Faqs

01. What are the photography restrictions I will have to follow?
Photography is prohibited in places of military importance, railway stations, bridges, airports and other military installations. Still Photograph cameras, with Flash are strictly prohibited, as these damage sculptures. Video cameras are allowed, but again without any light focus. Please help us to preserve these rich heritage and natural environment.

02. What are the accommodation facilities in India and particularly at Pune?
Good quality Hotels and Resorts from various categories like 5 star, 4 star, 3star etc., and various famous Hotel Groups are easily available here throughout the year. Some of the other cities have tourist apartments also which is not yet started for Pune city. Government run rest houses, holiday resorts and dak bunglows are also available here. Most of the 5-star & 4-star hotels work on American Plan whereas others work on European Plan. Please note that the usual checkout time for the hotels is 12:00 Noon. A room can accommodate a maximum of 3 Adults OR 2 Adults and 2 Children (Double Occupancy Rooms).

03. What are the transportation facilities in Pune & in India?
Intercity transportation can be done with Domestic Airways, Vast network of Indian Railways and Road transfer by private taxis, private buses or state transport buses. Private buses offer good variety of services where you have got choice of Non-A/c, A/c, 2 x 2, 2 x 1, Sleeper Coach, etc. For Intra-city surface transfers, private taxis on rental basis, Auto rickshaw, City Buses, etc are available. Travel agents like Ajanta Tour Consultants offer you very good Car Rental services for Airport / Station transfers and Local Site Seeing. Note: A multi-utility tourist vehicle can accommodate maximum of 9 Persons whereas a tourist car can accommodate maximum 4 persons. Indrail Passes: The Indrail pass is "As You Like" travel ticket exclusively for foreign tourists and Indian Nationals residing abroad. This ticket allows passengers to travel wherever they want, within a specific time period, at an all-inclusive fare. The Indrail Pass can be paid only in US Dollars or Pound Sterling. · These Passes enable the tourist to enjoy unlimited travel on Indian trains within the period of their validity. A tourist travelling on Indrail Pass is exempted from paying reservation fee, sleeper charges, supplementary charges for travelling by super fast trains or for meals provided in Rajdhani & Shatabdi Express trains.

04. What are Booking and Cancellation procedures?
For Hotels- During peak seasons, most hotels need to be booked at least one month in advance and expect to receive deposits at least 21 days prior to check-in. Cancellations 15 days out usually allows full refund ( after deducting the services charges). In certain cases, star hotels may charge you 10-20 % as cancellation charges. Less than 7 days notice will result in a day's charge retention. For Travel- Domestic Air Travel- Since there are limited flights operating between many locations, such as Mumbai to Pune and Delhi to Pune, the flights always go full throughout the year. It is recommended to book your Air Tickets at least 30 days in advance. Cancellations till one hour prior to your travel fetch you the full refund. In case of no-show, 50% will be refunded to you. Some standard cancellation charges have to be borne by you at the time of cancellation. Train Travel- Again, since there are very limited trains operating on some of the routes and Indian's mainly prefer to travel by trains, all the trains are extremely packed all the time. That is why Indian Railway has given the booking period of 90 days, so that you can very well plan your journey in advance. You are requested to book your rail tickets at least 45 days in advance. For Air-conditioned coaches, you may have to book your tickets at least 60 days in advance. Cancellations between 4 hours to 24 hours before the departure of the train from the place of origin will fetch you 75 % refund. Less than 4 hours will cut 50% from the fare. There are standard cancellation charges depending on the class of journey which are also deducted at the time of any cancellation. Road Travel- There are many private Bus operators throughout the India. So, you need not to worry about bus bookings. You have to book it at least 24 hours prior to your journey. Only during some major festival periods such as Dussera, Diwali and Summer Holidays in April, May, it could be more crowded. Cancellations, one hour prior to the departure are considered for refund, which varies from 50% to 100 %. IMPORTANT: OUR CANCELLATION CHARGES: - Please note that in case of cancellation of a packaged tour provided by us i.e. " Classic Travels", we will deduct - A. The Actual charges levied by hotels/ airlines/trains/bus agents for such cancellations B. Our actual communication costs incurred for making arrangements such as Fax, Mobile, etc, and C. Our Standard Cancellation charges against Administrative costs.

05. How do I make the payments?
If you are a foreign national, then a Cheque or Demand Draft drawn on a Nationalized bank in the name of "Classic Travels " payable at Pune, India, for full and final agreed amount has to be send at the following address at least 45 days prior to date of booking. If you are residing in India, you can send the same at least 15 days prior to date of the booking.

06. What are the safety regulations to be followed while in India?
India is as safe as any other country you visit for the first time. If you adhere to the following suggestions, you will have a safer and more enjoyable visit to India. - On your point of entry to India and at any next town, always have somebody escort you to your Hotel / Apartment. - Ensure at least for the first leg that you have your accommodation and transportation booked well in advance to save from further hassles. - Since Indian's have more immunity than most westerners, drink only Mineral Water, avoid raw foods / salads, eat only cooked food in good Hotels / Restaurants, and always avoid road side exposed eatables. - Be sensitive to Indian culture and dress appropriately while traveling within the country. - Always drive slowly on roads. Never cross speeds of 80-90 km/hr in any conditions, as Indian Roads are not always made to that capacity.

07. What are the health-care I need to take while traveling to India?
Yellow fever: Any person (including infants) arriving by air or sea without a certificate is detained in isolation for a period up to 6 days if arriving within 6 days of departing from an infected area. Malaria risk exists throughout the year in the whole country excluding parts of the States of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Sikkim. No certificate required, but a course of anti-malaria pills is recommended. Drinking water: Bottled water is available and usually provided in flasks in hotel rooms. For people with delicate digestive systems, it is advisable to use bottled mineral water, which is also widely available. We recommend you to use either "Bisleri" or "Bailey" brands of mineral waters in India which are considered to be most pure & safe. Medical Facilities: It is advisable to bring specific medicines. There are state operated facilities in all towns and cities and private consultants and specialists in urban areas.

08. Which are the Public Festivals of India worth attending, for this year?
The Indian calendar is a long procession of festivals. If you can find yourself in the right place at the right time, it is possible to go through your visit with a festival each day. The harvest festivals of the south, the immersion of Ganesh in Bombay, the car Festival of Puri, snake-boat races in Kerala, Republic Day in Delhi... every region, every religion has something to celebrate. But there are countless others; enquire at local Government of India Tourist Offices or Classic Travel Services for details.

09. What are the Visa requirements to travel to India?
Indian visas are available from Indian Consular Offices around the world, on payment of visa fee. All foreign citizens have to pay visa fee. Applications for multiple and single entry visas are accepted. Indian visas are necessary for all foreigners visiting India. There are several kinds of visas including Entry Visa, Tourist Visa, Business Visa, Long terms visa (upto 5 years with multiple entry facilities) etc. are available. Also Collective Landing Permits are available for foreign tourists in groups. Visa extensions: Tourists visas are available for a maximum period of 180 days. No charges are levied for visa extension within the maximum period of 180 days. Identical passport photographs are required. However, in case of an extension beyond 180 days, which is allowed only in exceptional cases, an extension fee is charged. Tourists from other countries are advised to check current applicable visa fee/visa extension fees with government of India Tourist Offices or Indian Consular Offices located in their respective countries.

10. Where are the offices of Indian Consulates in My country?
Following is the list of Addresses for Indian Consulates in various Countries.

Italy
via XX settembre 5,
00187 Rome
Phone : +(91)-(06)-4884642
Fax : +(91)-(06)-4819539
Australia
3-5, Moonah Place,
Yarralumla,
ACT 2600
Phone : +(91)-(06)-2733999
Fax : +(91)-(06)-2733328
153 Walker St.,
North Sydney,
NSW 2060
Phone : +(91)-(02)-99557055
Fax : +(91)-(02)-99296058
Australia
13, Munro St.,
Melbourne,
VIC 3058
Phone : +(91)-(03)-93840141
Fax : +(91)-(03)-93841609
195, Adelaide Terrace,
East Perth,
WA 6004
Phone : +(91)-(09)-2211207
Fax : +(91)-(09)-2211206
Belgium
217, Chaussee De Vleurgat,
1050, Brussels
Phone : +(91)-(02)-6409802
Fax : +(91)-(02)-6489638 Canada
10, Springfield Road,
Ottawa, K1M 1C9
Phone : +(91)-(613)-7443751
Fax : +(91)-(613)-7440913
Denmark
Vangehusvej 15,
2100 Copenhagen
Phone : +(91)-(045)-31182888
Fax : +(91)-(045)-39270218
France
15, Rue Alfred Dehodencq,
75016,
Paris
Phone : +(91)-(01)-40507070
Fax : +(91)-(01)-40500996
Thailand
46 Soi 23 (Prasarnmitr),
Sukhumvit Road,
Bangkok
Phone : +(91)-(02)-2580300
Fax : +(91)-(02)-2584627
United Kingdom
India House,
Aldwych,
London WC2B 4NA
Phone : +(91)-(0171)-8368484
Fax : +(91)-(0171)-8364331 8219
United States of America
2107 Massachusetts Ave NW,
Washington,
DC 20008
Phone : +(91)-(202)-9397000
Fax : +(91)-(202)-9397027

Germany
Adenauerallee 262,
53113, Bonn
Phone : +(91)-(0228)-54050
Fax : +(91)-(0228)-540514
Israel
4, Kaufman St.,
Sharbat House,
Tel Aviv 68012
Phone : +(91)-(03)-584585
Fax : +(91)-(03)-5101434
Japan
2-2-11 Kudan Minami,
Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 102
Phone : +(91)-(03)-32622391
Fax : +(91)-(03)-32344866
Korea (South)
37-3, Hannam-Dong,
Yongsan-Ku,
Seoul 140210
Phone : +(91)-(02)-7984257
Fax : +(91)-(02)-7969534
Netherlands
Buitenrustweg 2, 252 KD,
The Hague
Phone : +(91)-(070)-3469771
Fax : +(91)-(070)-36170720
New Zealand
180 Molesworth St.,
Wellington
Phone : +(91)-(04)-4736390
Fax : +(91)-(04)-4990665
Singapore
India House,
31, Grange Road
Phone : 7376777
Fax : 7326909
South Africa
Sanlam Centre,
Johannesburg
Phone : +(91)-(011)-3331525
Fax : +(91)-(011)-3330690
Switzerland
Effingerstrasse 45,
CH - 3008,
Berne
Phone : +(91)-(031)-3823111
Fax : +(91)-(031)-3822687
Sweden
Adolf Fredriks Kyrkogata 12,
11183 Stockholm
Phone : +(91)-(08)-107008
Fax : +(91)-(08)-248505

11. Do we need to take some special permits to travel to certain parts of India?
For traveling to Pune and the surrounding tourist places, you don't need any special permits. But there are some areas where you need permits. Special permits can be obtained if specifically asked for while applying for a visa or they may be obtained after arrival in India. The FRROs (Foreigners' Regional Registration Offices) in Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta and the Chief Immigration Officer in Madras can issue the same as well as group permits. This permit is valid for a maximum period of 15 days only. Permits must be applied for at least two weeks in advance for group tourists.

12. Which are restricted areas in the India which need special permits?
Certain parts of the country need special permits before they can be visited. Pune and the surrounding tourist places are open for all. Permits are Required for the following areas: Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. Sikkim Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lakshadweep Islands

13. What are the Currency Regulations in India?
Tourists are not allowed to bring Indian currency into the country or take it out of the country. Unlimited amounts of foreign currency or traveller's cheques are allowed into the country but any amount over US$ 1000 should be declared on arrival and a certificate obtained from the Customs. Most branches of State Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, and all major nationalized banks have special foreign exchange counters. Credit cards (like Diners, American Express) and Visa Card among others are now widely accepted everywhere in India.
Currency
India's currency is the Rupee, abbreviated as Rs. One Rupee is equal to 100 Paise. Coins are in denominations of 10, 25 & 50 Paise & l, 2 & 5 Rupees. Notes are in denominations of Rs. 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000.
Currency Regulations
Foreign Currency: - It is advisable to carry a mix of cash and travelers cheques to guard against any situation. US Dollars are the easiest currency to change with pounds sterling coming a close second. Other hard currencies such as Yen, French Francs, Deutsche Mark can also be changed in tourist areas and big cities. There are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency or traveler's cheques a tourist may import, provided a Declaration Form is completed on arrival by the tourists if they enter the country with US$10,000 or its equivalent in any other currency. This will facilitate the exchange of imported currency as well as the export of unspent currency on departure or for tax clearance certificates. Cash, bank notes and travelers' cheques up to US$2.500 or equivalent need not be declared at the time of entry. Any money in the form of travelers' cheques, drafts, bills, cheques, etc. which tourists wish to convert into Indian currency should be exchanged only through authorized money changers. A growing number of hotels, restaurants and shops are beginning to accept credit cards, the well known and more accepted ones being American Express, Access or Mastercards, Diners Club and Visa.

14.What is the Foreign Travel Tax which I will have to Pay?
For international travel from Indian airports, Rs.150/- must be paid for travel to neighboring countries and Rs. 300/- for travel to all other countries. This tax is also applicable to infants who may not be occupying seats.