Logistical Travel Tips to Consider before Traveling to India Based on My Experiences Attending a Friend’s Wedding

Photo by Julian Yu on Unsplash

I flew to India for a friend’s wedding in May. I was there for two weeks, catching up with a friend in Delhi and then flying to my friend’s wedding in Kochi and then flying to Chennai for the reception. Although I traveled solo, a good portion of my travel time was spent with friends who were born and raised in India.

This post is organized into the following logistical travel advice:

1. e-VISA
2. Transportation: Autos, Cars, Planes, Buses, and Trains
3. Packing Items and Tips
4. Random Helpful Tips (e.g. involving currency, the Taj Mahal, and what to do if you’re unintentionally caught up in a protest like I was)

e-VISA

Apply for a tourist e-VISA to India a month (or less) before traveling there. Please keep in mind that I applied for one during the offseason and that an e-VISA costs $10 if you’re visiting anytime between April and June. It’s $25 if you’re visiting anytime between July and March (the vast majority of countries pay this price including a processing fee but there are some countries that do not pay anything for an e-VISA). It took less than 23 hours for my e-VISA to be approved. During the tourist…