7.TRAVEL
a.	VISA, IMMUNIZATION & PROPHYLAXIS
	It is the responsibility of the visitor to make sure that he/she obtains an Indian Visa valid for the period of his/her stay. Travel arrangements are also made by the visitor personally. The usual procedure for a traveller who has a passport is to apply for a tourist visa, which is valid for a given period of time, from the Date Of Issue, from the Indian Embassy or Consulate in their home country. From time to time there are changes in the registration process required for visitors to India. Verify with the Embassy or Consulate in your home country regarding the regulations in effect at the time of your visit. Immunizations should be started two months prior to departure from home. (Some may start as much as six months in advance.) It is best to check with your local physician, health department, or Travel Clinic about which shots or tablets should be taken. Presently, yellow fever immunization is required if you have visited African or Latin American countries. Immunization against polio, tetanus, typhoid, tuberculosis, hepatitis B, cholera and specific antimalarial prophylaxis is advisable before coming to India. You may want to bring with you the prescription for any medicines you take regularly and an extra pair of glasses. It is advisable to have a good torch or flashlight for walking about the campuses at night and for unannounced power cuts which may occur. It is also useful to have a small padlock with you to secure your passport and valuables, and a travel kettle if you want a hot drink in your room. The voltage here is 230 volts, AC, 50 Hz with round pin plugs, old style English. Adapters are cheaply available to fit most other types. All toilet articles such as tooth paste, soap, deodorant, skin creams, powder, shaving cream and blades, toilet paper, shampoos, sanitary napkins, tampons, etc are readily available in local shops. It is best to bring a supply of sunscreen (sun block) and mosquito repellent which you are familiar with. Photographic film is also easily available. However if you are used to a particular brand of film, it may be advisable to bring your own. Film developing is quite cheap and the quality and service are good. Digital pictures also can be processed without difficulty. Most types of batteries are also available. Other items to consider are a backpack for weekend trips, a good travel guide (the Lonely Planet Travel Survival Kit on India is a favorite), pictures of home and family and a few of your favorite books and magazines. It would also be advisable to bring your own alarm clock. In addition to cool cotton clothing (see section on Clothing), you will need an umbrella, as protection against both rain and sun, and possibly a very light raincoat.

b.	REACHING INDIA.
	Once you arrive at an International airport in India, be sure to complete any business you may have such as exchanging currency, and making any necessary telephone calls, before you exit the airport complex. If you are continuing your journey on a domestic airline, you may have to travel some distance to the domestic airport (both in Delhi and Mumbai [Bombay], for example) or arrange for an overnight lodging. Quite a number of airlines serve Chennai (Madras), and it may be useful to check before finalizing your travel plans. Some of the arrival timings are quite late in the day, complicating the subsequent travel to Vellore (a three-hour journey by car). Because late night travellers are easy prey for thieves, CMC recommends against driving at night to Vellore. If you choose to arrive very late in the day, please consider an overnight stay in Chennai before travelling on to Vellore. Flight safety regulations are currently very strict. It is essential that your check with yours airline as to the up to date regulations regarding size and content of hand baggage that may be taken on board the aircraft and size and weight of baggage to be put in the hold. Allow plenty of time to complete immigration procedures before boarding the aeroplane.

c.	TRAVELLING TO CHENNAI AND VELLORE.
	You will probably arrive at Chennai, the International airport closest to Vellore, before proceeding to CMC. If you wish to rest at Chennai before coming on, you are advised to pre-book a hotel room. The Directorate will be able to pre-book your overnight stay at Chennai, if you request. There are several excellent hotels in the city to which you may take a courtesy van, airport bus, or taxi. Near the airport is the Trident Hotel, which you may telephone for a courtesy car. The telephone number is - 00 91 44 2234 6691, email: chennai@trident-hilton.com. There is a YWCA International Guest House in Chennai where you can book rooms. The telephone number is – 00 91-9544-2532 424, email: ywca_igh@indiainfo.com. If you are planning to take a taxi from the airport to your hotel it is advisable to get a pre-paid taxi, for which you pay at the pre-paid taxi office, before you exit the airport building. If proceeding directly to Vellore, you are advised to arrange in advance through CMC to be met by a taxi, for which you need to pay the driver after reaching CMC. (See tariff for information.) There are frequent buses leaving from the Chennai Bus Station at Koyambedu, which reach Vellore in about three hours. On arrival in Vellore, a taxi, or an auto-rickshaw can be taken to the College or Hospital campus from the Bus Station. (See tariff information). There are also various trains leaving from the Central Station, Chennai, to Katpadi Junction, the closest railway station to Vellore. Both reserved and unreserved seats and air-conditioned chair cars are available on these trains. The trip takes about two hours and fifteen minutes by an express train. From Katpadi Junction, you can take a taxi, auto-rickshaw, or the town bus to the Hospital or College. (See tariff for information.)

d.	TRAVEL WITHIN VELLORE
	Sketch maps in this guide will help you find your way round the College campus and the Hospital. Be particularly careful to avoid over-exposure to the sun and keep up your fluid intake, especially in summer. Vellore town covers an area of approximately 7km radius from the Hospital, so if you are going out, take a ride instead of a walk. Transportation is cheap and the weather is usually hot. In addition to CMC buses, public buses identified by the numbers 1 and 2 ply frequently between the Hospital and College during the day and until about 10.30 p.m. The Hospital stop is at the intersection of Ida Scudder Road and the road to Katpadi. Local transportation also includes auto-rickshaws, taxis, bicycles, cycle rickshaws. It is best to agree upon the fare before starting out, and no tip will be expected.

e.	TRAVEL OUTSIDE VELLORE
	Places in S. India which might interest you for a short visit would be Bangalore, Mysore, Mamallapuram, Pondicherry, etc. If taking a taxi for a long ride or overnight stay, a tip to cover the driver’s food charges would be appropriate. Make full enquiries about extras, such as driver’s meals charge and tip, his bata payment, and any road tolls before setting out. People travel to and from Vellore by bus and train. Bus travel costs less than train, but even railroad fares are a bargain in India, compared with many other countries. Buses from Vellore leave the “Puthoo” (New) Bus Station, located near the Palar Bridge on the road to Katpadi Railway Station. Finding the vehicle with the right number may take time and effort. So arrive early, board promptly, and pay the fare to the conductor. The broad gauge train station serving Vellore is at Katpadi Junction, 6km north of Vellore. Tickets may be purchased there, or from the Cantonment Railway Station in Vellore, or from travel agencies in Vellore (for a small fee). Tickets should be purchased in advance to be assured of a seat or berth. Travelling second class or air conditioned under reservation is generally considered satisfactory. Railway bookings can also be purchased through the Foreigners Quota available at Central Station, Chennai.

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