10 Things No One Told You About Travelling India

India is a fascinating country that has rich history, amazing culture, ancient religion, and an abundance of equally ancient practices meant to develop both your mind and body. Whether you’ve been to India a few times or only planning your first visit, here are 10 things no one told you about travelling India.

It’s incredibly well-connected
You must think that most countries are well-connected, but it’s not exactly true when it comes to Asia and Southeast Asian countries. India, on the other hand, has an incredible transportation system. There are comfy trains with air-conditioning, simple trains with fans, buses, comfy sleeper buses, and of course flights. You can plan a trip depending on your budget, and rest assured that you’ll always be able to get from point A to point B somehow!

Train ticket system is complicated
The best way to get your train tickets is buy them online, but the tricky thing is that IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) site still doesn’t quite accept international cards. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t, that’s the gamble you have to take. Otherwise you can use services like Cleartrip or Yatra where you’ll have to pay a small extra fee to get your tickets.

Train tickets finish fast
Buy train tickets in advance! There are lots of people in India and train tickets disappear fast as it is one of the cheapest and most comfortable ways of travelling. But don’t despair, there’s a trick called Tourist Quota. Tourist Quota tickets are a small number of tickets reserved special for international tourists and you can get them in most big railway stations by filling out a form and showing your passport. Can’t buy them online! A small extra fee is applied.

The head wiggle
Indian head wiggle is a mysterious and wonderful thing. It can mean literally anything! “Yes, no, maybe, sure, I don’t know, of course, okay, let’s see…” The list is endless! It can change meaning depending on the situation and the person you’re talking to. Our advice – start using it as soon as possible as it will immediately make you more in tune with the local people wherever you go. It’s also incredibly fun!