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Calcutta is on the east bank of the Hooghly River. If you arrive
by train at Howrah Station, cross the Howrah Bridge to Calcutta
proper. You could take a city bus but it's much easier to take
a taxi if you are going to Sudder Street. The taxi fare from Howrah
Station to Sudder Street should be less than 50 rupees. Sudder
Street is the center for cheap and moderately priced hotels.
If you arrive by plane, prepay your taxi fare at the taxi kiosk in Dum Dum Airport. If the taxi kiosk is closed, you will have to bargain for a good price. The fare from the airport to Sudder Street should be about 160 rupees. Know the price that you are prepared to pay before you go out to the taxis and make your first offer about half what you want to pay. If the driver laughs at your offer that's a good sign. Then walk to the next taxi and make the same offer. Eventually you might get a decent price. Try to change some money as soon as possible (ten or twenty dollars); it is actually best to do it before you get to India if you can. It is usually possible to buy rupees at Dum Dum Airport, but not always. Indian money comes in Rs500, Rs100, Rs50, Rs20, Rs10, Rs5, Rs2 and Rs1 bills. Get your Indian money in the smallest possible denominations. It's difficult to spend the larger denominations; there's a shortage of change in India. Don't accept bills with large holes. Small holes are normal but if a rupee note is in really bad condition, nobody will accept it. You can usually change traveler's checks at the Fairlawn Hotel on Sudder Street. ANZ Grindlays Bank on Chowringhee is excellent for everything including cash advances on your credit card. You can get a cash advance on a Citibank credit card at Citibank on Middleton Street, just off Chowringhee. You can have money wired to you at American Express, 21 Old Court Street, across from the Great Eastern Hotel. . |
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To find currency exchange rates: click.here.for.currency.converter.home.page. . Click to return to "Calcutta" home page . |