Getting Around

Car Hire

Hiring a car with a driver is inexpensive. The main companies are Hertz (tel: 99725 02292) and Akbar Travels (tel: 1 800 226000), both are all-India call centre numbers. Most of the hotels can also offer this service.

Driving in India requires familiarity with local driving customs, not to say skill and daring. Although traffic drives on the left, hazards include animals wandering in front of vehicles, speeding trucks and overloaded buses.

Visitors should have insurance and an international driving licence to drive in India but the licence requirement is often waived if you have your licence from home.

Public Transport

Transport in Bengaluru is by road or on foot. Pavements are often narrow and broken and crossing the roads can be difficult, so the best bet is to use metered auto-rickshaws (tuk-tuks) which are everywhere, and are cheap. They also cope with the often gridlocked traffic better than a bus.

Buses are run by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) (tel: (080) 2222 2542) and their services radiate from the City Bus Stand next to the Majestic Bus Stand. As well as regular stopping services, the BMTC operate a number of deluxe express services to designated destinations. The KR (City) Market bus stand is to the south of the city (tel: (080) 2670 2177), and Shivajinagar to the north (tel: (080) 2286 5332). Daily and weekly passes are available at discounted rates.

A new overland metro system is under construction.

Taxis

The main taxi companies are Meru Cabs (tel: (080) 4422 4422), Easy Cabs (tel: (080) 4343 4343) and Karnataka Taxi (tel: (080) 4252 5555).