Bangalore Travel Forum

hello everyone! Im planning to backpack in bangalore on deceber. I have a few questions.

1. Can anybody please tell me what is the cheapest airline from singapore to bangalore.

2. How much is the cost of living in bangalore? I'm planning to stay 1 week.

3. Is the city easy to navigate around? What is the commonly used transportation?

Thanks a lot!

A cheap ticket much depends on your iternary. If you are looking for a one-way ticket, i suggest you wait until you reach Bangalore. Contact a travel agent in Bangalore and you'll get the best bargain... I think cheapest will be Sri Lankan or Indian. Singapore Airlines may also give a better deal if the have some promotion going on.

As for cost of living in Bangalore, its at par with any Indian metro. You can find accomodation for as low as Rs. 250 per night and as high as Rs. 25000 per night... depends on what you want. Food is cheap for less than Rs. 200 per person for 3 meals in a basic restaurant / fast food joint.

Hello,

Adding to what sacs2k1 has posted about the cost of living; there are two options:

1. If budget is not an issue, then there are several star hotels lining the road from the airport to the city. You just have to google for "hotel accomodation bangalore" to get the list. You could also, in certain cases, book online.

2. If budget _is_ an issue, then I suggest you hire a cab from the airport to a place known as "Majestic Circle". (They have a cab-hiring-counter right within the airport premises, just before the exit gate.) After you reach the Circle, you will come across a plethora of hotels / lodges where you can get decent accomodation for one / couple / family for anything between INR 400 to INR 800.

Is the city easy to navigate around? Yes, if you are comfortable travelling in city buses _and_ are quite adept at the art of communicating through gesticulation [ :-) ]; but as long as you know your destination location correctly, there shouldn't be a problem. (Ask me, I became adept with some practice!) The Majestic Circle is a hub / terminus for city buses; so taking up accomodation here has the advantage of easy, and economical, movement.

The alternative to city buses are autorickshaws - but be prepared to be taken to your destination via detours. (I have been fleeced 90 times out of 100. Of course, I got to know about it through hindsight!) Plus, the tariff meters have a mind of their own, and they tend to keep jumping crazily to the next higher point; so if you suspect that your particular auto's meter is unduly biased against you, please don't be afraid to hop out of the vehicle immediately!

Lest my post should scare you about transportation, rest assured - once you get under the skin of the city's culture, it is quite a laid-back and friendly place.

Hope this helps,

Cheers,
Sanjay.

cheap air - check a travel agent there, they will recommend
Cost of living - If you have a local contact or friends, they will help you on cutting down your costs.
Best cheap transport - Auto Rik (3 wheeler) cheap but they can cheat if you look ignorant. Take the Volvo buses - it's the best, but it takes time to get around on buses. Or just rent a car for the whole trip - talk & bargain a price for the entire 7 days. I think it's 6 Rs per km for a cab. if you bargain & say you want for the whole 7 day stay probably they can work out cheaper or you can do the same with a Auto guy for the entire 7 days near the place you stay, than taking a auto every day, so the person will be happy & may not cheat.