Cheap Ways to Travel from One Indian State to Another

by Rohan A. Marketer

Traveling costs around India is impressively affordable and India might be the best place for any budget travelers who love saving money. Traveling across India is not as expensive compared to other countries particularly if one knows how to use cheap modes of transportation.

The geography of the country is huge and it takes a lot of time to travel long distances. Taking a flight is the fastest mode of transportation however it is so expensive. Flight expense might be the problem for some although it is the fastest.

There are other alternatives for budget travel like buses and railways. Indeed for long distance travels, buses and trains take a longer period to reach but it is cheaper and affordable. On an advantageous note, negotiation can be made anywhere be it cabs or even trains. However, flight rates don’t come cheap and cannot be negotiated.

Trains are actually the fastest land transportation and more comfortable for tiring long journeys. Private cabs fares are high, and in India, it doesn’t stay at a fixed rate. Although it is okay to take private cabs for city tours it is not cheap for long travels. Private cabs cannot be trusted either; sometimes the problem may be the price as it differs between local and a foreigner. There are certain cheap ways to explore around without much expense however it depends on having the knowledge of using other alternative transportation.

The Following are the Cheaper Alternatives for Travelling

Travel by Bus

Traveling by bus will save tons of cash and it all depends on whether it is a short distance travel or long. If the journey is a long distance travel, bus tickets are booked in advance. There are tons of bus services and it wouldn’t be hard to buy a ticket within the day itself. However, this will be a different scenario in rural places where the tickets have to be bought in advance.

Taking a bus is cheaper than private cabs and flights. The tickets can be bought at the bus counter with price cost ranging from 100-700 rupees depending on the destination. For city tours, there are bus services that cost only around 20-150 rupees. Taking buses are much cheaper however on a disadvantageous note that it takes a lot of time.

Travel by Train

The Indian Railway Network is amazing and cheap. For long-distance travels, tickets should be booked way ahead of the travel day. Majority of the population in India use trains, therefore, one cannot just hop on and go wherever. There is again special foreign tourist quota of seats and berths only available for foreign tourist.

Foreign tourist quota is accessible within a day or two with no rush as such.

Another important information is that one cannot buy tickets before reservation opens. Reservations are computerized and open 120 days before departure for long-distance trains. The PNR status (passenger name record status inquiry) can be checked online to know the status of the reservation. It gives information about the seat number, coach number, and other necessary details.The PNR status can be checked on the IRTC website. Before making the journey, make sure that the PNR status is confirmed.

India is a country where poverty and wealth go hand in hand. Tourists flock around every year because everything is cheap. If the journey is not in rush, it is better to calmly decide which options to take for a cheap travel from one state to another.