Bengalooru
India - Map & Live Temperature
formerly known as Bangalore
is the capital city of the Indian
state of Karnataka. It is
famous for its Information technology industry and is called the
Silicon Valley of India.There are several BPO and ITES related
companies with several millions of employees.
About Bengalooru
Situated at an altitude
of 920 metres above sea level, Bengalooru is the principal
administrative, cultural, commercial and industrial centre of the state
of Karnataka. The city, which is spread over an area of 2190 square
kilometres, enjoys a pleasant and equable climate throughout the year.
Its tree-lined streets and abundant greenery have led to it being
called the 'Garden City' of India. However, since local entrepreneurs
and the technology giant Texas Instruments discovered its potential as
a high-tech city in the early 1980s, Bengalooru (Bangalore)
has seen a major
technology boom. It is now home to more than 250 high-tech companies.
Including homegrown giants like Wipro and Infosys. Consequently, now
Bengalooru is called the 'Silicon Valley' of India.
Some Facts
- Geographical Location
Latitudinal parallels: 12 degree 8' N
Longitudinal meridians: 77 degree 37' E
- Climate
March to May (warmest months)
December to January (coldest months)
June to September (rainy - southwest monsoon)
November to December (rainy - northeast monsoon)
- Temperature
Highest maximum of 38 degree C to lowest minimum
of 14 degree C.See on your left for live temperature
- Language
Regional Language: Kannada
English, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil are widely spoken and understood.
How to Get in
By plane
Bangalore Airport (BLR) is a
domestic airport that caters to certain
international flights too.
International Flights
Bangalore has direct
flights to
many major European and Asian
destinations. Notable international flights are from Frankfurt on
Lufthansa, from Singapore on Singapore Airlines and JetStar Asia, from
Kuala Lumpur (KL) on Malaysian Airlines, from London on British
Airways, from Dubai on Emirates, from Paris on Air France and from
Bangkok on Thai Airways. Due to aircraft timing and airport capacity
constraints, many international flights arrive and depart in the dead
of night. For example, British Airways, Lufthansa, JetStar Asia,
Emirates and Air France all schedule thier flights to arrive and depart
between 1am and 4am. Fortunately, the airport knows and expects this,
so it is in full operation 24 hours a day. You won't have any more
trouble changing money or finding a taxi at 4am than you would at 4pm.
A new international airport is under construction at Devanahalli, 30 km
(19 mi) north of downtown Bangalore. The airport's first flight will
take off in April 2008. It will cater to 11 million passengers in Phase
1. Its final capacity is estimated to be 40 million passengers.
Domestic
Flights
Indian Airlines, now renamed as Indian, connects Bangalore
with
all
parts of the country. Jet Airways and Air Sahara are other two major
domestic airlines that fly into Bangalore from other major
cities.
Paramount Airways is a startup business-class only airline, with
service to Chennai. Air Deccan is a popular no frills airlines that
operates to most cities and large towns. Other no-frill airlines that
operate from Bengalooru include Go Air and SpiceJet.
Kingfisher
Airlines
is a Bangalore based discount airline company, offering regular
flights
between Bengalooru, Delhi, Goa and Mumbai. With a little bit of
investigation, you might get a better fare on Kingfisher than from even
the discount airlines.
On Arrival
Once off the plane, you'll need to go through immigration (if you are
on an international flight) and then collect your bags. You'll then
pass through customs and into the small arrival hall. If you need to
get money, there is an ATM on the left just before you go outside the
terminal. There are also a few money change booths that will accept all
manner of foreign currency.
The best way to get into town is to take a prepaid taxi. There are two
choices, a government run service with lower prices or a private
operator with better service. At the government-run counter (look for
the K.S.T.D.C. booth), you mention the locality you want to reach and
pay a fixed amount. You get a receipt with the registration number of
the taxi that will pick you up printed on it. Locate the taxi (the
driver will probably be waiting for you just outside) and you're set.
Another option is to arrange with your hotel in Bangalore to
have a
driver pick you up at the airport. Some hotels, especially those in the
higher price ranges, provide this service for free if you are staying
with them. If it's your first time traveling to Bengalooru(India), this
is by
far the easiest way to get from the airport to your hotel. The driver
will be found outside the airport with a card bearing your name, the
only difficulty being that about 100 other drivers will also be waiting
outside the airport, all vying for your attention. Luckily there is a
short fenced walkway that separates the drivers from those leaving the
airport, giving you some time and space to find, and if necessary
negotiate, your ride into Bengalooru. Once you leave the walkway, some
drivers may become fairly aggressive, and might try to take your bag
without your permission. The best thing do to is to keep track of, and
in control of, your belongings. Even the most aggressive taxi driver or
tout will leave you alone if you stand firm and make it clear that you
do not want their help. Upon arriving at your destination a tip of
20-40 Indian Rupees is plenty.
By train
The Bengalooru City railway station is situated in the centre of the
city, around the Majestic Bus stand. All trains, both local and
long-distance, arrive and depart from here. A new terminal at the
Yeswantpur railway station (not very far away from the main railway
station) is growing and there are a few outbound trains that regularly
arrive and depart from it.
Bengalooru(India) also has a railway station in the Cantonment Area,
called
the
Cantonment Railway Station - this is centrally located and in a better
part of town. Not all trains stop here, though. However, there is a
proposal to develop this into a new hub, in order to ease congestion
out of the ever bustling Bengalooru station.
Bookings can be done at either the railway station or at a few of
Indian Railways booking counters at major residential areas. Booking
can also be done online from the Indian Railways site
(www.irctc.co.in). Trains do fill up, but most trains have a special
reserved quota for foreigners, which can work to your advantage. You
have to book at a special desk in the train station, and show both a
foreign passport and some proof (such as an ATM reciept) that your
money came from a foreign account. For a good reference on the various
classes of Indian rail travel, and how to book tickets, see the India
Page on Seat61.com. Note that if you are booking at Bengalooru Central
and are traveling to Mysore, there is a different line for travelers to
Mysore and travelers to all other destinations. This is to cater for
the large amount of travelers between Bengalooru and Mysore. If
traveling to Mysore on a Sunday afternoon, arrive early as there is
usually a long line for buying tickets!
As with all Indian railway travel, bring some patience for delays.
Trains can sometimes be several hours late. A video departure board in
the station will tell you what platform your train is on and what time
it leaves.
Train travel is usually fairly cheap. For example, a ticket to Chennai,
about 360km (5 hrs) away, costs anywhere from Rs 125 for the lowest
class to Rs 1105 for the highest class.
By bus
If you have difficulty in arranging a plane or railway ticket to your
next destination, or you prefer a little more adventure, you can go by
bus. There are both government and private busses that run services to
major nearby cities like Mumbai, Goa, Chennai, Mangalore, Coimbatore,
Madurai etc. Buses can be a normal luxury bus, a Volvo A/C bus or a
sleeper bus for night travel.
All intercity buses arrive and depart from Bengalooru bus stand, which
is located opposite the city railway station. Officially named after
the founder of Bangalore, 'Kempegowda Bus Station' is more commonly
known as 'the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus
stand' or 'the Majestic Bus Station'. It handles buses that connect
Bangalore to all major cities and states in south India. The main bus
stand of 'the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) ,'
which maintains bus services within the city, is located next to the
Kempegowda Bus Station. BMTC has now introduced Air conditioned Volvo
buses in order to maintain the status of the IT city.
Unlike other metros, the display boards in the bus show the destination
in Kannada. Only the bus number is in English. If you don't speak
Kannada, you will likely need to get some help to get on the right bus.
By car
Driving in India can be very stressful. Use of the horn is mandatory in
all situations. Lane splitting is the rule, not the exception. And
games of chicken, combined with razor thin passing margins are common.
One ride in a taxi will most likely convince you that driving yourself
is not worth the risk, so if you do want to arrive by car you'll
probably want to hire both a car and a driver. Cost varies, but most
car/driver combinations cost Rs 1400 to Rs 1700/day. Depending on where
you are coming from, you may be able to negotiate a lower fare if the
trip isn't far, and it may be a higher fare if you are traveling far
and your driver has to travel back on his own dime. Be aware that South
India, including Bangalore, can get very hot and humid, even in the
winter. Although it costs more, consider requesting an air conditioned
car if you aren't used to the heat. An "Air Con" car will also help
filter out the air pollution, which is considerable, especially on
congested roadways. If you want something even more special, such as a
fancy car or SUV, be prepared to pay extra.
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