In
addition
to your
cash,
carry
some
travellers'
cheques
to cover
all
eventualities,
with a
few
small
denominations
for the
end of
your
trip,
and for
the odd
foreign-currency
purchase
such as
tourist-quota
rail
tickets
which
can be
bought
with
American
Express
travellers'
cheques.
US
dollars
are the
easiest
currency
to
convert,
with
pounds
sterling
a close
second.
Major
hard
currencies
can be
changed
easily
in
tourist
areas
and big
cities,
less so
elsewhere.
If you
enter
the
country
with
more
than
$10,000
or the
equivalent,
you are
supposed
to fill
in a
currency
declaration
form.
Travellers'
cheques
aren't
as
liquid
as cash,
but
obviously
more
secure (and
you get
a
slightly
better
exchange
rate for
them at
banks).
Not all
banks,
however,
accept
them,
and
those
that do
can be
quirky
about
exactly
which
ones
they
will
change.
Well-known
brands
such as
Thomas
Cook and
American
Express
are your
best bet,
but in
some
places
even
American
Express
is only
accepted
in US
dollars
and not
as
pounds
sterling.
A
credit
card
is a
handy
back-up,
as an
increasing
number
of
hotels,
restaurants,
large
shops
and
tourist
emporia
as well
as
airlines
now take
plastic;
American
Express,
Access/Mastercard,
Visa and
Diners
Club are
the most
commonly
accepted
brands.
If you
have a
selection
of cards,
take
them all;
you'll
get much
the same
exchange
rate as
you
would in
a bank,
and
bills
can take
a
surprisingly
long
time to
be
charged
to your
account
at home.
The Bank
of
Baroda
and
Standard
Chartered
Grindlays
issue
rupees
against
a Visa
card at
all
their
branches.
Train
tickets
can now
be paid
for by
credit
card,
but only
in the
major
cities.
Several
banks
now have
ATM
machines
but only
in the
cities,
and not
all ATMs
will
accept
foreign
cards
even if
they
sport
Visa and
Mastercard
signs;
you are
best
advised
to
enquire
first
before
sticking
your
card
into the
slot.
Delhi
and
Mumbai
branches
of the
Hong
Kong
Bank and
Bank of
America
have
24hr
ATMs
that
take
Visa and
Mastercard,
while
some of
Standard
Chartered
Grindlays
banks
also
have
foreigner-friendly
ATM
machines.
It is
illegal
to carry
rupees
(besides
spending
money)
into or
out of
India,
and you
won't
get them
at a
particularly
good
rate in
the West
anyhow
(though
you
might in
Thailand,
Malaysia
or
Singapore).
Both
American
Express
and
Thomas
Cook
have
offices
in other
major
cities
throughout
India;
see the
relevant
accounts
in the
guide
and
collect
a full
list
when you
purchase
your
travellers'
cheques
