General guidelines for Incoming International students/postdocs/visiting scholars
Travel Checklist
Visa
All non-Indian-citizens are required to have an Indian visa to enter the country. Please allow yourself sufficient time (say 2-3 weeks) to procure an appropriate visa from your nearest Indian consulate. There are several Indian consulates worldwide. Indian consulates in the continental US are located in Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Houston, and San Francisco. An online copy of the application form for Indian visa is available.
To apply, please visit the link here: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/
Flight Reservations
There are direct convenient flights from several European cities (and from a few US cities) to Bangalore and we recommend that you arrive in Bangalore directly instead of landing in other Indian cities and connecting to Bangalore. Please make your flight reservations well in advance, to be on the safe side as December is a very busy season.
Vaccinations (shots)
Many first-time travelers to India prefer to get preventive vaccinations (shots). The Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India has some more health tips for tourists.
Foreign Exchange
While international credit cards are widely accepted in commercial establishments in India, several places rely on cash transactions in the local currency (Indian Rupee). We suggest that you either carry some Indian currency when entering India or buy Indian currency at the currency exchange agencies in the Indian airports, upon arrival. The current exchange rate is about Rs. 68.07/- per US dollar. Once in India, you can buy additional Indian currency from local branches of Citibank, Thomas Cook, etc. However, it is typically difficult to convert Indian currency back into foreign currency because of exchange regulations.
International Travel to Bangalore
Most international airlines have direct flights to India from Europe and Singapore/Hong-Kong. From the US, most international airlines fly to India with a single stop, either in Europe or in the Far East with a few offering direct flights to India. Economy class round trip airfares from the US to India and back are typically significantly less than US $2000/-. Check with your travel agent for current fares.
Most airlines such as Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Air Lanka, Air France, British Airways, Malaysian Airlines, Jet Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Thai, Dragon Air, Qatar fly directly into Bangalore. Almost all airlines have daily flying. We recommend that you fly directly into Bangalore.
Alternatively, most international airlines fly into Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras) or New Delhi. If you fly into these cities there are several domestic airlines connecting Bangalore to these cities (Air India, Jet Airways, Go Air, Indigo, Spicejet). Chennai-Bangalore is a 45 minute flight, Mumbai-Bangalore is a 90 minute flight, and Delhi to Bangalore is 2.5 hours. We recommend flying into Chennai as the domestic and international terminals are in the same building. In Mumbai one has to take a bus to go between the terminals. Flying into other cities have the difficulty that International flights from Europe typically arrive into India around midnight, and the first flight to Bangalore out of Mumbai, New Delhi or Chennai is not until 6am, leaving you with a tiring 5-6 hour wait around the airport.
Chennai is also well connected to Bangalore by the Shatabdi Express train, a comfortable 5 hour journey; but the trains usually run fully booked, hence advance reservations are required.
Check with your travel agent for attractive local air travel offers that are usually available with your international travel ticket.
Arrival at the Kempegowda International Airport
The airport is equipped with adequate number of immigration counters and baggage carousels for quick baggage retrieval. A large duty free shop is also located near the baggage claim area.
Transport from/to the Kempegowda International Airport
How to reach IISc Campus
Local name for IISc is ‘Tata Institute’. Always use ‘Tata Institute’ with the taxi, auto drivers, and bus conductors. IISc is about 35 km from the new Kempegowda International Airport (both domestic and International).
Commute To Kempegowda International Airport
All phone numbers have an area code +91-80 (for landline) and +91 for mobile. For all the general enquiries, you can contact Toll free number: 1-800-425-4425 and WhatsApp number: +91 888 499 8888 ( 24×7).
Taxi Service Providers
There are three taxi providers to reach airport or other destinations. Karnataka Taxi, Mega Cabs, and Meru Cabs are the official taxi operators at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru. They provide convenient, safe, easily accessible, and cost-effective travel in a standard or air-conditioned sedan.
Basic Taxi Services
- Meru Cabs: 4422-4422
- Mega Cabs: 4747-4747
- KSTDC: 4466 4466
- * Fares: Rs 15/km with waiting charge of Rs 60 per hour
- * You pay at the end of the journey based on the metered charge. Credit card payment with printed receipt facility is available.
Airport Shuttle Service
Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) plans to run buses from various points of the city every 15 minutes to the Kempegowda International Airport.
Contact details
- BMTC airport kiosk information: Telephone No: 2760 7989, Mobile: 077 6099 1269
- BMTC, Kempegowda Bus Stand: Telephone No: 2295 2311 / 2295 2314
- BMTC, Shivajinagar Bus Stand: Telephone No: 2295 2321 / 2295 2324
Mode of payment: Bus fare will be collected by cash only inside the bus.
Few highlights
- A fleet of comfortable, air-conditioned Volvo buses ‘VayuVajra’, which connect the airport and the city through 11 routes;
- 24/7 service is available at a frequency of 30 minutes at affordable prices;
- Located close to the Terminal Building,
- For more information on BMTC Volvo service to the airport, please click on www.mybmtc.com
Getting around Bangalore
Uber and Ola Cabs are convenient mode of transport as they are easily available. Most of the drivers are affable and honest and are multilingual. Apart from the local language most of the drivers are conversant in Hindi and English. Auto-rickshaws are another way of local commute and whenever possible, use of pre-paid auto service is recommended. When operated out of city limits and between 2200 and 0500 hours, the autos charge one and a half times the normal meter reading.
Reaching IISc From the Main Railway Station:
The main railway station in Bangalore is called Bangalore City which is about 7 km from IISc. The railway station and the main bus stand (called as Majestic and Kempegowda Bus station) are opposite to each other. Pre-paid autorickshaw facility is available at the Bangalore City Railway Station. You could tell the counter person that you are travelling to Tata Institute. Travel by autorickshaws between 10:00 p.m. and 06:00 a.m. will cost 50% more. You can also use the bus services from the Majestic bus station: Bus Route nos. 252 E, 258 C, 271 E, 273 C, 275, 276, 99 A and B . Alight at TATA INSTITUTE Bus Stop.
Reaching IISc From the Cantonment Railway Station:
Another important railway station in Bangalore is Cantonment Railway Station, also known as Bangalore Cantt. The distance from this station to IISc is almost same as the Bangalore City railway station and it also has prepaid autorickshaw facility. You can also use the bus services from the bus stop just opposite to the station. Route Nos. 94 A and E, 252 A, 270 A, 272, 276 A.
Reaching IISc From the Yeshwantpur Railway Station
Yeshwantpur is a railway station, located within Bangalore, but it is NOT the main railway station of Bangalore. One good thing about Yeshwantpur is that it is very close to IISc. The autorickshaw ride from Yeshwantpur to IISc will cost around Rs. 30. No prepaid autorickshaw facility available here.
Visiting places in and around Bangalore
Most places in and around Bangalore are easily accessible from IISc and the cost of travel is most reasonable. Bangalore has it all, so take your time and enchant yourself. Places like Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, Vidhana Soudha, Cubbon Park and Museums, Bull Temple and Tipu Sultan’s Palace are all worth visiting. So are the central shopping locations of Brigade Road, M.G.Road and Commercial Street. And before you go away and leave us don’t forget to check out all that Bangalore has to offer.
Local name for IISc is ‘Tata Institute’. Always use ‘Tata Institute’ with the taxi, auto drivers, and bus conductors. IISc is about 35 km from the Kempegowda International Airport (both domestic and International). Find local places in and around Bangalore, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. For additional Information on Travel, contact Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation at: http://www.kstdc.co
Departure from Kempegowda International Airport
The new Bengaluru International Airport is situated 35 kms from the city. Information on the airport can be found at its official website: (http://www.bengaluruairport.com/)
Rail tour packages
Use this occasion, and plan your visit to other cities in India. You may book e-ticket (Courtesy: Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation). The Rail tour packages offer selection on attractive theme categories, such as: Adventure, Spiritual, Wildlife, Heritage, Hills etc.