What do you actually need to know before landing in Delhi or Mumbai? Not the Instagram version. The practical version: which visa to get, how to avoid getting sick, how to book a train without losing your mind, and what things should cost. Here is the field manual.
Visa and Entry: The 30-Day e-Visa Is Usually Enough
Most tourists overcomplicate this. India’s e-Visa system works well for standard tourism. You apply online, pay the fee, and get approval via email before flying. The 30-day e-Tourist Visa costs around $25–$40 depending on your nationality and season. It is double-entry, which matters if you plan to hop to Nepal or Sri Lanka and return.
Do not fall for third-party visa sites that charge $80–$150 for the same thing. The official portal is indianvisaonline.gov.in. That is the only one you need. The form takes about 30 minutes. Have a scanned passport photo and passport bio page ready as JPEG files under 1MB.
One failure mode: applying too early. The 30-day window starts from the date of approval, not arrival. Apply about 10–14 days before your flight. If you apply two months early, your visa may expire before you even land.
For longer trips, the 1-year e-Tourist Visa costs around $80 and allows multiple entries with 90-day stays per visit. That is the better pick for slow travelers or anyone doing a multi-country South Asia loop.
Food and Water: The 5 Rules That Prevent Most Illness
Here is the verdict up front: you will probably get a mild stomach issue. It is not a moral failure. It is a microbiome adjustment. But you can reduce the severity by following five rules.
- Only drink sealed bottled water. Check the seal before accepting. Brands like Bisleri, Kinley, and Himalayan are widely available. A 1-liter bottle costs ₹20–₹40 ($0.25–$0.50).
- Skip raw vegetables and cut fruit from street stalls. The washing water is the problem, not the produce itself. Cooked street food like pakoras, samosas, and freshly fried jalebis is generally safer because the heat kills bacteria.
- Eat where locals are eating. High turnover means food is not sitting around. A busy dosa stall in Bengaluru or a crowded chaat shop in Old Delhi is safer than an empty restaurant with a tourist menu.
- Carry oral rehydration salts (ORS). Buy a box of Electral or WHO-formula ORS sachets at any Indian pharmacy for under ₹50. Mix with bottled water at the first sign of loose stools.
- Brush your teeth with bottled water. This is the rule people forget. Tap water in your mouth counts as consumption.
If you do get sick, the pharmacy is your friend. Indian pharmacists can dispense antibiotics like Azithromycin (commonly sold as Azithral) without a prescription, but use that as a last resort, not a prevention strategy. Most traveler’s diarrhea resolves in 24–48 hours with ORS and rest.
Trains and Transport: Book IRCTC Trains 2–4 Weeks Ahead
Indian Railways is the world’s largest rail network and the best way to travel between cities. But the booking process confuses first-timers. Here is the exact sequence.
First, create an account on the official IRCTC website before you leave home. Verification now requires an international phone number, which is easier to do from your home country. Once verified, you can book directly. If IRCTC’s interface drives you insane, use MakeMyTrip or 12GoAsia as an agent. They charge a small service fee but handle the payment friction.
Book AC 2-tier (2A) or AC 3-tier (3A) for overnight journeys. 2A has four berths per compartment with curtains for privacy. 3A has six berths, no curtains, but is significantly cheaper. A Delhi-to-Mumbai 2A ticket costs roughly ₹2,500–₹3,500 ($30–$42). 3A runs ₹1,500–₹2,200 ($18–$26). Both include bedding.
The failure mode: waiting until the last minute. Popular routes sell out 2–3 weeks ahead, especially around festivals like Diwali or Holi. If a train is full, you go on a waitlist. WL/10 means 10 people ahead of you. Sometimes it clears. Sometimes it does not. Do not gamble on overnight journeys.
For city transport, use Ola or Uber instead of negotiating with auto-rickshaw drivers. Both work in all major cities. A 10km ride costs ₹200–₹350 ($2.50–$4.20). For short distances, use Uber Auto for fixed-price auto-rickshaw rides without negotiation.
SIM Cards and Connectivity: Get an Airtel or Jio SIM at the Airport
Do not rely on international roaming. It is expensive and often throttled. A local Indian SIM costs ₹600–₹1,000 ($7–$12) for 1.5GB of daily data for 28 days. That is not a typo. 1.5GB per day.
Both Airtel and Jio have kiosks in the arrivals halls at Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM), and Bengaluru (BLR) airports. Bring your passport and a passport photo. The agent will activate the SIM on the spot, though data may take 1–2 hours to start working. The paperwork takes about 15 minutes.
If you want connectivity the moment you land, install an eSIM like Airalo before departure. Airalo’s India eSIM starts at around $9 for 3GB over 30 days. It is more expensive per GB than a local SIM but works immediately and requires no paperwork.
One thing that surprises people: some websites and apps are blocked or restricted in India. Not many, but enough to notice. Download offline maps (Google Maps allows offline downloads), your hotel bookings, and any important documents before arrival.
Budget Reality Check: What Things Actually Cost
India is inexpensive, but not free. Here is a realistic daily budget breakdown for a mid-range traveler in 2026.
| Expense | Budget Range (per day) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Guesthouse or 3-star hotel | ₹1,200–₹2,500 ($15–$30) | Use Agoda or Booking.com; filter for 8+ review scores |
| Three meals (mix of street food and restaurants) | ₹600–₹1,200 ($7–$14) | Thali meals at local restaurants cost ₹150–₹300 |
| Local transport (auto, metro, short taxi) | ₹300–₹600 ($4–$7) | Delhi Metro is excellent and costs ₹20–₹60 per ride |
| SIM card (amortized over 28 days) | ₹25–₹35 ($0.30–$0.45) | One-time purchase of ₹700–₹1,000 |
| Attractions and incidentals | ₹300–₹800 ($4–$10) | Taj Mahal foreigner ticket: ₹1,300 ($16) |
Total: roughly ₹2,500–₹5,000 ($30–$60) per day for a comfortable mid-range trip, excluding intercity transport. Backpackers can do ₹1,500–₹2,000 ($18–$25). Luxury travelers can spend ₹15,000+ ($180+) without trying.
The single biggest budget mistake is booking everything in advance from abroad. You pay a premium for Western-facing booking platforms and curated experiences. Book your first two nights ahead, then arrange onward stays locally or through Indian platforms like Goibibo for better rates.
Common Mistakes That Actually Ruin Trips
What is the biggest mistake first-time visitors make?
Trying to see too much. India is enormous. The distance from Delhi to Kerala is roughly the same as London to Athens. A two-week itinerary covering Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Varanasi, Goa, and Kerala is not a trip. It is a series of airports and train stations. Pick one region. North India (Delhi–Agra–Jaipur–Varanasi) or South India (Kerala–Tamil Nadu–Karnataka) or the West (Mumbai–Goa–Rajasthan). You will enjoy all of them more than a forced greatest-hits sprint.
Should I carry cash or rely on cards?
Carry both. UPI (India’s instant payment system) has become the default, but it is hard for foreigners to set up without an Indian bank account. ATMs are widely available, but many have withdrawal limits of ₹10,000 ($120) per transaction. Carry two debit cards from different banks. Inform both banks of your travel dates. Cash is still essential for street food, small shops, and rural areas. Keep ₹2,000–₹3,000 ($25–$35) in mixed denominations at all times.
Is India safe for solo female travelers?
Millions of women travel India solo every year and return with stories they treasure. But it requires different preparation than, say, Japan or Portugal. Dress conservatively in non-metropolitan areas — loose cotton pants and tops that cover shoulders and knees. Avoid isolated areas after dark. Use hotel-arranged drivers for late-night airport transfers rather than hailing cabs on the street. The Delhi Metro has a dedicated women’s carriage, which is both safer and more comfortable. Trust your instincts. If a situation feels wrong, leave. You owe no one politeness.
Most problems in India are not violent. They are transactional: overcharging, persistent touts, inflated taxi fares. Learn to say “nahi, thank you” firmly and keep walking. It is not rude. It is how locals handle it too.
You started this article wondering whether India is manageable for a first-timer. The answer is yes — if you get the visa timing right, drink only sealed water, book trains early, and pick one region instead of five. The country rewards travelers who slow down. The ones who rush leave exhausted. The ones who settle in stay longer than planned.
