Delhi City Guide - Getting There By Road

For those willing to brave Delhi's congested roads, driving is, in principle, on the left and foreign drivers must be over 18 and in possession of an International Driving Permit. Beyond that, there are few rules that are either adhered to or enforced. The consensus is that it is far safer to use taxis or hire a car with a driver for longer journeys. National Highways are designated by a number.

Those intending to take their own car to India must obtain a carnet from one of the international motoring associations (such as the RAC or the AA) before entering the country. This document represents an undertaking that the car will not remain in India for more than six months. Most European motor insurance policies do not extend to India and motorists are advised to seek cover from an Indian insurer, as insurance is compulsory.

Automobile Association of Upper India (tel: (011) 2696 5397; website: www.aaui.org) provides further information.

Emergency breakdown service: The AAUI provides a 24-hour breakdown service.

Routes to the city: Five National Highways pass through Delhi, making the city a hub of the country's road system. The most important of these are the Grand Trunk Road (National Highway 1) from Amritsar in the north, Mathura Road from Agra in the south, National Highway 2 from Kolkata (Calcutta) in the east, and Gurgaon Road or National Highway 8 from Jaipur in the west.

Approximate driving times to the city: From Agra - 4 hours 30 minutes; Jaipur - 5 hours; Amritsar - 9 hours 30 minutes.

Coach services: Delhi is linked by bus services (air conditioned, deluxe and ordinary) to all major destinations in northern India. The Interstate Bus Terminus (ISBT) (tel: (011) 2386 0290), at Kashmir Gate, north of Old Delhi railway station, is the terminus for all intercity bus services. It has a left-luggage service (charges apply). There are two other ISBTs in Delhi and together they cater for upwards of 150,000 passengers and over 2,000 buses per day. State operators based here include Delhi Transport Corporation (tel: (011) 2386 5181; website: http://dtc.nic.in), Haryana Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 1262), Himachal Pradesh Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 3473), Punjab Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 7842), Rajasthan Roadways (tel: (011) 2338 1884) and Uttar Pradesh Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 8709).