TRAVEL TO INDIA:

Please check the Transportation section to know about how to get to India.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLER WITH PORT OF ENTRY OTHER THAN BANGALORE:

Please note that most international flights typically arrive late in the evening or in the night at the international terminal (for example, in Mumbai or New Delhi), and the connecting domestic flights will only leave the following morning from the domestic terminal. In most cases, you need to go to the domestic terminal to check-in for your domestic flight, though, for some airline carriers, you might be able to check-in for your domestic flight at the international terminal itself, as soon as clear the Customs. Check with your international airline carrier. If the domestic flight is several hours later, you have two options.

1. Use the transportation provided at the international terminal to go the domestic terminal and wait there. While not the most comfortable option, one can find seating and facilities that the domestic terminal. Stores and eating places in the airport are not open during the night.
2. Check into a nearby hotel, rest there, and go to the domestic terminal the next morning. There are counters that will help you One word of advice - please make sure that the hotel will provide immediate transportation to the hotel or will reimburse you on the taxi fare - you don't want to spend an hour or more waiting for the hotel shuttle.

Regarding departure: your international flight will leave from the international terminal late in the night or in the early hours of the morning. You are typically allowed to enter the international terminal only a few hours before your flight and there is very limited seating before immigration check is completed. If there is a long gap between your domestic flight arrival and international flight departure, you may prefer to check into a hotel close to the airport and go to the airport 3 hours or so before your flight departure time.

TRAVEL WITHIN INDIA:

If you would like to travel within India, the following travel agency can help you with domestic travel (rail/air/bus) and hotel reservations.

Mr. Murali or Mr.Yunus,
Travel Tours,
656, 1st floor,
100 ft road, Opposite defense colony bus stop,
Ph: +91-80-25276096 / 97

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION:

Before leaving your hotel room, talk to the concierge to find out the best option for getting to your destination, the distance and the approximate fare. Also, find out what is the best option for returning to the hotel.

Auto rickshaws:
Auto rickshaws are the most popular means of local transportation anywhere in India. In most cities, they employ meters to determine the fare. Before you engage an auto, explicitly tell the driver that you will pay only the amount the meter shows and make sure that the driver resets the meter once you engage his services. However, it is common for the drivers to demand a much higher fare than what the meter shows. In situations like these, it is better to yield and pay if the difference if the amounts is not too high. If you are not willing to do that or if the difference is too high, the only way out is to bargain with the driver or take the help of a nearby police officer. The fare will be 1.5 times the actual fare between 10 PM and 6 AM. The minimum fare for an auto is Rs.12. Whenever you can find a pre-paid booth, make use of it to get yourself an auto. The attendant will not only find you an auto, he/she will also inform you of the approximate charges to reach your destination. If one is not particularly careful, it is common for the drivers to take the customer for a ride across the town. Whenever possible, try to find out in advance how far is the place you want to go to and what the approximate fare is. Though some have taken fancy to ride in an auto in India, it is neither a very secure nor a safe option. We do not recommend using an auto rickshaw.

Tipping an auto driver is not necessary even if they ask for it unless the driver was very courteous and helpful.

Taxi:
Taxis are now fast becoming the second favorite mode of local transport. One can engaged taxis on the roads or by calling up the service provider. When you call up the service provider, they generally inform you of the driver's details, taxi number and the approximate fare. Ask for the fare if not informed by them. The minimum fare for a taxi is about Rs.75. You can also engage taxis for a fixed time to avoid looking for a ride back to the hotel. Taxis are also a good option for taking a tour of the city, if you can plan that by yourself. You could also engage the taxi for the same trip everyday. For example, inform the driver that you would like to engage his taxi for a ride to the venue in the morning and return to the hotel in the evening at specified times for four days and you will save yourself a lot of trouble. The taxis are generally either Tata Indicas or Maruti Suzuki vans painted in white or shades of yellow. The taxis are the safest, affordable and a secure mode of transport. We highly recommend you use taxis for your local transportation needs.

Tipping a taxi driver is not necessary even if they ask for it unless the driver was very courteous and helpful.

Phone numbers of some taxi service providers in Bangalore:

• Cell Cabs - 41222555/23466666
• Shankar City Taxi - 32904444/9845701974
• JP City Taxi - 41200600/57760000
• City Safari - 25539999/41106666
• Sneha City Taxi - 26604478/26727886
• Metro City Taxi - 41524444/26524444
• Raj City Taxi - 23337777/23330590
• Spot City Taxi - 25510000

Contract Vehicle / Rent-a-car / Self Drive:

Several popular services like Avis are also available for use. You could engage their vehicles, potentially, with the help of the hotels ' travel desk. The hotel itself might be able to provide a contract vehicle. You will have the option of choosing a vehicle of your choice starting from a compact car to an SUV or an imported luxury sedan.

The charges for this option are generally very high and are dependant on the type of the vehicle. The drivers also expect you to tip them for their services. There is no custom of tips being a percentage of the charge. Rs.50 is considered a very good tip.

Bus:

Local bus service is available from about 5 AM until approximately 12 AM. The routes names are generally in the local language, which makes them difficult to use for the tourists. The fares are cheap but the busses are usually crowded. There are AC bus services on select routes that re quite comfortable. These services are usually not crowded since they fare prices are a bit on the high side compared to the regular services. We do not recommend you use the bus service unless you want to just for the experience.

Tips:

• Auto rickshaw and taxis - no tips
• Contract vehicles - ≈Rs.50 if the fare is about Rs.500 or more.
• Hotel bell boys - ≈Rs.10 - ≈Rs.50 depending on the class of the hotel and your luggage
• Restaurants - ≈7% to 10% for a 4 star or a 5 star class restaurant, ≈5% for others.
• Valet parking and doorman - ≈Rs.10 - ≈Rs.20

WATER & FOOD:

It is not generally advisable to consume tap water or the regular water. Ask the waiter or the Maître d' if the regular water served on your table is UV filtered. If it is UV filtered, it is all right to consume it. To be on the safe side, it is always advisable to ask for bottled water.

Bottled Water:
International brands like Evian, Kinley and Aquafina are widely available in Bangalore and restaurants. Ask specifically for these bottles and check the seals before you accept the bottles. Some other popular local brands include Oxyrich, Bisleri, Bailey and Godrej Pure Aqua. Beware of imitations.

Food:
Do not consume food from roadside vendors for your safety and health. If you wish to do so, make sure that the items are freshly prepared and consume them while they are hot. There are many restaurants around the venue if you would like to dine outside. The choices include everything from local cuisine to the international tastes. You could get some good Indian food at Tandoor restaurant on MG road at about 1 KM from the venue. Other restaurants like KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonalds are also available. itALIA in The Park located right next to the venue is very popular for Italian food in Bangalore.

MOVIES AND ENTERTAINMENT:

For movies and shopping, there are a number of malls in Bangalore offering you a choice of local and international products.
The Forum - ≈8 KMs from the venue. Houses the PVR Cinemas 11 screen multiplex and the only McDonalds outlet.
Garuda mall - ≈2 KMs from the venue. Houses the Inox Movies 5 screen multiplex.
Bangalore Central - ≈2 KM from the venue
Eva mall - ≈3 KM from the venue
Cauvery handicrafts - ≈3 KM from the venue. Offers a wide variety of local handicrafts. Owned and operated by the Govt. of Karnataka. This is the recommended choice for getting authentic local handicrafts.
MG Road / Brigade Road - 0 KM / ≈2 KM from the venue. MG Road is the most popular destination for shopping and offers everything from pubs playing rock music to exquisite silks. The venue is on one end of the road. You will have more shopping options if you travel about two KMs along the road.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE & CASH WITHDRAWALS:

Your hotel might have facilities for buying local currency. There is a Thomas Cook outlet on MG road at about 2KMs from the venue. There are many other outlets as well offering foreign exchange like Western Union. Also check with the concierge at the venue for more options.

ATM's of several banks accepting Master Card/Visa/Maestro/Visa Electron/Diners Club are available across the city. There is a Citibank banking center with three ATM's on MG road at a distance of about 1.5 KMs from the venue. Please note that no encashment certificate provided for cash withdrawals from ATM's. You can find a list of Citibank ATMs here. Please note that the venue, "Taj Residency", is located just below the Citibank branch icon in the middle of the map.

EMERGENCY SERVICES:

Dial the following numbers from any nearby phone in case of emergencies.

Dial 100 for police
Dial 101 for fire services
Dial 102 for ambulancer

Other:
Ch. Kalyana Krishna, HiPC Local Arrangements Chair: 98452-50546

OTHER:

Internet- High-speed internet facilities are available across the city. Traffic - Traffic in the city is usually dense most of the time except early in the mornings. We recommend you start at least 30 to 45 mins before your appointment.
Crossing the roads and walking - Be extra cautious when crossing the roads. Pay attention to vehicular movement even if the pedestrian signs are on green. Be cautious about beggars and pick pockets when walking on pavements.
Satellite TV - Satellite TV is available in all hotels as a part of the tariff. International channels like BBC, CNN, HBO, ESPN are available 24hrs.