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By Air: Bangalore is connected to India’s metropolitan cities and other major countries by air. Indian Airlines and private carriers operate regular flights to the Silicon Valley of India from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata (Calcutta), Madras, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Goa, Cochin and Ahmedabad. A few international flights come in directly form Singapore, Dubai, London, Oman, Hong Kong, Saudi and other countries around the world.
Bangalore Airport is 8 km from the M.G. Road area. Transfer to the city by tourist taxi takes about 20 minutes. Prepaid taxi services are also available. An auto-rickshaw, charging far less than the taxi, takes nearly the same time.
By Rail: Bangalore is connected to the capital by the weekly Rajdhani Express and the daily Karnataka Express. It is also well connected with Mumbai (Bombay) by the Udayan and Kurla Express, to Madras by the Madras Mail, Lal Bagh Shatabdi and Brindavan Express and also to Thiruvananthapuram, Cochin, Kolkata (Calcutta), Hyderabad, and Mangalore by express trains. Mysore (140 km away) is just 2.5 to 3 hours from Bangalore by train but it is preferable to do it by road.
By Road: You can get to Bangalore from Mumbai and Pune via the National Highway No. 4, to Hyderabad (565 km) and Kanyakumari (719 km) through National Highway No. 7 and Mangalore (349 km) on NH 48. Madras is approachable via Dharmapuri and Vellore (340 km). Buses of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala State Transport Corporations and a large number of private roadways connect Bangalore with all the major centres in the region. The interstate bus terminus of Bangalore is situated in Subashnagar near Majestic Circle and faces the Bangalore City Railway Station.
Local Transport: Auto-rickshaw This is the only true way to navigate Bangalore. Do not pay over the meter unless you want to tip. After 10 p.m. autos generally charge 50% over the meter. They may charge extra to go to remote areas.
Buses are not the best transport option out of the city and should only be considered as a mode of transport when nothing else is available. They are never punctual and the drivers and conductors are renowned as being very rude. Of course this isn’t always the case and there are the exceptions but you have been warned. However, within the city, the buses and their drivers tend to behave better and using them is often a good option. Bangalore has a large bus terminus, which is near the railway station. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses and buses belonging to Tamilnadu and Goa Roadways also operate from here. It is well linked to Mysore (3 hours), Hospet (9 hours), Chennai (8 hours) and Mumbai (24 hours).
Car Hire is a reasonable means of getting around, but be warned, the drivers in India are not what you might expect and it can be pretty hair-raising and/or frustrating. If you are at all nervous, then it’s best not to drive but rather be driven.
Taxis are the way to travel if you intend going a long way or even for short trips. These can be shared with other travellers (to help cut costs) if required. Most taxis are metered and if you find one that isn’t, get another or agree on a price before you sit in the vehicle.
By Motorbike or Bicycle Motorbike rental is another transport option but again, as with driving on the roads generally, you are advised against this as driving/drivers and road rules here are nothing like what you will be used to or expect. It’s another world out here and if you value your life…don’t rent a motorbike. Bicycles on the other hand are a reasonably viable option and will keep you fit at the same time.
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