Around Bangalore

Sunday, 21 October 2007

By bus Buses in Bangalore are cheap and usually frequent, but traveling on them can be very difficult if you don't know the system well. Local city buses display only the route number in English, with the destination and route information is written in Kannada. This means you will have to know what route number you need before you get on, which you can find from the BMTC website or by asking locals. Unlike many Western countries, posted route maps of the bus system are rare, although maps are sold at the main bus terminal (Majestic Bus Stand). Bangalore Bus Route, directions, distance information City buses will be crowded during rush hours but one can travel with little difficulty during day time. Bus service is less frequent after 9:30 - 10:00 pm and becomes rare after 10:30 pm. It is always better to buy a daily pass if you plan to travel the whole day on the bus. The daily pass costs Rs 30 and it comes handy if you need to travel on several buses in a single day. Daily passes are issued by the on-duty bus conductor or at the bus stand, mostly till 1 pm in the afternoon. Using this pass you can travel in any bus (other than A/C Volvo) for the entire day, any number of times. It is a very economical option for travel in Bangalore. There are three major bus stands:     * Majestic Bus Stand also known as the Kempegowda bus stand near Gandhi Nagar is close to the railway station and is quite neatly organized and is easily navigable. There is an inquiry office near platform number 1 on ‘Majestic’ where you can ask the bus number and platform for your desired destination. You can find a large map on display, which you can use to find the bus number you need to take if you know the area you are going to. You can of course always ask the conductor or other passengers. Route maps are also sold on the platforms.     * City Market is around 2 km (1.2 mi) to 3 km (1.8 mi) away from Majestic and could daunt newcomers, since it is very disorganized. It is a large dirt parking lot under an overhead highway, and there isn't much order to where buses park.     * Shivajinagar is in the north. This is also neatly organized and there is an enquiry window to find about buses. From all of these three bus stands, buses are available for all major regions of city. Other important bus stands are     * BTS, Important junction of major routes near Lalbag     * Jayanagar, South     * Banashankari, South West     * BTM, South East     * Vijaynagar, West     * Malleswaram, North West     * Yeshwantpur, Far North West     * Domlur, East     * Rajajinagar, North Buses with black display boards run within the city. Red board buses covers long distance and go to adjoining suburbs. There is a ‘Pushpak’ service with better seating; these buses are tan rather than the usual blue. Recently A/C Volvo buses have also been introduced for select routes.  By auto-rickshaw Auto-rickshaw drivers are the nightmare of the city. Auto-rickshaws are supposed to charge fares as per the meter reading, which most often equals to 7 INR x Distance (in Kms.), they generally tend to charge on an ad-hoc basis depending on the distance of the destination or the chances of getting another customer from the mentioned locality. However, a bad business sense and the inexplicable reasons elicited by them for refusing to ferry a customer have earned them enough brick-bats. Tourists should be tactful when approaching an auto-rickshaw during night, or during heavy rains. Chances are they will charge exorbitant rates. Help could be taken from the local traffic police to avail atuo-rickshaws during such circumstances. Auto-rickshaws are everywhere at any time of day. They are yellow three wheeled contraptions that use simple two-stroke engines and belch out pollutants. Nevertheless, they are a fast way to get around the city. Autos are supposed to charge according to the meter, and you should simply refuse to board one where the meter is faulty or the driver refuses to use it. Saying "meter please" will usually do the trick. If you are desperate to get somewhere, you should at least negotiate the fare before boarding. Autos add a 50% surcharge after 10 pm (called "one and half"). Some drivers may demand 100% surcharge after 10PM or 11PM but you must refuse to board in such a case. Heavy luggage costs an additional fee of around Rs10 or 20. Rickshaw drivers are required by law to display their identification on the dashboard or the back of their seats. Refuse to get into a rickshaw that does not. If a rickshaw driver offers to show/drive you to some great places to shop, firmly refuse. A common tactic is to drive you to local shops where you will be pressured to buy Indian crafts that you probably don't want. Know your destination and insist upon it. Be firm. The minimum charge as of June 2007, is Rs 14 for the first 2km and Rs 7 for every additional km. A trip from the Airport to Brigade road costs about 50rs including (a good) tip. Finally, although Bangaloreans are known for their polite and mild manners, some auto drivers are an exception. Therefore be careful in dealing with them.  By taxi The taxis in Bangalore are very convenient and comfortable. Most of the vehicles are Maruti Omni Vans or Tata Indica cars, which are much safer than Auto rickshaws, and the drivers are polite. If you are alone or going to an unknown destination, you are strongly advised to choose this option, even though the rates will be double that of an auto. The rates are Rs. 35 for 4 km (2.5 mi)(minimum) and Rs 9 for every extra kilometer. Unlike many other countries, taxis are not marked with 'TAXI' signs on the top. In fact, you must call for a taxi, as it is nearly impossible to hail one unless you are at a major point like the airport. When you call, you should negotiate a fare (or agree on using the meter) and get the taxi's 'number'. The taxi will come pick you up, and call you when they are close. When you go out on the street, look at the license plate for the number they gave you -- it will be the last four digits of the license plate. This is usually in the format "KA" followed by 01 to 05 or 50+, followed by "M" and then another alphabet, followed by a four digit number. Taxis generally have yellow license plates with black letters. Although it can be hard for non-Indians to grasp at first, the system is actually very effective. If in doubt, ask a member of your hotel staff to help you, and when your taxi comes be sure to tip them Rs. 10 or Rs. 15 for the assistance.  By private car Most taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers will be more than happy to offer you either a daily rate or an hourly rate, and take you around wherever you need to go. Alternately, your hotel or a travel company can arrange a private car. If you find a good taxi or auto driver, this can be a great way to go for a foreigner. You'll certainly pay a lot more than if you bought individual rides, but you'll always have a driver waiting for you, and he can help with recommending local tourist sites, finding a good restaurant to eat at, and otherwise coping with day-to-day life. This can take a lot of the stress out of traveling. Rates are generally something like Rs. 50 to 100 per hour for an auto-rickshaw, and Rs 150 to 250 per hour for a taxi. Rates for a private car booked via the hotel will probably be more. Like everything else in India, rates are very fluid.

 

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