Travel and accommodation costs in India

Suite at the Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad

There are four entry gateways in India and most flights arrive in the middle of the night. The major international airports are located at New Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay), but there are also arrivals to Kolkata (Calcutta) and Chennai (Madras), which are modern, clean and organised airports.

India is five and a half hours ahead of GMT and the flight journey time from the UK is around nine hours. New Delhi’s international airport is called Indira Gandhi International airport and is located 25km south west of the centre. The Sahar International Airport at Mumbai (Bombay) is 30km north of the centre.

For getting around the country Indian Airlines (www.indian-airlines.nic.in) has a large domestic network. It’s also worth noting that Air India (www.airindia.com) carries domestic passengers on its linking flights between Mumbai and Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore.

There are many airlines flying from the UK to India, ranging from British Airways to Air India. All British Airways flights depart from London Heathrow. A BA return flight to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore or Chennai costs £455 including taxes, fees and charges, and to Kolkata it costs £505. Air India (www.air-india.com) also depart London Heathrow to Bombay, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad with prices from around £322 return and there are a handful of other Asian airlines to consider such as Singapore Airlines (http://www.singaporeair.com), Thai (www.thaiairways.com) and Malaysia. But it’s well worth exploring the charter flight territory; depending on when you fly, flights can cost as little as £250 return. Try www.flights4less.co.uk which is part of Lastminute.com or www.cheapflights.co.uk.

Getting around

Rail travel in India is a safe and comfortable way to get around and see the country, and a far better option than bus. There are a number of different classes for travelling ranging from first class AC, which will get you a comfortable lockable cabin to sleeper class, which comprises a partition of around nine berths with ceiling fans.

Indian Railways is divided into regional zones, see www.indianrailway.com or visit the individual areas as follows:- www.centralrailwayonline.com (central railway), www.easternrailway.gov.in (eastern railway), www.uttarrailway.com (northern railway) and www.srailway.com (southern railway).

A good way to get about town - and an essential Indian experience - is via rickshaw but remember to have a stash of Rs 10 to hand, as chances are they won’t have change for bigger notes. It’s also customary to ‘tip’ in India, in restaurants, taxi’s and transport so it’s wise to have stash of small denomination notes.

Accommodation

As for accommodation, a three star hotel in Delhi, Mumbay, Bangalore and Chennai typically costs around £45-£60 per night, including breakfast, while in Kolkata the same standard of hotel will be slightly cheaper, and typically costs between £35-£50. Many of the hospitals offer package deals which include a choice of accommodation within the hospital from top class luxury to standard class. If you’re planning on holidaying after your treatment then for a twin bed or double room in a traditional hotel expect to pay around £10 per night, including breakfast.

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