Transportation:

There are several options to travel India from planes, trains, buses, private car. Some brave people we met even chose to bike around India. Although you can rent a car with the proper credentials and certificate, we highly discourage you from doing so as the roads & traffic in India can be treacherous.  


Trains are probably the most popular method of traveling India and are used by millions of Indians every week. Train travel is split up into the following compartments: (1A/C, 2A/C, 3A/C, Sleeper Class, & 2nd Class Unreserved) for longer trips. On shorter train travel, seats split up into rows of three are available for reservation & purchase. For first time travelers we recommended reserving at least 2 A/C beds for train travel. Although Sleeper class is more economical, it is can fill up past capacity, the beds are uncomfortable, and the temperature can become quite hot, wet, or cold depending on the weather. Reserving train tickets outside of India can be a hassle & quite difficult with popular routes booking up quickly, especially during festival & holiday time. To avoid this hassle use a reputable travel agent to book your train tickets in advance so you don't have to worry about being shut out or having to wait several days before traveling to your intended destination. We recommended using Mr. Asutosh Sharma who has been our guide and travel agent in previous trips to India. To contact Asutosh click on the following link: Recommended Travel Agent.   Asutosh can also arrange comfortable and safe private vehicle transportation to fit your budget in even the most rural parts of India.  Here is the official government website for Indian Train Travel: 
http://www.indianrail.gov.in
For more advice on train travel in India we recommended the following website: www.seat61.com/India


Plane Travel: Several airlines fly all over India for economical prices and can be very convenient and safe in addition to fast. Of course, this is the most expensive method of travel, however for a long train trip it may be worth booking a plane ticket. Typically fares from the US (east coast: NYC, Washington D.C, Boston, Atlanta) to Delhi or Mumbai is typically around $1100 in the low season and around $1300 in the high season