Practical information about Delhi

The Indian capital is a behemoth of a city, sprawling out in the central part of Northern India. The undisputed base camp of India’s ‘Golden Triangle’, Delhi has a reputation as being one of the essential stops on any tour of this vast and diverse country, and for good reason. The city is host to an amazing slew of sights ranging from the unimaginably ancient to the astonishingly modern.

The imposing Red Fort, a former seat of power for India’s most famous rulers: the Mughals, towers over the city’s old town, just a stone’s throw away from the magnificent Jama Masjid. Modern highlights include the Lotus Temple, a stunning place of worship for members of the Baha’i faith, built out of white marble in the shape of an enormous lotus flower. And far out from the city centre is New Delhi’s emerging cyber city with its lush malls and craft brew-pubs.

And of course, Delhi hosts a spectacular food scene where the best of India’s disparate culinary traditions meet, and street food vendors rustle up a whole host of mouth-watering traditional Delhi street snacks.

Delhi is a city that really has to be seen to be believed. Delhi is an enormous and complex city, and India as a country can often seem like it runs by its own rules. But do not worry! Check out the overview below on the things every traveller should know when travelling to Delhi!

Essential Delhi information for visitors

Emergency numbers:* National Emergency Number: 112, Police: 100, Fire: 101, Ambulance: 102, Tourist helpline: 1363 or 1800111363

Government Office Opening Hours: The High Commission of Canada in India is open between 8:30 am and 4:45 pm, Monday to Friday. It is closed on weekends.

Temperature: Delhi can get very hot over the summer months (April-June) with temperatures occasionally reaching highs of over 40°C. It's significantly cooler in the winter (December and January) with average temperatures as low as 6°C. The monsoon starts in late June and usually lasts until mid-September.

Currency: The local currency is the Indian rupee (INR). While card is increasingly accepted as a method of payment, much of the economy still runs on cash, so it's always recommended to keep some on you. ATMs are reasonably prevalent across the city and accept most major international cards.

Local Time: Delhi runs on India Standard Time: GMT+5:30

Electricity: India has two types of plugs as standard, grounded three pin connections (Type D) or the ungrounded, two pin version (Type C, also known as the Euro Plug) and uses 230 V and 50Hz AC as the power source.

Language: As the capital of India, Delhi's inhabitants use a variety of languages from across the subcontinent, the most common of which is Hindi. Also common are English, Urdu and Punjabi. English speakers should be able to get by okay as most locals can use common phrases and fluency is not uncommon.

Required travel documents: All Canadian citizens travelling to India will need to obtain an Indian Visa from Canada before travelling. This can be done online, which tends to be the fastest and easiest way. The process takes roughly two business days but it's recommended to start the process at least four days before travelling.

Health:* There are no vaccinations required for entry into India from Canada. India does have some areas that have higher risk for certain diseases, although Delhi tends not to fall under this bracket. It's always worth checking with a doctor for recommendations before travel as they are subject to change. Drinking the tap water in Delhi is not recommended, stick to bottled or purified water only.

Tipping and taxes: There is no universal system of etiquette for tipping, it is mostly considered optional but polite, especially when the service has been good. The average tip is considered to be around 10% at restaurants and bars, although this may be included as a service charge. Rounding up the fair in a taxi is a perfectly acceptable method of tipping too.

Now you've got the basic information, it's time to do the fun bit and book your flight. Be sure to check BudgetAir Canada's range of hotel and flight deals to secure our best price on your trip.