Travel and Local Information

About Bangalore
Bangalore, a bustling metropolis, is the fifth largest city in India and the capital of the state of Karnataka. It is the main center of the Information Technology industry in India; almost every Indian and multi- national IT company has a presence here. Bangalore is home to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), a premier research institute, and many other aerospace and high technology industries including the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC). Karnataka is home of many ancient Indian architectural marvels, wildlife sanctuaries, rain forests (the Western Ghats), pristine beaches, and rich and hoary cultural traditions.

Travel Checklist

• VISA
  All non-Indian-citizens are required to have an Indian visa to enter the country. Allow yourself sufficient time (say 2-3 weeks) to procure an appropriate visa from your nearest Indian consulate. There are several Indian consulates worldwide. Indian consulates in the continental US are located in Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Houston, and San Francisco. Please visit this site for more information including an online copy of the application form for Indian visa.
  
  If you need an invitation letter from the HiPC organizing committee for visa purposes, use the online visa letter request form to submit the relevent information.


• Flight Reservations
  Flights to India tend to fill up well ahead of the December holiday season. We recommend that you make your flight reservations 3-4 months in advance, to be on the safe side. We strongly recommend that you avoid arriving in New Delhi or taking flights that stop in New Delhi en-route to Mumbai (Bombay) or Chennai (Madras) -- winter fog often throws air-traffic off-gear in New Delhi. For more information, see the transportation section of this page.


• Vaccinations (shots)
  Many first-time travelers to India prefer to get preventive vaccinations(shots). The Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India has some more health tips for tourists.


• Foreign Exchange
  While international credit cards are widely accepted in commercial establishments in India, several places rely on cash transactions in the local currency (Indian Rupee). We suggest that you either carry some Indian currency when entering India or purchase Indian currency at the currency exchange agencies at the Indian airports, upon arrival. The current exchange rate is about Rs. 45/- per US dollar. Once in India, you can purchase additional Indian currency from local branches of Citibank, Thomas Cook, etc. However, it is typically difficult to convert Indian currency back into foreign currency because of exchange regulations.


• Hotel Reservations
  Please make your hotel reservations ahead of time so that you get your choice of accommodation.


• Time and Weather
  The Indian Standard Time (IST) is 5 1/2 hours ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time(GMT) and is 13 1/2 hours ahead of the U. S. Pacific Standard Time(PST). In December/ January the weather is mildly tropical with temperatures averaging about 28° Celsius (approx. 82° Fahrenheit) during the day and about 15° Celsius (approx. 59° Fahrenheit) during the night.
  
  Sunrise: 6:10 am (approx.)
  Sunset: 5:15 pm (approx.)

Transportation

• Flights to India
  Most international airlines have direct flights to India from Europe and Singapore/Hong-Kong. From the US, most international airlines fly to India with a single stop-over, either in Europe or in the Far East.
  
  Direct flights to Bangalore are also available in some airlines. Most international airlines fly into Mumbai (Bombay) or Chennai (Madras). We recommend that you fly into one of these cities, if not directly into Bangalore. Bangalore is well connected by air to both these cities. Chennai-Bangalore is a 45 minute flight, and Mumbai-Bangalore is a 90 minute flight.
  
  We recommend that you avoid flights into/via New Delhi if you are on a tight schedule -- winter fog in December often delays flights at New Delhi airport. Some Mumbai-bound flights stopover in New Delhi -- please check with your travel agent.
  
  If you are planning to travel around India after/before the conference, check with your travel agent for attractive local air travel offers that are usually available with your international travel ticket.

• Airport to Hotel Transportation
  The Bangalore Airport is 6 kms (approx 3.5 miles) from Taj Residency. The taxi fare can vary. One way prepaid taxi fare is approximately Rs. 250 including tip. You are strongly advised to book a taxi at the prepaid taxi counter of Karnataka State Tourism Developement Corporation (KSTDC) which operates round the clock for passengers arriving by domestic and international flights. The counter is situated in Terminal II immediately after the baggage claim area.
  It takes 30 minutes or more for transportation from Bangalore Airport to "Taj Residency" (conference venue).

Additional Information for International Participants
Travel Tips  (PDF)  (HTML)

Internet Access
Wireless internet access is available in the hotel at nominal rates.