Visa and when to go
Most travellers enter India on an e-Visa, applied for online with options such as 30 days or one year; apply at least 4 days before departure and budget roughly 25 to 40 USD depending on the variant. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months. The best season for most of the country is October to March: dry, sunny and relatively cool. From April to June the plains bake in heat that can reach 45 degrees, which is exactly when locals escape to the Himalayas, and the monsoon from June to September brings daily downpours, lush landscapes and flooded city streets.
Money: the rupee, cash and UPI
The currency is the Indian rupee, INR, with roughly 90 INR to 1 EUR as a rough orientation. Cash is still king for rickshaws, chai stalls and small shops, so keep a stash of small notes; a 500 INR note is often hard to break at a street stand. ATMs are widespread in cities, though fees vary. Locals pay for nearly everything with UPI mobile payments, but for visitors the practical combo remains cash plus an international card for hotels and restaurants.
Getting around
Long-distance trains deserve an article of their own, so here is the city-level picture. Auto rickshaws are everywhere: agree the fare before getting in or insist on the meter where meters exist. In most large cities Uber and Ola are cheap, air-conditioned and remove all negotiation stress. Domestic flights are remarkably affordable, with carriers such as IndiGo connecting major cities for the price of a good dinner in Europe, which makes them the sane choice for distances above 1000 km.
Health without drama
- Drink only bottled or filtered water and always check the seal on the bottle.
- The infamous Delhi belly is best prevented with common sense: freshly cooked food, busy stalls, peeled fruit, plus probiotics in your luggage.
- See a travel clinic before departure; commonly recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A and B and typhoid.
- Pack strong mosquito repellent: dengue occurs in Indian cities, and there is no vaccine in common use for travellers.
SIM cards, dress and daily culture
Buy a local SIM from Airtel or Jio at airport counters: you will need your passport and a photo, and activation can take up to 24 hours. Dress modestly with covered shoulders and knees, especially at temples and in conservative regions; shoes come off at temples and private homes. The famous Indian head wobble usually means yes or okay. The left hand is considered unclean, so eat and pass items with the right. Haggling is normal at bazaars: starting at about half the quoted price is fair play, always with a smile. Tip around 10 percent in restaurants and small change for porters and drivers.
Safety, solo women and classic scams
India is intense but manageable with basic precautions. Women travelling solo do it successfully every day: use ladies carriages on suburban trains, prefer Uber or Ola at night over walking or street taxis, and share your live location with someone you trust. Learn the classic scams so they become entertainment instead of a trap: the fake official tourist offices clustered near railway stations that sell overpriced or nonexistent tours, and the taxi driver who swears your hotel has burned down or closed, only to deliver you to his cousin's guesthouse. Book ahead, insist on your original destination, and treat any unsolicited helper who steers you toward a specific shop or agency with friendly skepticism.