General information
ORGANISING SECRETARIAT
OIC s.r.l. - Organizzazione Internazionale Congressi
Viale G. Matteotti, 7 - 50121 Firenze, Italy
Tel. +39 055 50351
Fax +39 055 5001912
E-mail: icgs2010@oic.it
ABOUT INDIA
India is, indeed, incredible. Within the continent-of-a-country are the world's highest mountains, the Himalayas. Here is the great Indian desert, the Thar; deep jungle where the tiger roam and rhinos run wild; sylvan beaches, among the longest in the world; one of the most ancient settlements - the Indus Valley Civilisation - with a recorded past of five thousand years; the cradle of some of the oldest religions on the globe - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism. Equally enthralling monuments - forts, palaces, temples, memorials - line its historic face.
Dances from the past survive as living arts even today. There is a vibrancy to the culture, both ancient and modern. India is also modern with its 21st century metropolises, luxury hotels, air-conditioned surface transport, hi-speed trains, networks of domestic airlines, discotheques and shopping malls. Food - in an amazing range - Indian (a large variety!) and International.
And music to blow your mind. A major attraction for visitors is India's colourful fairs and festivals, that take place during the whole year. The popular ones being the Hindu festivals like Dussehra and Diwali in Oct / Nov. The Pushkar fair in Rajasthan also in November is the biggest cattle fair and attracts a lot of visitors from around the globe. The festival of colours, Holi in March is best celebrated in Jaipur or Jodhpur.
ABOUT NEW DELHI
India's capital city, New Delhi, has transformed in the last five decades from a relatively sleepy city to a bustling metropolis graced with wide roads, stately monuments and a vibrant nightlife! Today, high-rise buildings stand cheek by jowl with over 1000 monuments in and around the city, and the city's famous green spaces have dwindled to a mere handful.
New Delhi remains the hub of major political and commercial activities giving the city a cosmopolitan air. It also remains a major link to all other northern and southern cities. Nowadays the line of distinction between Old and New Delhi has begun to blur and north, south, east and west Delhi are more prevalent terms of demarcation.
Apart from being the capital of India, Delhi is also the travel hub of northern India. It serves as an excellent base for visiting the colourful state of Rajasthan, and Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal, is less than three hours away. If you want to head north to experience the grandeur of the Himalayas or east to the sacred city of Varanasi, Delhi should be the perfect base. Delhi is India's main entry point for overseas visitors.
HOW TO GET TO NEW DELHI
Arrival by plane
Delhi as a capital city of India endorses a state of art airports that link this city from different part of the country as well as world.
Located in New Delhi, Indira Gandhi International Airport forms one of India's main domestic and international gateways. The International Terminal (Terminal II) has 35 airlines flying to major cities across the world. All major metropolitan cities - New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Calcutta have direct international air connections. Domestic airlines operate between most Indian cities.
Domestic Airport provides us with three terminals - Terminal 1A & Terminal 1B and Domestic Arrival terminal. Terminal 1A caters to domestic flights of the national Indian Airlines and its subsidiary, Alliance Air. Flights of other scheduled private airlines viz. Jet Airways and Air Sahara operate from terminal 1B, along with other executive aircraft/private aviation activities. The road distance between the two terminals is eight kilometers.
Arrival by train
India by rail offers a fascinating odyssey through time and space, cultures and history offering magical glimpses, cultural and natural diversity, shrouded in enchanting, mystery colours that capture the heart while soothing the soul.
Spread over 63,000 km this massive rail network is served by nearly 7,000 railway stations. The Indian international railway system is the largest in Asia and second largest in the world. There are 63,000 km of track, over 8000 stations running over 12,000 trains every day carrying more than 20 million passengers.
The Rajdhani Express, India's superfast, fully air-conditioned, deluxe train gives you the unique opportunity of experiencing Indian Railways at its best. The train links New Delhi (the capital/Rajdhani) to India's major cities. Fare includes all meals and mineral water.
Superfast, intercity trains known as the Shatabdi Express link major cities and offer facilities for quick and comfortable travel.
Faster, cheaper the newly introduced super fast intercity trains known as the Jan Shatabdi Express, link major cities and offer facilities for quick and comfortable travel to the budget tourists.
Sampark Kranti trains have been introduced to provide quicker connectivity from a particular State to the national capital, with value added features such as non-stop run beyond the State, dedicated staff throughout the run and public address system.
The luxury trains of India provide a unique travel experience: The Fairy Queen, The Deccan Odyssey, Heritage On Wheels, Palace On Wheels, Mahaparinivan, Golden Chariot.
Special arrangements can be made to book a whole carriage or special carriages can be reserved for an entire event. You can experience the royal and incredible India on one of these trains.
Public Trasport in New Delhi
Bus
The Ex-Servicemen's Air Link Transport Service (EATS; 23316530; F-Block, Connaught Place; 8am-10pm) has a bus service between the airport (both terminals) and its office, near Indian Airlines. The fare is Rs 50, plus Rs 10 per large piece of luggage. The bus will drop you off at most of the major hotels and, en route, at the Ajmeri Gate entrance to New Delhi train station (for Paharganj). There's no set timetable as the bus operates according to flight arrivals.
When leaving the international terminal, the counter for EATS is just to the right as you exit the building.
The Delhi Transport Corporation runs some buses, and others are privately owned, but they all operate along the same set routes. Tickets cost a maximum of Rs 15 for travel within the city precincts. Whenever possible, try to board at a starting or finishing point, such as the Shivaji Stadium terminal, as there's more chance of a seat.
Useful buses
Bus 101, 104 or 139 Shivaji Stadium terminal to the Red Fort.
Bus 505 Janpath to Qutb Minar. Bus 604 or 620 Connaught Place (on Sansad Marg) to Chanakyapuri.
Metro
The New Delhi metro system is the newest form of public transportation in the city, and rapidly becoming the most popular. Recently constructed and officially opening in 2002, it has been touted as Asia's best rapid transit system. It is fast, efficient, fairly priced and environmentally friendly.
Currently there are three lines serving a total of 59 stations around the city. A route map is available at Metro Map. A fare chart is available at Metro Fares. For complete information, visit the Delhi Metro Home Page.
Taxi
The most comfortable way to get around New Delhi is by taxi, however this is the most expensive option as well. There are thousands of cabs operating in the city and are not hard to find. Rides can be pre-arranged in hotels or found on the city streets. Fares are determined by either meters or negotiation.
Just outside the international terminal entrance the client could find Delhi Traffic Police Prepaid Taxi Booth. It costs about Rs 220 to Paharganj; there's a 25% surcharge between 11pm and 5am. It is useful to obtain a voucher with the destination on it if not it is suggested return to the booth.
Never surrender your voucher until you get to your destination; without that docket the driver won't get paid. At the domestic airport, the prepaid taxi-booking counter is inside the terminal.
OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
Visa & Immigrations
All visitors, except those from Nepal and Bhutan, must have valid passports stamped with current visas.
There is no provision for Visa on arrival in India. Visitors must register with the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office within 14 days of arrival. Your hotel will take care of this service upon check-in. In any case, contact the nearest Indian embassy or consulate in your home country before making your travel plans.
All Indian consular offices around the world issue visas. Business travellers should apply for a multiple-entry business visa, which is valid for one year.
Special visas are also issued for trekking, botanical expeditions, and sports and journalism related activities. Visitors may move freely throughout the country, except to restricted or prohibited areas.
Official letters of invitation
Official letters of invitation designed to help overcome administrative difficulties in certain countries will be sent upon request. It must be understood that such letters cannot grant any financial support. Requests should be made by fax to the Organizing Secretariat OIC and should include the participant's full mailing address and fax number.
Customs
Visitors possessing more than US$ 10,000 (or the equivalent in travellers' cheques or bank notes) must fill in a currency declaration form. Visitors may bring in up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, and one litre of alcohol, duty-free. Non-sporting firearms and narcotics are prohibited, as are gold bullion or coins (except by Indian nationals returning from working abroad, who may bring in a maximum of 5 kilograms).
The penalties for violations are heavy. If you plan to bring any expensive electronics / cameras, ask for a re-export permit from customs officials when you arrive. The permit will be written into the back of your passport, and unless you can present the item to Customs while leaving, duty will be levied.
India restricts the export of antiques, including foreign-made artifacts and items more than 100 years old. The Archaeological Survey of India is the authority that determines whether items are restricted. Visitors may not bring in or take out of India anything made from endangered animal species.
Currency
The units of Indian currency are the Rupee and Paisa (100 Paisa equal 1 Rupee). Paper money is in denominations of Rupees 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000. Coins are in denominations of Rupees 1, 2 and 5.
Visitors may not bring in or take out any Indian currency, except in the form of travellers' cheque. Do not use unauthorized moneychangers for exchanging foreign currency. You run the risk of receiving forged rupees, or being cheated.
Exchanging facilities are generally available at airports and authorized moneychangers usually display the rates of exchange. Credit cards are widely accepted in major hotels, restaurants and shops.
Telephone
The International access code for India is ++91. The city code for New Delhi is (0)11. There are surcharges on international calls made from hotels; it is often cheaper to use public telephone boxes in post offices, which use phone cards.
Tipping
Many travellers view tipping as a difficult subject, though this need not be the case. The first thing to remember is that tipping is not compulsory, nor are there any fixed amounts. The bottom line in determining whether and how much to tip is to ask yourself how much the individual did to make your travel more enjoyable.
Climate
India is the seventh largest country in the world and the geographical conditions in one part of the country differ significantly from the other. India has three major seasons: winter, summer and the monsoon. The winter months (October to March) are pleasant in most of India, with bright sunny days and cool nights. In the northern plains however, the minimum temperature at times drops steeply.
The Himalayas and its foothills receive snowfall, sometimes till early April. In most parts of western, southern and eastern India, December and January are pleasantly cool but never really chilly.
During the summer months (April-August), northern India is fairly hot, with daytime temperatures around 45 °C. Most hill resorts, like Shimla, Mussourie and Nainital - the summer capitals during the days of the colonial Raj - are busy with Indian tourists beating the heat of their hometowns.
The southwest monsoon usually hits the southern tip of India in early June, and tracks north over the next two months. Most of India receives its major share of rainfall between June and September, the south-eastern areas, in addition, get the north-east monsoon rains between mid-October and the end of December.
Some areas of India like Ladakh, the highest desert in the world, and neighbouring areas of Himachal Pradesh remain dry which open up trekking opportunities for visitors.
Dress
Light and loose, easily laundered clothing is best for the south, and the northern plains, especially from April to September. You will need warmer clothes, including woollens, for the north during winter. Warm clothing is a must in the hill stations all year round.
India does not have a very formal dress code, though some hotels and clubs could insist on a minimum of formality in their dining rooms - long trousers and a conventional shirt usually suffice.
Businessmen should wear a jacket and tie, or a tailored safari suit when meeting counterparts or senior officials. Women should follow the same principle. When touring, avoid revealing tops, short skirts and all but the baggiest shorts.
Health Requirements
Foreign visitors to India, except those originating from Yellow Fewer affected regions of Africa and South America, do not require any vaccination. Nevertheless, travellers are advised to consult a physician or travel medicine specialist well in advance of travelling to determine health risk.
Drink
We advise that you drink only sealed bottled mineral water and drinks.
Language
English is widely spoken throughout India, however the official language is Hindi. Staff at airline, railway, telecommunication counters and offices are usually fluent in English. Most direction signs usually have an english version too. Books like Words in Indian English by S. Muthiah can help visitors interpret local additions to vocabulary and grammar.
Indian Standard Time
5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of GMT.
Electricity
220 V. It is advisable to carry a universal adaptor.
