Flights and Travel Information
Your travel department or agent will book your flight for you. A typical flight route from the U.S East coast will take you via Europe into India. Flights from the west coast may fly over the Pacific into India. The length of your trip will vary depending on your flight arrangements. Actual flight time typically takes 20 hours, not including layovers.

Please confirm that you have either a paper ticket or a print out of your electronic ticket itinerary for each leg of your trip to and from India before you leave for India.

Arranging Accommodations
You can arrange for your Hotel Stay with your travel agent or through the internet. You can also contact your vendor representative for recommendations to one of the local hotels near their offices.

You can stay at any of the five star hotels in India and experience legendary service. While a few international hotel chains like the Marriott and Intercontinental have hotels in a few cities in India, the hotel chains with the largest network are: The Taj, Welcomgroup and Oberoi.

The hotel will be billed directly to you. You will need to present a credit card upon check-in to cover your stay. All major credit cards are accepted in Indian hotels including American Express, Visa, Diners Club and Mastercard. Discover Card is not accepted in India.

Transportation in India
Because driving is very different and potentially dangerous in India I do not recommend visitors to drive while in India. Your vendor's India office can help arrange for a rental car with driver for your stay in India. You can avail of this transportation to and from the office and to local sights, restaurants, etc.

In addition, taxies and auto-rickshaws are readily available. Most drivers prefer to agree on a fixed price, or a fixed amount above the final meter reading.

Money Matters
Most U.S. banks allow you to use your personal ATM card to withdraw rupees from Indian ATMs, which are located in most hotels and in many places throughout most cities, just as in the U.S.

Check with your bank to make sure that your bank belongs to a network of ATMs in India and does not charge an extra fee.

Currency Exchange agents charge a higher fee for conversion than banks and can be used if required. In an emergency, your hotel will assist you in exchanging currency.

It is always advisable to carry some amount of cash while traveling in India. It may be advisable to carry your cash in the form of traveler’s checks.

The Indian Rupee
Please see this currency converter to conver from US dollars (USD) to Indian Rupees (INR).

The Indian Rupee written as INR or Rs. is made of 100 paise (pronunciation key: pay-say). Notes are in denominations of INR1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, and 5. Coins are in denominations of INR 5, 2 and 1, and 50, 25, and 10 paise.

Indian Rupees are not fully convertible outside India and it is advisable to convert them when you leave India into your choice of currency. Approved currency exchange counters are available at all international airports.

Phones
Not all US phones work enroute to India or in India. Some US cellular service providers have roaming arrangements with cell phone service providers in India. However this may be a very expensive proposition. In most cases, you need to contact your cellular service provider to check the rates and availability and/or activate the international roaming service.

Your vendor's Indian office can arrange for an Indian cellular phone for use during your visit in India.

Business Travel Accident Insurance
As with any Business Travel outside the US, you may choose to purchase Business Travel Accident Insurance at your discretion.

Medical Coverage
Please contact your medical insurance company to check if coverage is available in India. In most cases, even where coverage is available, you will have to incur the expenses in India and then file your claims back in the US.

Please take with you in your carry-on luggage:

• Your insurance I.D. cards
• A current copy of the prescription orders for any necessary medication
• Extra prescriptions (Indian drugs are not the same brands as in the US)
• Your Inoculation Card, which has been signed by your doctor, as you may need to prove that you have the proper inoculations and that they are current.