign Office warns that India has a high death rate from road accidents, and advises travellers to avoid travelling at night and in fog and to use a well-maintained vehicle. Long drives are best planned to finish in daylight.

Domestic flights link the main tourist cities, and for long hops they are the obvious choice. A foreign visitor flies on a passport as ID; there is no immigration on a domestic flight, but every passenger passes a security check. Each airline sets its own baggage allowance, which can be smaller than on your international ticket. India's aviation regulator, DGCA, sets what airlines owe you when a flight is delayed or cancelled, and in winter, fog over northwest India can disrupt flights. Read domestic flights in India before you book.

Two cities need a second look at the ticket: Mumbai, which now has a second international airport at Navi Mumbai, and Goa, which also has two airports some distance apart.

Indian Railways sells reserved tickets through IRCTC. Foreign tourists and NRIs with a valid passport can book under the Foreign Tourist Quota up to 365 days ahead, against 60 days for ordinary bookings, paying by international card at one and a half times the normal fare. Carry your original passport and visa on board. Classes run from air-conditioned First AC down to Sleeper and Second Sitting, which have no air conditioning. Our guide to train travel in India explains booking, the quota's rules and which class to choose.

Some railways are a reason to travel in themselves: the Darjeeling, Nilgiri and Kalka–Shimla lines are World Heritage Sites, and India's luxury trains are multi-night journeys of their own.

• Metros. The government counts metro rail in 26 cities. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad are the ones visitors use most, and Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata now have stations at or beside the airport. Tickets are tokens, QR codes or stored-value cards: see our metro guide.
• Taxis and app cabs. The UK Foreign Office advises against travelling alone and hailing taxis on the street, especially at night. It notes that app-based taxis are widely available, including at airport terminals, and that prepaid taxis are too.
• Auto-rickshaws. Three-wheelers suit short hops. Agree the fare or check the meter before you set off; the UK Foreign Office notes that seatbelts are not common in them.

Your first transport decision is at the airport. Foreign nationals submit the e-Arrival card online in the 72 hours before landing, clear immigration and customs, then take the metro, a prepaid taxi or a driver booked in advance. Our airport arrival guide takes you through it step by step. If you are only passing through, India layover itineraries explains when you can leave the airport and what fits into a few hours in Delhi or Mumbai.

On our tour packages, transport is part of the itinerary: a private car and driver within each region, an airport pickup, and trains or flights where they make more sense than the road. You do not need to work out Indian Railways or the airlines yourself unless you want to. Our private car and driver service can also be booked on its own, and every trip we run can be cancelled for a full refund up to 24 hours before it starts.