Travel and Local Information

Travel Checklist

Travel Visa

All non-Indian citizens are required to have an Indian travel visa to enter the country. Allow sufficient time (at least 4-6 weeks) to procure the appropriate visa from your nearest Indian consulate (see Indian consulates worldwide). Indian consulates in the continental US are located in Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, and Atlanta. All participants traveling from the United States must use Cox & Kings Global Services Pvt. Limited to obtain an Indian visa. All other participants should contact the Indian Embassy/ Consulate General of India in their respective countries for information on obtaining an Indian visa. This is to ensure that you are in compliance with respect to latest the regulations enforced by the Indian Embassy issuing the visa.

Applications for a Conference Visa will require the applicant to supply a letter of invitation from HiPC organizers, which may be requested after you have registered for the conference and paid your fees. HiPC organizers have secured the required Indian government approvals and clearances to support applications for Conference Visas. If these letters are required as part of the visa application, a single pdf of all required permissions and certifications for HiPC 2016 from Indian Government Agencies is available here.

Important Note: Participants who require an Indian visa to travel to HiPC are advised to check the exact set of approvals and clearances that the Indian Embassy requires, including requirements for security clearance that apply to passport holders from some countries. When completing the online Visa Invitation Letter Request form, check the last section of the form and complete if your passport country is named, no matter where you may currently reside. This is to ensure that the compliance is met with respect to the latest regulations enforced by the Indian Embassy issuing the visa.

If the visa application form requests contact information for HiPC organizers and a reference in India, see the Contact page for details.

Flight Reservations

Flights to India and Hyderabad in particular tend to fill up well ahead of the December holiday season. We recommend that you make your flight as well as lodging 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 Hyderabad as winter fog often throws air-traffic off-gear in New Delhi. For more information, see the transportation section of this page.

Vaccinations & Health Tips

Many first-time travelers to India prefer to get preventive vaccinations (shots). The US CDC Website offers the latest vaccination information on travel to India. In other countries, there may be similar advisories available from the appropriate government agency. Checking various world travel sites is another source of information, including tips for first time travelers.

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), especially if the purchase value is not very high. 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 66 INR per US dollar. Please check the conversion rate before you travel. 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. The HiPC hotel Website will provide information on the conference hotel – the Novotel where the conference venue is located – and other hotel options which offer quality budget accommodations.

Time and Weather

The Indian Standard Time (IST) is 5.5 hours ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and is 13.5 hours ahead of the U. S. Pacific Standard Time (PST). In December/ January the weather is mildly tropical with temperatures averaging about 26° Celsius (approx. 79° Fahrenheit) during the day and about 16° Celsius (approx. 61° Fahrenheit) during the night.

Transportation

Flights to India

Hyderabad is well connected by airline services to most major cities in India and abroad. All flights, national and international, operate from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. Most international airlines have direct flights to India from Europe, Middle East (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) 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. Economy class roundtrip airfares from the US to India and back are typically around US $1800/-. Check with your travel agent for current fares.

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.

Domestic Airlines

  • Air India.
  • Air India Express.
  • AirAsia India.
  • GoAir.
  • IndiGo.
  • Jet Airways.
  • SpiceJet.
  • Vistara.

The HiPC 2016 Venue

Voted best convention venue in India multiple times, the Hyderabad International Convention Centre will provide all of the amenities HiPC attendees have come to expect. The top rated Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) has direct flights from all international hubs and direct flights to all major cities in India. Hyderabad is a city that offers a variety of tourist attractions ranging from heritage monuments, lakes and parks, and gardens and museums to a richly mixed cultural and historical tradition spanning 2000 years. Modern development has made it the center of new technologies; it is sometimes called Genome Valley and Cyberabad to reflect the biotechnology and information technology investments and industrial parks.

A variety of restaurants are available in the city catering to all types of cuisine preferences. Some of the close to the conference venue are located on this map.

TRANSPORTATION

AIRPORT
  • Depending on your hotel booking, the hotel may arrange for an airport pickup, at times with an additional cost. You should check with the hotel prior to your departure. The charges will vary depending on the hotel.
  • Taxis are available at the airport departure. Follow the signs to Local Transportation which is a level below the arrival level. Keep a printed copy of your hotel address available to show to the driver. Most drivers can read and speak (a little) English. On the printed copy, be sure to include the phone number of the hotel. Drivers can then talk to the hotel staff on mobile phone if directions are needed.
  • From the Hyderabad airport to the conference hotel, the taxi fare would typically be under 1000 INR (< 20 USD). There is no public point-to-point transportation from/to the airport, so it is advisable to pick the taxi. The standard taxi from the airport can take 2 large bags of luggage in the boot (trunk) plus one or two pieces of small bags. It can seat 3 passengers comfortably beyond the driver.
  • Depending on your hotel booking, the hotel may arrange for an airport pickup, at times with an additional cost. You should check with the hotel prior to your departure. The charges will vary depending on the hotel.

LOCAL

 Most hotels have travel desks that can arrange for a city tour in a cab. Hotels can also help you with local transportation. Charges will vary based on distance and the time. Taxis for call are also available based on prior booking. Some websites that can help you are: Uber drivers operate in Hyderabad and Ola Cabs taxis can be hailed through a mobile app