Travel advice - India?

[Dozer]

Work is sending me to India again. (Those of you who gave vaccination advice last February, thank you. That trip was postponed, so this is again my first trip.)

 

Two main questions:

 

1. What's the best way to get rupees? You're supposed to wait until you get to the country, but I reckon airport will have bad rates. My first stop is Mumbai.

 

2. I'm on Three here, and their costs for mobile internet in India are ridiculous. I have an iPhone. I'm wondering if there's anything I can get while i'm still in the UK to get reasonably priced 3g or 4g while I'm there.

[Cyclone]

Can't you charge personal calls to expenses when you're abroad? If you work for a big company, check the expenses policy.

[Dozer]

Good point Cyclone. The issue isn't calls it's internet access via mobile. They'll probably reimburse whatever it costs but I like to be careful with their money, and Three's charges are a bit silly. (By the way, this is unusual for Three. In most countries where I travel they don't charge any extra for being overseas, but I guess they don't have a good partner in India.)

[phil752]

Get a local sim out there, although you need your doc's to buy one usually, be better if you have duel sim phone

[Bargepole23]

Work is sending me to India again. (Those of you who gave vaccination advice last February, thank you. That trip was postponed, so this is again my first trip.)

 

Two main questions:

 

1. What's the best way to get rupees? You're supposed to wait until you get to the country, but I reckon airport will have bad rates. My first stop is Mumbai.

 

2. I'm on Three here, and their costs for mobile internet in India are ridiculous. I have an iPhone. I'm wondering if there's anything I can get while i'm still in the UK to get reasonably priced 3g or 4g while I'm there.

 

Been a while since I worked in India but I always bought rupees on arrival. Can you buy them in UK?

[Dozer]

Bargepole, can't buy rupees in the UK I'm afraid.

[geared]

What not at all?? Don't believe that.

 

As for the mobile phone issue as others have said buy a sim card when you're out there, obviously you need to make sure your phone is unlocked.

You probably won't need any documents to buy one, you can get damn near anything from a street vendor for a no hassle cash price.

Just find some geezer with a market stall type thing on the street, shouldn't be too hard.

[Dozer]

Geared, it looks that way. Sample article from the Independent:

 

The basic rule: you are not allowed to take rupees in or out of India. That means that you will need to obtain some currency upon arrival, rather than sorting it out in advance. The easy option is to take your debit card and use that at the ubiquitous ATMs in urban areas (and at airports). However, there are three reasons not to rely upon plastic. The first is the risk that your card might be declined (even if you warn your bank in advance, as you should, that your transaction patterns will change). Next, technical problems sometimes mean ATMs may not work. And third, you have no control over the rate of exchange you will receive. So it is certainly worth bringing some cash.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/qa-im-going-to-india-and-need-rupees-whats-the-best-way-of-buying-them-8511999.html

 

I guess that article gives me the info I need, but I was hoping someone here had hands-on experience.

[Guest]

What not at all?? Don't believe that.

 

 

The Rupee is a "closed currency" which means it can't be taken out of India or obtained from outside of India.

Edited October 26, 2016 by Guest

[kidley]

Yes you can buy Rs in the uk, yes Alan H that is the official rule.

 

link for buying them in the U.K

 

http://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/holiday-money/

 

Buying a 3 or 4g phone card is easy in india also the best place to get Rs is in India, you will see exchange places all over the place.

Edited October 26, 2016 by kidley