India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [430]
To find out about any events or festivals or current arts and entertainment listings, ask your concierge, or pick up a copy of the daily Hindustan Times or the Jaipur Vision.
Getting There & Away
BY AIR Both Jet Airways ( 0141/511-2222 through -2225) and Indian Airlines ( 0141/274-3500 or -3324) have daily flights between Jaipur and Delhi (40–60 min.), Jodhpur (45 min.), Udaipur (50 min.), and Mumbai (directly11⁄2 hr.). Indian also flies to Kolkata (2 hr., 25 min. to 3 hr., 45 min.) four times a week. Sanganer Airport lies 15 minutes south of the center of town; most hotels are 30 minutes away. Use the prepaid taxi service for the most convenient trip into the city (unless your hotel provides a complimentary transfer); a taxi ride to the Old City should cost under Rs 300). It’s a terribly grueling auto-rickshaw ride (but slightly cheaper at around Rs 200).
BY TRAIN The Jaipur Railway Station is located west of the Old City (reservations Mon–Sat 8am–2pm and 2:15–8pm, Sun 8am–2pm). You can reach Jaipur by train from just about anywhere. The Ajmer Shatabdi connects Jaipur with Delhi in 41⁄2 hours (daily except Wed); from Agra the Marudhar Express (early morning, alternate days) takes about 5 hours, while the late-night Howrah Express (arriving midnight) takes 4 hours. You will be inundated with offers from rickshaw-wallas upon your arrival at Jaipur Station—to avoid this, go to the prepaid auto-rickshaw counter. Dial 131 for railway inquiries, 0141/220-4531 for recorded arrival and departure information, and 135 for reservations. Reservations for foreign tourists are made at counter 8. To book a ticket, your easiest option is to get your hotel or a travel agent to do it for you. Either will charge a service fee of Rs 50 to Rs 100 per passenger.
BY BUS Buses arrive at the Inter-State Bus Terminal (called Sindhi Camp bus stand) on Station Road. For information, call 0141/220-7912 for regular buses; or 0141/220-4445 for deluxe buses. Deluxe Volvo coaches from Delhi will drop you off at Bikaner House, near India Gate. Departing from the same depot, you’ll pay Rs 5,000 for a seat on an A/C deluxe bus to Delhi; these leave half-hourly between 6am and 12:30am. It’s a 51⁄2-hour trip.
BY CAR As is the case everywhere, you will need to hire a driver with your car. Book one with Indoarya at 011/2651-1634; indoarya@vsnl.net. The Jaipur-Delhi National Highway no. 8 is a divided highway that should get you between the two cities in 4 hours, depending on traffic and what time you depart. The undivided highway between Agra and Jaipur through Fatehpur Sikri and Bharatpur is in reasonable condition, too. There’s not much you can do about the driving habits of other drivers, but you can, and should, certainly say something if you feel yours is driving rashly.
Getting Around
Unprecedented commercial development in the state capital in recent years has not been accompanied by infrastructural change; rush-hour traffic is arguably worse here than anywhere else in the country, although there are plans afoot to address the crisis. Construction is underway for a Metro, which should be ready by the end of 2010, and new overpasses. The best way to get around the crowded city center is on foot or by rickshaw. A