India
Prepare entry, payments and city-specific transport before a complex trip
Check the visa or eVisa rules for your passport only on the Government of India portal.
The essentials
What to know before you go to India
Eligible eVisa applicants normally need a passport valid for at least six months when applying, an onward or return ticket, and an approved ETA before travel. Foreigners and OCI cardholders can submit the free e-Arrival card online within 72 hours before arrival; it is not a visa. India is highly digital, but ordinary Paytm and Google Pay India accounts generally depend on Indian banking. Carry working physical cards and modest rupee cash.
UPI One World wallets for visitors exist, but onboarding, loading, fees, merchant-only QR limits and refunds vary, so treat them as optional rather than essential. At airports, use an official prepaid counter, a signed app pickup zone or a transfer arranged by your accommodation. Match the vehicle and driver, share the trip and avoid hailing alone at night. Transport, ticketing and language needs change sharply by state and city.
Confirm local rules, download maps and save addresses in the local script. Check a current government travel advisory for every destination, including regional restrictions, weather and health requirements. Call 112 for police, fire or medical emergencies. The multilingual tourist helpline is 1363 or 1800-11-1363.
Ride Hailing
UberEssential
The easiest first ride app for many visitors, with cars and autos across numerous Indian cities.
RapidoEssential
A leading local platform for autos, cars and legally available bike taxis in supported cities.
Ola
A long-established Indian app for cars and autos, useful as a price and driver-supply comparison.
inDrive
A fare-negotiation alternative for cars and autos in selected Indian cities.
Namma Yatri
A direct-driver auto and cab platform led by Bengaluru, with partner services in selected other cities.
Bharat Taxi
A driver-owned cooperative ride app in Delhi NCR and selected rollout areas, including parts of Gujarat.
Food Delivery
ZomatoEssential
One of India's two principal apps for restaurant delivery and local menu discovery.
SwiggyEssential
A major nationwide food-delivery app that also includes Instamart groceries and Dineout features.
Payments
Mony
A UPI One World wallet built for international visitors, funded from eligible foreign cards after identity checks.
Cheq
A visitor-focused UPI wallet for eligible foreign nationals and NRIs after in-person verification.
Messaging
WhatsAppEssential
India's key channel for hotels, drivers, guides, restaurants, confirmations and pickup coordination.
Navigation
Google MapsEssential
The best general map for city navigation, saved places, driving and offline areas across India.
Mappls
An India-focused map with detailed local addresses, live traffic, navigation and toll information.
Transit
Delhi Metro Sarthi
Delhi Metro's official route, station-information and QR-ticket app.
Mumbai One
Mumbai's official multimodal planner and QR-ticket app for participating metro, rail and bus operators.
Namma Metro
Bengaluru Metro's official app for network information and supported ticket or card functions.
Chalo
Live bus tracking plus mobile tickets or passes in selected participating Indian cities.
Shopping
BlinkitEssential
A major quick-commerce app for groceries, drinks, toiletries and everyday supplies in many Indian cities.
Zepto
A leading alternative for rapid grocery and convenience-item delivery in supported urban areas.
Travel & Booking
Incredible India
The Ministry of Tourism's official destination, attraction, event and trip-planning resource.
Language
Google TranslateEssential
The most practical translation app for text, camera and downloaded language packs used across India.
Intercity Transport
IRCTC Rail ConnectEssential
Indian Railways' official app for reserved train tickets, including the foreign-user booking framework.
redBusEssential
The most useful marketplace for comparing and booking private intercity bus operators across India.
RailOne
Indian Railways' newer official app combining tickets, train enquiry, platform tickets and support.
Where is My Train
An offline-friendly train-status and schedule app from Google for Indian rail journeys.
Restaurants
District
Zomato's app for restaurant reservations, dining offers, movies, events and other city outings.
EazyDiner
A restaurant discovery and table-reservation app with offers across many Indian cities.
Utilities
112 IndiaEssential
The Government of India's national emergency app for police, fire, medical and other urgent assistance.
India e-Arrival CardEssential
The free official arrival-information form for foreigners and OCI cardholders, submitted within 72 hours before arrival.
MAUSAM
The India Meteorological Department's official forecasts, observations and severe-weather warnings.
Sameer
The Central Pollution Control Board's official air-quality data and complaint app.
Internet in India
Mobile internet eSIM Best option when traveling
Guac
RecommendedReliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
Airalo
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Holafly
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
Buying a local SIM card ID registration required
- KYC rules are strict: you need your original physical passport (not a copy), a valid Indian visa, proof of local accommodation with a full address (hotels are easier than Airbnb), and a live photo taken by staff at the counter. Postpaid is not available to tourists, and a tele-verification call may be required after the signal first appears.
- Jio's entry travel plan costs around INR 299 (roughly $3.50) for 1.5 GB per day over 28 days; Airtel's equivalent is around INR 349 (roughly $4) with unlimited local calls. Airport kiosks charge more for comparable plans, but India is cheap in absolute terms either way.
- Official Airtel or Jio counters in the arrivals hall at Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata airports, or authorised carrier stores in cities; small independent shops often turn foreign passports away. Bring cash, since international cards often fail at small shops, and steer clear of street vendors selling pre-activated SIMs.
- Roughly 2 to 3 times city prices: about INR 800 to 1,000 at airport kiosks versus INR 300 to 400 at a city shop. The markup buys faster activation, English-speaking staff and near-zero risk of being turned away, which is arguably worth it on arrival day.
- Airtel and Jio both sell eSIMs, but the same KYC applies (original passport, visa, local address, live photo), so a local eSIM skips none of the paperwork. Foreign travel eSIMs work well in cities and tourist areas but can be patchy in remote regions such as Spiti and the Andamans, and cost noticeably more per GB than a local plan.
Avoid the pre-activated SIMs pushed in tourist districts like Paharganj in Delhi or Colaba in Mumbai: they are registered to a stranger's ID and typically die after about two days, so only buy where your passport and photo are taken. Activation is not instant, count on a few hours and occasionally up to two days, so plan for your arrival day to be partly offline. The SIM may also expire on the same date as your visa. One more thing: when you activate an Indian number, WhatsApp will offer to switch your account to it; decline unless you actually want to move it.
Local carriers
Airtel
Best all-round pick for tourists, with the widest coverage including mountains and rural areas and the smoothest airport sign-up process for foreigners.
Jio
Often the fastest 5G in major cities, with competitive entry pricing.
Vi (Vodafone Idea)
A shrinking network with spotty coverage, and often hard to get without a local contact. Best avoided.
Frequently asked questions
What are the must-have apps for traveling in India?
The essential apps for India are Uber, Rapido, Zomato, Swiggy, WhatsApp.
How many travel apps does India have?
We've curated 31 apps across 12 categories for traveling in India, including 12 essential apps.
What is the best ride hailing app in India?
Uber. The easiest first ride app for many visitors, with cars and autos across numerous Indian cities.
Keep exploring
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Pakistan
inDrive in the cities, cash for daily life, and official alerts for the road north
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