Practical
The useful facts.
Money, SIMs, plugs, etiquette and safety, the things every visitor needs and few guides put in one place.
Money
The currency is the Indian rupee (₹). Cards are accepted widely in the cities, UPI runs the small payments but is built for Indian bank accounts, so visitors should carry cash for autos, stalls and small towns. ATMs are everywhere; tell your bank before you travel, and keep a note of your card numbers separate from the cards.
Getting connected
A data eSIM is the painless route: buy before you fly, land connected, and use the data for maps, ride apps and the booking apps. Tourist SIMs are sold at the airport arrivals halls with a passport if you prefer a physical card. Coverage is strong in the cities and along the highways and rail lines; the festival grounds of the Northeast are the patchier end.
Getting around
Each metro city has its own transport card or app; Delhi's card works across its network, Mumbai runs on the suburban railway and the metro, and app cabs work everywhere there is signal. Autos take meters in some cities and negotiation in others: agree the fare before you climb in where there is no meter.
Manners that matter
Dress modestly for temples and mosques, remove shoes where asked, and ask before photographing people at worship. Tipping is appreciated rather than obligatory: around ten percent in restaurants that have not already added a service charge, small notes for hotel and venue staff. Alcohol rules vary by state, Gujarat is dry and several states keep dry days around festivals and elections, and the hotels will tell you the local position.
Power, plugs and emergencies
India runs on 230 volts with Type C, D and M sockets; most modern chargers need only a plug adapter. The all-India emergency number is 112. Save your hotel's address in your phone in English and the local language, and keep the booking confirmations offline: festival crowds test every network.