What transport and how quickly can you get from Delhi to Goa? How to get to GOA from Delhi? How to get from Delhi to South Goa.
Those who love exotic holidays, are interested in exotic corners of our planet and cannot live without the sun, sea and palm trees, have probably heard a lot about the “cult” tourist place there, like Goa. I got there with the aim of "shaking up" my life, to see and feel what I could not do in my homeland or in its environs. Goa is a great place not only for relaxation, but also for spiritual “zeroing” and searching for your life vector. We traveled on our own, so I decided to write instructions for travelers like us.
Goa - a paradise in distant and mysterious India
Goa is the smallest state in India, stretching along its southwestern coast. More than a hundred kilometers of coastline are occupied by countless beaches washed by the waters of the Arabian Sea of the Indian Ocean. On the one hand, Goa borders on the state of Maharashtra, whose capital is the colorful city of Mumbai (this city was previously called Bombay), on the other hand, on the state of Karnataka (the world is unofficially considered the birthplace of such a nomadic tribe as the gypsies). The capital of Goa is the city of Panjim (Pananjim), the largest city is Vasco da Gama. It was here, in 1498, that the famous navigator, the discoverer of India, Vasco Da Gama, landed for the first time. In 1510, Athos d'Albuquerque "conquers" this area and to this day this family is the "ruling" elite of Goa.
Goa is not like the rest of India and in some respects even radically different from it. This is probably due to the fact that from 1543 to 1961 this territory was a Portuguese colony, which is reminiscent of many things: starting with religion (98% of the population of Goa profess Catholicism) and ending with architecture (houses with a high roof). Despite this, the Hindus were able to maintain their identity, culture and customs.
How to get to Goa (direct flights, sightseeing tours, from Delhi and Mumbai to Goa)
There are several ways to get to Goa: direct charter and regular flights from Moscow and other Russian cities of such Russian airlines as Transaero, Aeroflot. You can use the services of foreign air carriers, such as Qatar, Sultan Air, Air Arabia, Emirates, which carry out passenger air transportation with one or two transfers, usually at their international airports in Doha, Sharjah, Dubai or Abu Dhabi. The direct flight lasts approximately 7.5-8 hours and the plane arrives at the recently opened (in 2013), Goa International Airport under the sonorous name "Dabolim". You should not be afraid of flights with transfers, I personally prefer to fly Emirates with transfers, but with awesome service, comfortable aircraft, than to huddle in the old Boeing of some of our airlines all day.
From Delhi and Mumbai to Goa domestic flights
Next to the international one is the old airport, which provides domestic transportation, and also serves the military air transport of India.
If you want to make a real trip around India, to see its most colorful cities, then you can fly to Mumbai or Delhi airport, and from there get to Dabolim by local airlines. The cost of a ticket from Delhi to Goa is around $70, from Mumbai to Goa about $40-50. From the international airport in both Delhi and Mumbai to the airport of domestic flights, you can take a “tuk-tuk” (Asian taxi, usually 4 or 2 seats). You can also use land transport: by train or “sleeper bass” (outwardly, it is an ordinary bus, but inside it is made like a reserved seat car of Russian trains, it comes with 1 or 2 beds).
Mumbai to Delhi by train
You can travel from Mumbai to Goa by train. You need to sit down at the Victoria Central Station or at the Dadar station, tickets can be bought at the box office on the spot to the Tivim station. From this station you can get to the hotel by local bus, taxi or tuk-tuk. The taxi driver or bus driver will need to say the name of the area in the North or South of Goa, as a rule, this is the name of the beach or the name of the hotel or guesthouse.
The price of sleeper bass tickets from Victoria or Dadara stations in an air-conditioned car is approximately 300-350 rupees (about $10). If you are limited in funds, then you can take a ticket without a seat for 50 rupees, and if you are lucky, you will not have to pay extra 100-200 rupees for the train ticket to the senior car. Travel time is 10-12 hours, the main thing is not to oversleep the Thivim station, because the train travels further without making stops in this state, and you can return from Bangalore or Cheney, at best, in a day. So either stay awake or set an alarm.
From Delhi, it takes about 40 hours by train to the same Thivim station. Train tickets can be bought at the Northern Railway Station building at the station called New Delhi, which is located across the road from Delhi's Paharganj district, which is known to all travelers and drivers of the capital. The ticket price is about 1,500 thousand rupees (about $ 50), for the same price you can buy a ticket for a “slipper bass” that will take you to the market in Mapsa (the unofficial capital of North Goa) or to the central bus station located in Panjime (the official the capital of Goa).
Visa regime
Get a visa to Goa, i.e. to India, quite simply. If you are flying on a tour, then the tour operator will do everything on their own (this is included in the price of the tour), you are required to fill out a questionnaire at the office of the travel agency and provide 4 passport-type photographs. I did just that and after 5-7 working days (depending on your tour operator) I received my passport with a stamped visa and flew to Goa on the same day. Making a visa on your own also does not provide any difficulty: for this you need to get to the consular section of the Embassy of India in the country where you live, where you will also need to fill out an application form, pay a visa fee (about 30 USD) and give a photo, through Visa will be ready in 5-7 working days. The difference is that in the first case you will be issued a tourist visa with a duration of no more than 60 days, and in the second - a full 6 months (or as long as you need).
Goa: north and south. What are the differences and what to choose?
The state of Goa is conditionally divided into three parts: North, South and the center (or old Goa). The conditional border of the beach north and south is the Zuari River. Central Goa consists of the Panjim metropolitan area with the state capital of the same name, and the historical area with waterfalls and Hampi.
Holidays in North and South Goa are different, although they are closely connected with the ocean and the beach. Let's figure out which option is best for you.
South Goa: a well-fed, measured beach vacation
If you are a fan of a calm, sedate, measured and expensive all-inclusive vacation, then you certainly need to go to South Goa. On the southern beaches (for example, Palolem) there are luxurious 5-star hotel luxury complexes, for example, Reddison White Sands and Hilton, beautiful hotels are cheaper, but also very comfortable. Prices in good hotels in the south start at about $150-200 per night, but you can find a cheaper option, try looking at reviews and pictures on booking.com. You can also rent no less comfortable bungalows for 4-6 people, located 100 meters from the surf line, costing from $ 100 per night.
In the south, you can be offered the highest class spa and Ayurvedic treatments, and tour operators will specially select for you individual excursions and tours in Goa. In my opinion, South Goa will not let you understand the atmosphere of India, the rest will differ little from similar hotels in any other country in the world.
The most famous beaches here are Aguada, Miramar, Bogmalo, Palolem, Dona Paula, Majorda. A distinctive feature from the "wacky" northern beaches is compactness (almost all beaches are divided into bays), and, of course, silence and full service. This is the perfect place for a family holiday.
North Goa: drive, noise, fun and youth
North Goa is a noisy, cheerful and relatively inexpensive place, a cult place for "hippers". It is believed that it was here that the concept of "downshifting" was born, and there are more downshifters here than tourists. A downshifter is a person who leaves noisy cities, megacities, sacrifices some material values and amenities in favor of freedom and spiritual harmony. Such people live either by renting out an apartment (where they used to live), by freelancing or by local part-time jobs. There are slightly fewer hotels in North Goa than in South Goa; small budget hotels 2-3 * are more popular here. But there is a lot of housing that you can rent on your own - guesthouses, rooms, apartments. In the North, life boils and rages - not a single day passes here without parties or, as they call it here, a party, not a single day you get bored and do not sit in your hotel room! Another plus (although, for whom it’s different): there are a lot of Russian-speaking citizens here, the same downshifters who will gladly help you solve any issue, problem, and help you with advice.
Hindus - religion, habits, characteristics of the nation, rules of conduct
Hindus (or Indians) are sympathetic, kind, smiling and inquisitive people. Be prepared for the fact that in the market, in a store, in a taxi, in a hotel, they will ask you what your name is, where you came from, how long you are in India, what you did last night and what is your profession. Everything would be fine, but sometimes it develops into importunity, in such cases answer evasively, with a smile - they will immediately leave you behind. Indians, unlike the Thais, do not dislike tourists - they are always happy to help, give advice or help with deeds.
As a rule, they have large families: up to 10 or even more relatives can live in one house - grandparents, young families with children. That is why in India, surrounded by so many people, you feel safe. Even if some kind of trouble happens to you, a crowd of defenders will immediately appear around you, who will defend you.
They have a clearly expressed patriarchal warehouse of society: the head of the family is a man, a woman has no right not to work, even if she stays at home with children, she is obliged to conduct some kind of activity. The absence of children in families, like divorce, is a very rare thing. A big plus is the knowledge of the English language: 90% of the inhabitants, young and old, know English well enough, they will understand you well, they will be able to communicate with a fairly good pronunciation.
Do not be surprised at the abundance of cows here, and everywhere - on the streets, beaches, sleeping under windows or on the porch, like cats, because a cow in India is a sacred animal, it cannot be harmed, shouted at or, God forbid, beat. According to Hindu mythology, after the creation of man, Brahma created a cow, which is why it is sacred. According to other versions, the bull, i.e. The "husband" of the cow is the fighting animal of the god Shiva, one of the most revered Hindu Gods. By the way, there are also a lot of dogs here, but cats are a rarity.
The inhabitants of Goa, like the rest of India, are very religious - they start their day with a prayer, moreover, to a variety of gods (according to the most common version - 33 gods). The most important, supreme gods are Brahma (creator), Vishnu (guardian) and Shiva (destroyer), which form the trimurti. It is noteworthy that 98% of the population of Goa are Catholics. In every house you can see a crucifix, paintings with scenes from the Bible, portraits of Jesus, the Virgin Mary. But this does not prevent them from combining these two religions - before dinner, thank God for food, saying a prayer, and before making a decision, they praise Ganesh - the god of wisdom and prosperity.
All Hindus believe in karma and reincarnation - what is destined is what must happen. If a person was born poor, he must bear his karma and not grumble, work off his sins and be reborn in the next life as a rich man.
An interesting sign of merchants: they in every possible way appease, please the first buyer and are ready to make a huge discount, if only you bought the goods from them. In this way, they attract good luck, and trade, they believe, will go briskly. That is why get ready for the market early in the morning, right after its opening - for nothing you can buy a lot of interesting things! And, of course, bargain!
Trading in India is an art. Know the real price of the product and boldly stand on it, even if the original price is 10 times higher. Of course, bargain with a smile on your face, joke around, and be nice to the merchants. There is a certain feature - for food and for goods that have a price tag, i.e. fixed price, bargaining is not accepted. Indians are also a quiet nation, leading a measured way of life. Being the complete opposite of us, they are not in a hurry, they do not fuss, the principle of their life can be considered "be what will be and will be, what is." In their presence, you should not shout, wave your arms - for them this is not only a sign of bad manners, but also a likely threat in their direction. For girls, there is a separate piece of advice: if possible, do not go to the beaches yourself or to any other places unaccompanied (friend, girlfriend, parents, husband): for Indians, white-skinned girls are standards of beauty. Everything would be fine, but in addition to admiring glances and stealthily photographing on a mobile phone, they may come up to you and ask you to touch you, if you allow one Indian, be sure that a crowd of such guys will immediately fly up who will touch your hands, shoulders and take pictures with you without fail. It will be very, very difficult to get rid of them later. Either don't go alone, or let's immediately understand that you don't want any contact.
Of course, there is a downside to Hindu hospitality: petty cheating, deceit and greed for money, especially large sums. Therefore, do not carry large amounts of money with you, and even more so never show them in the presence of Hindus. “Heat”, to deceive even in small things, they will try to you everywhere, therefore, always be on the alert and do not succumb to this kind of monetary provocations. Before you take a picture of a person, be sure to ask their permission. Do not touch the Indians with your left hand - they consider it "dirty". Hindus have a very peculiar perception of time and space: “in 10 minutes” they turn into 2 hours, and “two steps” into a kilometer.
Hotels, guesthouses, houses/apartments for rent
In North Goa, housing is often offered for rent - detached houses (a two-room house with all the conditions will cost you $ 250), apartments (a one-room apartment in a new house with all the conditions - $ 150-200), rooms in guesthouses (from 500 rupees per night).
South Goa is full of expensive hotels such as "Raddison" and "Sharaton", but if you search or know where to go, you can find many nameless guest houses, the price tag for a day of stay in which is from 3 to 15 USD. We lived in a bungalow on the beach, costing 300 rupees per night.The conditions are "spartan", but being right on the ocean alleviates all these shortcomings.
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Transport for rent
The main type of transport in Goa is motorbikes (scooters), bikes (more powerful motorcycles), motorbikes and ordinary taxis. The cost of renting a car will vary depending on its brand and duration. As a rule, the order of prices is as follows: from 500 to 1000 rupees per day and 200-300 dollars per month. Most of the cars are mechanical. Before you take the car, carefully check all its functions, take a picture of it, so that when you return the car, there will be no claims from the owner against you. The cost of renting a scooter or motorbike will cost you from 70 to 130 dollars a month, and bikes of a higher class (such as Royal Enfield) - 200-250 dollars. Rental points - any hotels, guesthouses, taxi drivers will also help you with this white. To rent a transport, you only need to give the required amount of money to the owner a month in advance, they will not require any documents from you (maybe they will ask for a copy of your passport). I would like to note the fact that there are a lot of cows in India and they are everywhere - in yards, near cafes, on the beaches and, of course, on the roads, which creates considerable inconvenience for drivers. Therefore, be careful when driving and in no case accidentally hook a cow: this can be interpreted by the locals as an insult to them and their religion.
Food, cafes, supermarkets, prices, jusnya, alcohol
North Goa has three large supermarkets with a good selection of goods (relatively good): Savitri (Savitri), Oxford (Oxford), Orchard (Orchard), and one convenience store called Family Supermarket (Family Supermarket). The last three are in the Anjuna Beach area, and the first is at the Chapora-Vagator junction. All of them except Savitri accept credit cards.
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A network of pizzerias "Domino pizza" is distributed throughout the state, which brings the order to the house. To do this, just call them, list what you need and wait for your order within 15 minutes. The pizza is very tasty and satisfying, the cost of one large pizza is 600 rupees (about $10). In addition to it, you may be offered drinks, sweets, etc. at a discount.
The order of prices in stores is approximately the following: a package of juice - 70 rupees, a loaf of bread - 50 rupees, a package of milk - 10 rupees, eggs (10 pieces) - 70 rupees, 1 kg of tomato - 60 rupees, a package of sausages - 120 rupees. By the way, there is no buckwheat in India - not only does it not grow here, but it is also not brought here. So if buckwheat is one of your favorite dishes, then we recommend that you take this cereal with you. You can not ignore the local alcohol, namely, the world-famous dark rum "Old monk" ("Old monk"). It is not only very tasty, but also cheap - 1 bottle of 0.7 liters costs 100 rupees. Be sure to take this drink home (you can transfer up to 5 bottles across the border).
There are a lot of cafes in Goa, each of which has its own “trick”. As a rule, these cafes belong to one family, which keeps a guesthouse next to it. For example, the cult place "Mango tree" - classic rock music always sounds here and excellent latte is prepared.
There are no large supermarkets in South Goa - everything here is focused on a "hotel" vacation. There are small shops with fruits, a coffee shop "Coffee day". Tourists eat mainly in hotels serving haute Indian and other cuisines.
You can not ignore the Juice Center or, as the Russians used to call it, jusnya. This is a small shop where they make and immediately sell freshly squeezed juices, necks, fruit salads, etc. Behind the scenes, it is considered the most "delicious" and the most "fruity" place in Goa. Here you can order a glass or two of juice, a fresh croissant with chocolate and a tasty and satisfying snack.
Despite the general opinion that India is a dirty country, where a snake can attack you from every corner and you can get infected with a million sores, this is not the case in Goa. There are no snakes, so as not to get sick, you must follow the basic rules of sanitary hygiene: drink only bottled water, wash your hands, and avoid places with questionable food. The abundance of garbage is due to overpopulation; in general, Indians are quite clean.
Markets
In Goa, there is such an attraction as a fair or market, which is held twice a week: once during the day (on Wednesdays) and once at night (from Saturday to Sunday). The daytime fair is called the Flea Market, or the Flea Market, which flocks to everyone from young to old, of all nationalities and social strata of the population: merchants, police tourists, bandits, musicians, DJs, artists, filmmakers, famous and not so actors. In a word, all those who crave simple and unpretentious communication, buying some trinket from local merchants, drinking cold beer, buying contraband items or jewelry made of precious stones, antiques, up to 3000 years old. There is also a small Tibetan market where they sell unusual jewelry, including silver ones.
Girls will like numerous shops with clothes and shoes made of genuine leather, the prices for which will pleasantly surprise you, since you can easily buy yourself a new beautiful sundress for no more than 150 rubles.
The afternoon market is held on Wednesdays from early morning until sunset right on the coast in Anjuna. This market is a kind of strength test - you will not find such a variety of goods and the pressure of sellers anywhere else! If you doubt your strength, do not take a large amount of money with you - here you can spend everything.
The second market is a night one. This fair is held on Saturdays, starting after sunset and ending shortly before dawn.
The main venue is an area called Arpora, near the highway, but recently a clone of it has appeared on Baga Road near the Baga River. Everything here is the same as at the daytime fair, the only difference is that rows with fast food, a go-kart circuit, venues with live music or DJ installations, a fire show, and tattoo artists are added to the malls.
There are more European sellers in the night market and, accordingly, more high-quality and exclusive goods. In addition, official dealers for the sale of motor vehicles under the brand name "Royal Endfield" and "Harley Davidson" have recently begun to appear. These brands, in addition to participating in night markets, arrange their 5-7 day festivals once a season, where fans of a particular brand of bikes gather, participate in motorcycle races, a parade and offer those who wish to join their official gang, which is supported by local government. Also at these shows you can buy the attributes of the respective brands of bikes.
Famous people in Goa
Probably, in no other place on our planet there were so many creative people as in Goa. Of course, here you can meet Russian actors, singers, politicians and public figures everywhere. Who comes for a month or two to rest, relax, understand the essence of being, and who even lives here seasonally, waiting here for long Moscow winters. Personally, we met the famous performer Dolphin, Bogdan Titomir, the leader of the Russian bike movement "Night Wolves" Alexander Surgeon. A well-known Russian actress, Amalia, lives in an area called Badem, with whom I also had the opportunity to meet and have a pleasant conversation. In 2010, in Goa, Sergei Solovyov shot the famous film Odnoklassniki, where he showed all the delights of the Idian region in great detail and beautifully. The most interesting thing is that everyone could act as an extra, it was not required to do something specific, but just be yourself. On the set of this film, by the way, we met the famous talented Russian actor Mikhail Efremov.
On the beach of Arambol, in the jungle, behind the beach of Kalach Beach, there is Banyan - a tree under which, according to legend, the members of the great Beatles quartet meditated!
The Italian sculptor Jungle, who carved the face of Shiva on a piece of stone with his own hands. This creation can be seen on Vagator Beach. Few famous people have not been here - a calm, peaceful atmosphere allows you to completely relax, relieve accumulated fatigue and negativity, accept new creative ideas from the Universe and tune in to a working mood.
Summing up, I want to say that a vacation in Goa for me is a little more than just a trip to the sea. This is getting into a completely different world, the principles of which are very close to me. Freedom, I, Goa! Then I’ll tell you about the beaches and excursions to Goa.
Perhaps all travelers who are hungry for adventure sooner or later find themselves in the most colorful state of India - Goa. To help tourists, I have collected the most useful information on how to get to Goa from Russia and other Indian cities, as well as from Goa Dabolim Airport to the coolest beaches and resort towns of North and South Goa.
How to get to Goa from Russia?
- During the season (from November to May), direct charter flights from Nordwind Airlines, Transaero, UTair and others from Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk fly to Goa. The cost of an air ticket for a direct flight Moscow - Goa is from $ 290 in two directions.
- There are no direct flights to Goa from Russia during the off-season. You can fly from Moscow to Delhi on a regular Aeroflot or Transaero flight, and then transfer to a train or plane to Goa. The cost of an air ticket for a direct flight from Moscow to Delhi is from $146. In addition, there is an option to buy a flight Moscow - Mumbai at a price of $ 212 in two directions, from where it is already much closer to get to Goa than from Delhi.
How to get to Goa from other cities in India?
If you flew to Delhi or Mumbai, then Goa can be reached in the following ways. The distance from Delhi to Goa is 1880 km, from Mumbai to Goa is 604 km.
Train to Goa from Mumbai and Delhi
- From Delhi, trains to Goa depart from New Delhi and H.Nizamuddin railway stations. Travel time - 27.5 hours. Ticket price is $28.
- From Mumbai, trains to Goa depart from the railway station Mumbai Cst. Travel time - 8 hours. Ticket price is $10.
Trains to Goa from the railway stations of Mumbai and Delhi arrive at the railway station Vasco da Gama, Thivim in North Goa and Margaon in South Goa. From these stations, you can take a bus to your desired city or drive to the state capital, Panjim, and transfer to another bus.
A train ticket can be bought for different classes of carriages. The most sold out is the sleepper sleeping car, which is full of Indians, and where I would not advise tourists to climb. If you decide to travel by train, tickets can be booked at Cleartrip.com. The names of train passengers must be checked on a special notice board before boarding the train, and then at the door of the car. I would not recommend girls to travel alone in India by train, since in India there are frequent cases of rape of tourists, and train cars are shared here, and you never know with whom you will sit not only on the next one - on a common shelf (due to lack of seats people are often sold the same sleeping place on trains).
Important! When moving long distances in India, make sure that at the box office you do not sell a ticket marked WL (Waiting list). This means that tickets for this train are sold out and you are put on a waiting list in case someone refuses their ticket. With such a ticket, there is a chance to leave, but you can also be left with nothing.
Bus to Goa from Mumbai and Delhi
- Buses from Mumbai to Goa depart very often. Travel time to Goa is 15-16 hours. Ticket price - $ 4.5 - 23. There are many places for passengers in Mumbai to board a bus to Goa (about 222 points of departure), all of them are listed on the website.
- There is no direct bus to Goa from Delhi. You will need to first fly to the city of Pune, and then take a direct bus to Goa. The cost of an air ticket from Delhi to Pune is $137 round-trip. The bus from Pune to Goa leaves from the railway station (Pune Railway station) or from the Swargate stop. Travel time to Goa is 10-15 hours. Ticket price - $ 5.3 - 18.
Buses in Goa come to the city of Mapsa (Mapusa) - the largest bus hub of the resort. Bus schedules and prices can be viewed on the Makemytrip website and book a bus ticket there. On the same site, it is very convenient to lay out travel routes around India by bus, train, plane in the Route Planner tab. If you do not buy a ticket online, you can buy it at ticket agencies (Travel agency) near the bus stations.
Plane to Goa from Mumbai and Delhi
The most convenient way, if you flew to a major city in India, is to get to Goa by plane. Air ticket Delhi - Goa will cost you from $ 148 in two directions; Mumbai - Goa - from $ 68 in two directions.
We figured out how to get to Goa, and now let's get acquainted with the Goa airport and how to get from the Goa airport to the resort cities of the state.
Brief information about Goa Airport
There is only one airport in Goa, it is located in the city of Dabolim, thanks to which it got its name - Dabolim Airport. The nearest city to the airport is Vasco da Gama, located 5 km away. The capital of the state - Panaji - is located 30 km from the airport. The passenger turnover of the airport is more than 4.5 million passengers a year. The airport is actually located on the border of North and South Goa. For the convenience of your orientation, I enclose below a map of the state of Goa with the main attractions and hotels.
Previously, the Goa airport was a pitiful sight, and the reconstruction of its international terminal was constantly pushed back. However, since March 2014, a new modern terminal with three levels has been opened at the airport instead of the two old terminals. The new terminal serves both domestic and international flights. Despite the fact that sometimes chaos reigns at the airport, it used to be even worse, so we are happy with what we have.
This is what the old Dabolim airport terminal looked like.
And this is what the new modern terminal looks like.
Bus + train from Dabolim airport to the railway station in North and South Goa
There are 3 railway stations in the airport area: Vasco da Gama, Sankval and Dabolim. To get to these train stations, you need to take the local bus from the airport. Buses do not have numbers, and their route is indicated on a sign on the windshield. The ticket is bought directly from the driver. The fare is $0.15-0.23.
The largest of these stations is the Vasco da Gama railway station, located 5 km from the airport. From the railway stations you can get to the railway station Thivim in North Goa and Margaon in South Goa. Already there you will need to transfer to the bus to your city / beach. This is an extremely uncomfortable way to travel, as you already understood.
The distance from Dabolim airport to Margao is 26 km, from Dabolim airport to Thivim is 46 km.
I want to warn you right away that trains and buses in India are almost always just packed. Surely you have seen pictures on the Internet where people literally sit on top of each other on the train. Well, that's how it is in India. You can get on the train only if you buy a ticket in advance. You are unlikely to be able to buy a train ticket at the box office before departure. Trains in India are almost always late and hardly a reliable mode of transport. Therefore, I would not advise using them if time is running out and you need to be in time for your destination by a certain time.
Shuttle bus from Goa airport to resorts
This option is available to you if you stay in Goa at one of the hotels that provide a free airport transfer. The following hotels provide this service: The Leela Goa (from $113 per night) in South Goa, Cidade de Goa (from $79 per night) in North Goa or Sandray Luxury Apartments and Villa (from $45 per night) in South Goa.
Taxi from Goa airport to resorts
I strongly recommend that you use a taxi service to quickly and comfortably get from Goa Airport to your destination in both North and South Goa: Karwar, Anjuna, Pondu, Mapusa, Betalbatim, Calangute, Candolim, Vagator, Panaji. A Russian taxi, which is available, will take you at a fixed price to almost anywhere in the state of Goa and to other cities in India if necessary.
Taxis are inexpensive and in my opinion a great alternative to the unstable Indian public transport. You don't have to tremble in the heat in a crowd of Indians in unsanitary conditions, or risk taking a bus in the evening or at night: the crime rate in India is very high. If you travel with a company, then a taxi ride will cost you even cheaper.
If you take a taxi to the locals, you will be ready to bargain, because. their first reaction to a foreigner is to overprice the trip by several times.
There are several options for how to get from Delhi to Goa on your own. The easiest way to do this is to fly the 1500 km separating them by plane.
In addition to air travel, you can use the services of railways or travel from Delhi to the coast by bus. You can buy a ticket in advance for any type of transport through the website.
Google Maps / google.ru
Flight to Goa
If it takes at least 31-32 hours to overcome the distance from Goa to and vice versa "by land", then by air it will take from 2 to 3 hours. Several flights depart daily towards the coast, and the cost of air tickets is quite democratic and comparable to the total cost of land travel.
Aircraft between Delhi and Goa are owned by the following companies:
- Etihad.
- AirAsia.
- jetairways.
- AirIndia.
There are no special differences in the level of comfort and pricing between carriers, moreover, the advance purchase of a ticket to Goa, as well as to any other destination, from all carriers will cost several times cheaper. It is also more profitable to purchase tickets in both directions at once, of course, for the desired dates.
Ramesh NG / flickr.com
The range of prices for air travel is from 148 to 380 dollars, for the maximum price you can always buy them immediately before departure from Delhi to Goa at the ticket office of the airport terminal.
All flights depart from Indira Gandhi Airport in New Delhi and land at Dabolim Airport.
It is most convenient to check the current schedule on the airport portal, and not on the resources of carriers, since the terminal website contains an online scoreboard with all flights of all airlines. You can buy tickets in advance both on the airport portal and on the resources of the selected carrier company.
Train ride
All trains from Delhi to Goa depart from the platforms of the Hazrat Nizamuddin station located in New Delhi. Travelers who are in Delhi for the first time often find it difficult to get from the airport to the railway station.
Indeed, India stuns with its color literally from the very first steps, but do not rush and catch a taxi, getting anywhere in Delhi can be much easier, faster and more economical than driving in a custom car. From the airport, you can get to the station by metro or by bus, you should get off at the Main Basar Street stop.
Varun Shiv Kapur / flickr.com
The easiest way to travel is by a direct train, which is called “GOA EXPRESS”, for several years this train has been on the schedule with the number designation - 12870. The train departs every day at 15:00, weekends are no exception, and arrives at the Vasco station da Gama" at 6 am a day later, that is, on the way from Delhi to Goa by train, you will have to spend 30 hours and it will take about an hour to comply with all sorts of formalities at the stations.
The ticket office in Delhi opens at 8:00 am, to purchase a ticket you will need to fill out a form and present your passport. The ticket price depends on the class and varies from 10 to 50 dollars, the most convenient option is to travel in the middle class of comfort, if, of course, you don’t want to spend a day and a half in a private compartment or a common hard carriage.
You can get to Goa by non-direct trains, the average ticket price in such an electric train is from 10 to 35 rupees, but it is rather difficult for those who are in India for the first time to get there. On the way, you will have to make several transfers, and in total, a trip to Goa from Delhi on the messenger will take almost three days.
This method will not give much savings, since you will have to spend the night somewhere and eat something, moreover, for such a route, you still need to be at least a little familiar with the culture and life of India and have a large margin of time, only in this case, traveling with transplants will be an educational adventure.
n33wb/flickr.com
A rather interesting route option for those travelers who have free time will be a trip to Goa via Mumbai. To do this, you need to purchase tickets for the Rajani Express, which departs from the platforms of the Hazrat Nizamuddin station an hour after the express to Goa.
By itself, this train is one of the sights of India; in terms of status, it is similar to the Orient Express in Europe. The fare in the "legend" will be from 2800 rupees, depending on the class of the car.
The train arrives at the station in Mumbai in the early morning, and the nearest train in the direction of the coast leaves in the afternoon. Therefore, travelers with this option of the route have enough time to look around in one of the oldest Indian cities, in which the greatest colonial heritage is concentrated - the spirit of the presence of the British here is felt literally in every stone.
Travel by bus
Unlike the railway option, traveling in India by bus is always a real adventure. It will not work to cover the distance between Delhi and Goa by simply taking a bus in the capital and going to the coast, there is no direct bus route.
Rolling Okie/flickr.com
The easiest way to get with transfers from Delhi to Goa by bus is to drive through Mumbai, or, as this city is better known, Bombay.
You can check the schedule, cost and book tickets using the Indian portal rsrtconline.rajasthan.gov.in.
The route is served by two types of buses, the difference between which lies in the degree of comfort and the number of stops along the way, they also differ in fare. Comfortable buses with Internet, air conditioning and individual lighting depart every three hours, and the trip costs from 2100 to 2400 rupees, they reach Bombay in 23 hours.
A more budget option is inferior in comfort, these are buses of the "past" generation. Often there are no air conditioners in the salons, there is no way to adjust the chair and, of course, there is no Internet access and sockets near the seats. A ticket for this type of bus costs from 600 to 1000 rupees, but you will have to spend more than one day on the way.
Routes with the least number of stops fit in 36-38 hours, there are also very inexpensive options, with a cost of 400-600 rupees, by cars completely devoid of a minimum level of comfort and resembling simple city regular buses, they will have to travel from 3 to 5 days.
There are 5 bus stations in Delhi, you can go to Goa with a transfer in Bombay from any of them. Tickets are sold at the box office, but they should be purchased no later than 40 minutes before the bus departure.
Vivek Patankar/flickr.com
It will take from 12 to 15 hours to go from Bombay to Goa, there are three options on how to do this - train, bus or taxi. Taxi drivers from Bombay go to Goa willingly, on average, such a trip costs from 3,000 rupees.
The easiest way is to transfer to the bus station at the bus station, the fare varies from 250 to 500 rupees, depending on where exactly you need to get to Goa, the cheapest way is to get to the northern bus stations, as they are closer to Bombay.
Trains depart from the Central Station - "Mumbai Central" and the fare in them is from 1500 rupees.
However, despite the lack of direct routes, you can get from Delhi to Goa by bus without transfers. To do this, you need to purchase a sightseeing bus tour, they cost from 3,800 rupees and more, several stops are made along the way, on average, sightseeing buses reach the coast in a couple of days.
You can buy such a tour from any of the local tour operators, for example, at the counters in the airport building in New Delhi.
Video: India, arrived in Delhi - how to buy a train ticket to Goa?
Despite the fact that there are several options for how to get from Delhi to Goa, the easiest and most economical way is to travel by GOA EXPRESS. Although many tourists who are in India for the first time, for some reason, are convinced of the poor quality of ground transport in this country and the presence of a lot of nuances incomprehensible to a foreigner in purchasing tickets and in the trips themselves, all this is completely wrong.
Amit Chacko Thomas / flickr.com
Railways, like roads in general, were built by the British in India. That is, the whole organizational principle of railway communication, the arrangement of tracks, interchanges, types of wagon classes, the clarity of the schedule and ticket options - completely copy these same moments in the UK.
Accordingly, it simply does not exist for a foreign traveler to be afraid of the potential risk of getting lost or not understanding something. Everything related to movement within the country is extremely clear, presented in two languages, and all station buildings are equipped with signs with a graphic addition to the usual inscriptions.
The cost of the flight always depends on the time of travel. The chart will allow you to compare prices for flights from Delhi to Goa, track the dynamics of changes in their cost and find the best offer.
Statistics will help determine the season of low prices. For example, in December, prices reach an average of 13,161 rubles, and in September, the cost of tickets drops to an average of 8,416 rubles. Plan your trip right now!
We analyze this information and create schedules to make it easier for you to plan your travels.
What is more profitable - to buy tickets in advance, avoiding the general hype, or take advantage of a "hot" offer closer to the departure date? The schedule will help you determine the best time to purchase air tickets.
See how the price of flights from Delhi to Goa has changed depending on the time of purchase. Since the beginning of sales, their value has changed by an average of 49%. The minimum price for a flight from Delhi to Goa is 27 days before departure, approximately 8,475 rubles. The maximum price for a flight from Delhi to Goa is on the day of departure, approximately 19,969 rubles. In most cases, early booking helps to save money, take advantage of it!
Airfare from Delhi to Goa is not a fixed and constant amount. It depends on many factors, including the day of departure. The dynamics of changes is visible on the graph.
According to statistics, the most affordable flight option from Delhi to Goa is on Tuesdays, their average cost is 10,552 rubles. The most expensive flights are on Sundays, their average cost is 11,602 rubles. It is worth considering that departures on holiday days are usually more expensive. We hope that this data will help you plan your travels in the most efficient way.
The cost of air tickets depends not only on the date, but also on the time of departure. In one day, the airline can operate several flights, and they will differ in price category.
The graph shows the cost of departure depending on the time of day. For example, the average cost of a ticket from Delhi to Goa in the morning is 11,534 rubles, and in the evening 12,383 rubles. Evaluate all the conditions and choose the best offer.
The graph shows the comparative prices for flights from Delhi to Goa of the most popular airlines. Based on this information, you can plan your trip and buy tickets from Delhi to Goa from the carrier that suits you.
Statistics will help you choose a flight, focusing on your financial capabilities, as well as your wishes in terms of comfort and flight conditions. The lowest prices for flights from Delhi to Goa are offered by Hahn Air, the highest prices are by Vistara.
Independent travel in India. Part five.
Delhi - Goa buy train tickets.
One of our first tasks in Delhi was buying train tickets to Goa, so we went to the Delhi Central Railway Station. Tourists from other countries can buy tickets there under a special quota for foreign citizens. We knew that we needed tickets for the Goa Express or Nizamuddin Express in the 2AC class car (something like our reserved seat, only the curtains from the common aisle are still drawn), and that they can be bought on the second floor of the New Delhi Central Station. But when we arrived at the station, we found ourselves in such a noisy, seething crowd that we could not figure out how to get to the second floor of the building and asked the station worker about this (he was in a special uniform). To which he answered us that the ticket office for foreign tourists was moved to another building (which, of course, was not true). We were immediately called a tuk-tuk, and caring guys explained to the driver where to take us. As a result, we were brought to one of the many travel agencies, whose worker assured us that it was the season and there were simply no tickets for the trains that we needed and offered us to get to Goa almost through Nepal, by several trains with transfers, but we immediately understood what was the matter and just left.
So do not be fooled, as we are, by the stories of guys in uniform that there is now a special office for foreign tourists, but just stubbornly make your way to the second floor of the station to the ticket office. There, it’s true that you will have to fill out a small form, but for people who decide to travel around India on their own, I think this is not a problem.
In the end, we still bought train tickets through a travel agency, the owner of which was a girl from Spain. Seeing a European face, we somehow gained confidence in her, and she honestly told us that she would take her percentage for buying tickets. Tickets cost instead of 1,500 rupees, somewhere around 1,800 rupees for one, for us it was acceptable, and since we had to leave the guesthouse in a few days, she picked up a hotel for us in a relatively quiet and safe area of Delhi.
Travel by train from Delhi to Goa.
I can't help mentioning our Indian train journey. Still, it was quite an unusual experience. Our train to Goa Nizamuddin Express departed from Nizamuddin Station (Delhi). We arrived there in advance, found the path from which he should go. On the platform, we saw the markings, where which car of the train should stop. We found the number of our car and saw that there were only men around us, and only Indian ones. Not a single European person (although the first travel agency where we were taken assured that the season was full and there were plenty of foreigners, everyone went to Goa and therefore there were no tickets). To be honest, we are stressed out.
Then we saw that some dude was walking along the platform, all hung with chains and locks, shouting something, and people were actively buying his equipment from him. Here we tensed even more, but just in case, we also bought ourselves a chain and a lock. Soon a train arrived, the numbering of the cars, of course, did not match the markings on the platform. This is India.) We entered the car, found our seats and saw that our neighbors were two lovely girls. One student was on her way home for the holidays, and another Indian Army officer was also on her way home on vacation. In general, the passengers in our car were mostly married couples with children who went to the sea for the Christmas holidays. Seeing this contingent, we calmed down.
We had a class 2AC car, as I wrote earlier, it is something like our reserved seat, only the sleeping places are still covered with curtains from the common passage.
There are other differences, of course. The window is smaller than in our reserved seat, there is no upper window, so the car is always twilight, there is a small mirror above the window, the table is also very small, there is a fan on top, but there is an outlet for each seat. Each carriage has four toilets. As soon as the train started, one of our neighbors took out a chain and fastened her suitcase to a table leg (that's what chains are for). We did the same.
With the start of movement, sellers of coffee, tea, water and sweets immediately began to walk around the car. In our favorite cafe, we ordered food for the road, after all, it was still more than thirty hours to go, and we did not see any packages with food from our neighbors and soon realized why. The guide came up to us and handed out lunch and dinner menus to everyone, the prices were ridiculous, the girls immediately made an order, we haven’t taken anything yet. After some time, they were served with lunches, all dishes in disposable foil dishes. The girls sat in the lotus position, put the dressing down on their feet and ate with appetite everything that was brought to them. Then the conductor took the separations, such a service, in general, you won’t stay hungry on an Indian train.
By the end of the second day of the trip, we still ordered dal, chapatis and something else. Here the story was repeated with most of the Delhi cafes, the dal was unrealistically spicy. But our neighbors laughed heartily, watching how our faces twisted after the first sample of the dish. Our train went to Vasco da Gama station. At first we wanted to get off there, but after looking at the map, we realized that from there we could only get to North Goa by taxi. But having left a little earlier at the large Margao station, it will be possible to transfer to the train and get to the Thivim station, the closest to the beaches where we were going to look for housing. According to the schedule, our train was supposed to arrive in Margao at about five in the morning, but in fact it arrived there only at seven, what can I say - India. A lot of people got off at this station with us, after all, it is more convenient to get from there in any direction.
Just in case, I went to the taxi stand and found out that it would cost us two thousand rupees to get to North Goa. The train to Thivim is only at nine in the morning, but tickets for it for two cost a little more than twenty rupees, so we decided to wait for nine hours. We transferred our numerous luggage to another platform, we are waiting.
The time is closer to nine. The Mumbai Express arrived on the route from which our Tivim Express should depart and does not leave in any way, but knowing that the train on which we arrived was more than two hours late, we are not very worried. Just in case, we ask the locals what kind of train it is on the first track, show the tickets, they say no, not yours. It’s five minutes to nine, two people in the uniform of railway workers are walking along the platform, we show them tickets, we ask where our train is, to which they answer us: “Yes, here it is,” and they point to the Mumbai Express, and they also advise Hurry up or he'll be leaving now.
We run to grab our suitcases and numerous bags, the train starts to move, we jump into it almost on the move, not fully understanding whether we got on that train or not, but we are already on our way. We go into the car, ask the conductor if this train goes to Tivim, he says that yes, of course, only this is a high-class car, and we have tickets for a common car that is hooked to the tail of the train, and it is he who is called the Tivim Express, I repeat once again - India, what can you do).
