Local routes and public transport fares in India
India
We travel on a budget, independently and most of all locally! When planning your trip to India, you will undoubtedly appreciate detailed information on the routes, fares and the travel times to reach the destination. During my travels around India, I thoroughly recorded all individual details. So here you have them!
Keep in mind that in India the majority of bus drivers, rickshaw drivers, and their assistants are infamous for overcharging western tourists. Sometimes even multiple times. Every day they will try their nasty tricks and theatrical performances on you. Don't be afraid - push back and bargain. It is necessary to have beforehand a clue about the actual local fare and then bargaining itself is a straightforward process.
MUMBAI
The route, Vehicle, Fare (INR), Distance, Year
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Mumbai - Vile Parle Railway Station, Rickshaw, 70 INR, 15 min, 2013
Vile Parle - Church Gate, Train (90002 Mumbai Church Gate Local), 10 INR, 40 min, 2013
Church Gate - Mahim, Train (Local), 10 INR, 50 min, 2013
Church Gate - Mahalaxmi Dhobighat, Train (Local), 5 INR, 20 min, 2013
GOA and KARNATAKA
Mumbai (Dadar) - Pernem Railway Station, Train (Mandovi Express), 330 INR, 15 h, 2013
Pernem Railway Station - Pernem, Rickshaw, 30 INR, 10 min, 2013
Pernem - Arambol, Bus, 15 INR, 30 min, 2013
Chicalim - Panjim, Bus, 23 INR, 50 min, 2015
Panjim - Mapusa, Bus, 15 INR, 50 min, 2015
Mapusa - Arambol, Bus, 20 - 25 INR, 1,5 h, 2015
Mapusa - Calangute, Bus, 15 INR, 40 min, 2015
Arambol - Mapusa - Anjuna, Bus, 30 INR, 1,5 h, 2013
Anjuna - Mapusa - Calangute, Bus, 20 INR, 1,5 h, 2013
Calangute - Panjim, Bus, 20 INR, 1 h, 2015
Panjim - Ponda, Bus, 40 INR, 2,5 h, 2013
Ponda - Old Goa, Bus, 15 INR, 1,5 h, 2013
Ponda - Benaulim, Bus, 60 INR, 1,5 h, 2013
Panjim - Old Goa, Bus, 15 INR, 1,5 h, 2015
Panjim - Margao, Bus (Express), 40 INR, 2,5 h, 2015
Margao - Colva, Bus, 15 INR, 45 min, 2015
Margao - Benaulim, Bus, 10 INR, 30 min, 2013
Benaulim - Colva, Bus, 10 INR, 20 min, 2015
Benaulim - Madgaon Railway Station, Rickshaw, 200 INR, 30 min, 2013
Madgaon Railway Station - Hosapete, Train, 200 INR, 9 h, 2013
Madgaon Railway Station - Hubli JN, Train, 178 INR, 5 h, 2015
Hubli JN - Hosapete, Train, 158 INR, 3,5 h, 2015
Hosapete - Bazaar Rd Hampi, Rickshaw, 100 INR, 50 min, 2015
Bazaar Rd Hampi - Hosapete (morning), Rickshaw, 200 INR, 50 min, 2015
Hampi - to the second shore of the river Tungabhadra, boat, 10 INR, 5 min, 2015
Hampi - to the second shore of the river Tungabhadra (after 5 PM), fisherman boat, 300 INR, 5 min, 2015
Hubli - Margao, Bus, 150 INR, 5 h, 2013
Margao - Palolem, Bus, 40 INR, 1,5 h, 2015
Palolem - Canacona Bus Stand, Bus, 6 INR, 20 min, 2013
Canacona - Gokarna, Bus, 80 INR, 3 h, 2013
Kudle Beach - Gokarna, Rickshaw, 50 INR, 15 min, 2013
Gokarna - Mangaluru, Bus, 200 INR, 5,5 h, 2013
KERALA and TAMIL NADU
Mangaluru - Kochi, Bus, 317 INR, 13 h, 2013
Ernakulam - Fort Kochi, Ferry, 2,5 INR, 30 min, 2013
Kochi - Munnar, Bus, 85 INR, 4,5 h, 2013
Munnar - Alleppey, Bus, 144 INR, 5,5 h, 2013
Alleppey - Kollam, Ferry, 300 INR, 8 h, 2013
Kollam - Kallambalam, Bus, 24 INR, 1,5 h, 2013
Kallambalam - Varkala, Bus, 9 INR, 30 min, 2013
Varkala - Varkala Beach, Rickshaw, 60 - 70 INR, 15 min, 2013
Varkala - Trivandrum, Bus (new, AC), 340 INR, 1,5 h, 2013
Trivandrum - Kanyakumari, Bus, 70 INR, 2,5 h, 2013
Kanyakumari - Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Boat, 34 INR, 15 min, 2013
Kanyakumari - Chennai, Bus, 530 INR, 15 h, 2013
ANDAMAN ISLANDS
Chennai - Port Blair, Ferry, 2160 INR, 3 days, 2013
Port Blair - Havelock, Ferry, 360 INR, 3 h, 2013
Havelock - Neil Island, Ferry, 360 INR, 1,5 h, 2013
Port Blair- Kolkata, Ferry, 2160 INR, 5 days, 2013
WEST BENGAL and UTTAR PRADESH
Kolkata port - City Center, taxi (Ambassador), 200 INR, 30 min, 2013
Kolkata - Siliguri, Bus, 600 INR, 12 h, 2013
Siliguri - Darjeeling, Jeep, 130 - 150 INR, 3 h, 2013
Darjeeling Train Tour, Steam train, 335 INR, 2 h, 2013
Kalkata - Varanasi, Train, 352 INR, 12 h, 2013
PUNJAB and HIMACHAL PRADESH
Varanasi - Amritsar, Train, 430 INR, 18 h, 2013
Amritsar Junction - City Center, Cycle Rickshaw, 100 INR, 30 min, 2013
Amritsar - Manali, Bus (3x!), 420 INR, 14 h, 2013
Manali - Vashist, Rickshaw, 120 INR, 15 min, 2013
DELHI and RAJASTHAN and GUJARAT
Manali - New Delhi, Bus, 950 INR, 13 h, 2013
New Delhi Bus Stand - City Center, Rickshaw, 150 INR, 30 min, 2013
Goa Int. Airport - Delhi, Flight IndiGo, 3931 INR, 2,5 h, 2015
Domestic Terminal Delhi - Aero City, Bus Shuttle, 30 INR, 20 min, 2015
Delhi Aero City - New Delhi Metro, Airport Express, 50 INR, 40 min, 2015
New Delhi - Mumbai, Airport, 500 INR, 35 h, 2013
New Delhi - Jaipur, Train (CC Class), 680 INR, 5 h, 2015
Jaipur - Ahmedabad, Train (2AC), 1380 INR, 11 h, 2015
Ahmedabad center - Airport, Rickshaw, 250 INR, 1 h, 2015
Mumbai, Airport - Vile Parle, 5 km, 70 INR
Mumbai Dadar - outskirts close to the airport (night), 8 km, 250 INR
Mumbai, city ride, 4 km, 120 INR
Pernem Railway Station - Pernem, 3 km, 60 INR
Ponda, Center - Spacies Plantation, 3,5 km, 50 INR
Benaulim - Madgaon Railway Station, 7 km, 200 INR
Panjim, city ride, 3 km, 50 INR
Hosapete - Hampi, 13 km, 100 INR
Hubli, center - Bus Stand, 2,5 km, 40 INR
Kudle Beach - Gokarna, 1,5 km, 50 INR
Kochi, city ride, 1,5 - 2 km, 30 - 40 INR
Munnar - Old Munnar, 2 km, 30 INR
Allepey, city ride, 2 km, 30 - 35 INR
Varkala - Varkala Beach, 3 km, 60 - 70 INR
Trivandrum, city ride, 3 - 4 km, 80 INR
Chennai, Bus stand - Center, 11 km, 200 INR
Chennai, city ride, 6 km, 160 INR
Port Blair, NSRY Jetty - Center, 5 km, 70 INR
Port Blair, center - Phoenix Bay Jetty, 1 km, 60 INR
Port Blair, center - Cellular Jail, 1 km, 40 INR
Havelock Ferry Ghat - Beach n. 5, 5 km, 30 INR
Neil Island, Ferry Wharf - Kalapani Resort, 2,5 km, 110 INR
Kolkata, pulled rickshaw in the center, 1,5 km, 100 INR
Kolkata, city ride, 3 km, 40 INR
Kolkata, Sudder St. - Howrah Junction, 5 km, 100 INR
Varanasi, city ride, 5 - 6 km, 100 INR
Amritsar, city ride, 3 - 4 km, 100 INR
Manali - Vashist, 3 km, 100 - 120 INR
New Delhi, Bus Stand - Main Bazaar Rd, 13 km, 150 INR
Jaipur, city ride, 3 km, 60 INR
Jaipur, Ever Green Guest House - Train Station, 3 km, 40 INR
Ahmedabad, city ride, 2 km, 40 INR
Ahmedabad, to the airport, 11 km, 250 INR
Rickshaw
Rickshaw fare depends mainly on the location. In the tourist areas like Goa or the vicinity of the popular national monuments, bizarre rickshaw drivers charge more than common sense would allow. Often much more than you would pay for a regular taxi in Prague, Europe (50-60 INR per km). The only Indian city in which the rickshaw driver turned the taximeter on was Calcutta. Generally, standard rickshaw fare should range 12 to 15 INR per km. In fact, in case you mastered bargaining, as a white tourist you might be able to lower the price down to 20 INR per km. As the most expensive you will find short distances around the city (within 2 km).
Since the drivers absolutely refuse to use taximeters in all India, discuss with the driver in advance the fare for the specific route. After the ride, the drivers might still try their cunning tricks on you. Pay only what you initially agreed upon. It is always handy to have the right amount of cash ready or enough banknotes of the small denomination at least. You will spare yourself unnecessary disputes.
Rickshaw drivers often take advantage of the fact that the tourists don't know the local environment and claim that the actual distance of 1 km (on the map) is actually 2-3 km and thus tourist should pay more. On your smartphone, verify the actual distance, multiply by 20, and get the right fare.
See the rickshaw fare list (price for two persons) in the cities from our Itinerary.