Auto Rickshaw travels in India can be the most challenging experience. Especially if you are new to India. Be it any part of India, Autos are the most common and easily available mode of private transport.
Also making it the most challenging experience. Being a frequent traveler in India. I am glad to share my experiences and a few tips for traveling, for newbie auto explorers.
Avoid agreeing immediately to the tariff they ask for:
It should be a good idea to do a little research about the place you are traveling to. Especially the approximate distance of the travel involved in your auto journey.
Knowing your travel distance helps you approximate a reasonable travel fare. Ensure you are not cheated by the auto personnel.
Encourage using meter system on Autos while traveling:
The most common mistake done by travelers in India is to ignore the metering system. The government made this compulsory for all auto-rickshaws. You shall demand to run as per the meter charges. Thereby favoring a more reasonable travel tariff.
Know the approximate/reasonable per KM charges:
As of today, a reasonable minimum charge is 20 Indian Rupees and the per Km chargers in India. On an Auto rickshaw ranges from 7 rupees to 11 rupees. This information could help you estimate the charges you could incur on a journey.
For example, a trip of 20 Kms could estimate an amount of 240 INR.
The essence is to understand the city you travel in, the distance you are about to travel. And the time of the day you are going to travel.
In most of the places, travel in an auto during the night could incur a charge of 1.5 times the day time charge.
In bigger Indian cities like Bangalore, Delhi. There are always chances to get tricked by the high charging auto drivers. So be careful and informed.
If you are traveling from Airport or Railway stations, it’s best to pick up a “pre-paid” auto from the counters available.
Ensuring its always paid upfront for the travel as per the KMs you are traveling.
Hope these tips were helpful for your next travel. Let me know if you have any questions.
