Tourists
Touring India with a chauffeur: one car, one driver, one number to call
India is best seen from the back seat of a car with someone who knows the road driving it. The itinerary is yours; the vehicle, the chauffeur, the airport pickups, the hotel liaison and the phone that answers at any hour are ours, from the day you land to the day you leave.
Itineraries
The trips we drive most, with the days they take
Golden Triangle
Delhi, Agra, Jaipur. Six days is comfortable: two in Delhi, one in Agra with the Taj at sunrise, Fatehpur Sikri on the road, two in Jaipur, back to Delhi for the flight. The most booked itinerary on this site.
The circuit →Rajasthan
Add Pushkar, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur to the triangle for ten to twelve days of forts, palace hotels and the desert. An SUV and the same chauffeur throughout.
Udaipur guide →Kerala
Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady, Alappuzha, Kovalam. A week of tea estates, a houseboat night and the beach, with Ayurveda if you want it. Fly out of Thiruvananthapuram.
Kochi guide →Goa and the Konkan
Villas, beaches, the Portuguese churches and the spice plantations, from Dabolim or Mopa. Day hire rather than transfers; the car and the chauffeur stay with the villa.
Goa guide →Himalayas
Shimla and Manali from Chandigarh, Mussoorie and Rishikesh from Dehradun, Darjeeling and Gangtok from Bagdogra, Leh by air. SUVs, daylight driving and permits handled.
Hill stations →Varanasi and the Buddhist circuit
The ghats, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya and on to Kushinagar and Lumbini for pilgrims. A chauffeur who knows which ghat the boat leaves from at dawn.
Varanasi guide →What is different for a visitor
Six things the desk handles that a rideshare app cannot
- The arrival A name board past the customs hall, a chauffeur who speaks English, a SIM card and cash machine pointed out on the way to the car, and the hotel told you are on the way.
- The itinerary Built with the city guides on this site, priced as a whole, changed on the road when a day runs long or a monument is closed.
- The chauffeur Verified, uniformed, English-speaking, and kept on the booking for the whole trip so nothing is explained twice.
- The tickets and the timings Taj Mahal entry, safari zones, houseboat boarding and festival dates checked before the car leaves, through the travel desk.
- The safety Vehicles tracked by the desk, a night-time number that answers, no detours to shops the chauffeur has a deal with.
- The bill One quote in advance, tolls and parking inside it, paid by card, and nothing negotiated at the kerb.
Families, friends and groups
Which vehicle for which party
| The party | Send | Because |
|---|---|---|
| A couple on the Golden Triangle | Mercedes-Benz E-Class | Two cases, the quietest cabin, city and expressway |
| A family of four with children | Toyota Innova Hycross | Captain's chairs, child seats fitted, five bags |
| Grandparents and two generations | Kia Carnival | Sliding doors and a low step for older passengers |
| Six friends to Goa | Mercedes-Benz V-Class | Lounge seating and room for everyone's bags |
| Twelve on a Rajasthan tour | Executive Tempo Traveller | One vehicle, one manifest, luggage bay |
| Any party to the hills or a wildlife park | Toyota Fortuner or Land Cruiser | Ground clearance and four-wheel drive |
| Medical or wellness travel | Kia Carnival | Wheelchair carried, low step, chauffeur who waits at the hospital |
Before you land
The e-Visa, the flight, the hotel and the car on one plan
Most visitors from eligible countries arrive on an e-Visa applied for online at least four days before travel; the official links, the customs rules and the helpline numbers are all in the arrival checklist below. The travel desk books the flights, the hotels, the houseboat and the safari beside the car, so the chauffeur is timed to the confirmed arrival and every day starts from a hotel that was chosen with the drive in mind. Send the dates and the cities through the contact page; a coordinator replies with an itinerary and one price.
Arrival essentials
Get the e-Visa, clear immigration and customs, and know who to call
Everything below links to the Government of India page that actually issues, checks or explains it. Read them before you fly; the chauffeur handles everything after the customs hall.
Apply for the e-Visa
The e-Tourist Visa is issued for 30 days, one year or five years, alongside e-Business, e-Medical, e-Conference and e-Film visas. The portal asks for the application at least four days before the arrival date; most travellers apply two to three weeks out.
Check the application
Track a submitted e-Visa with the application ID and passport number. Print the granted e-Visa and carry it with the passport; the chauffeur's name board is waiting after immigration, not before it.
Not eligible for an e-Visa?
Nationalities and purposes outside the e-Visa scheme apply for a regular visa through the Indian mission in their country. The Ministry of External Affairs lists the visa types, the missions and the outsourced application centres.
Immigration on arrival
e-Visa holders enter through the designated airports and seaports listed on the e-Visa website and by the Bureau of Immigration; the major international airports in our city guides are on that list. Biometrics are taken at the counter.
Registration and extensions
Some visa categories and longer stays require registration with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office; extensions and exit permits go through the same online portal. Check whether your visa endorsement says registration is required.
Customs and currency
Duty-free allowances, what to declare, and the currency declaration form are set out in the Customs guide for travellers. Read it before packing drones, satellite phones or large amounts of cash; all three have rules.
Tourist helpline
The Ministry of Tourism runs a 24x7 toll-free tourist helpline, 1800-11-1363 (short code 1363), in English, Hindi and ten international languages, for information and assistance while in India, alongside the Incredible India destination guides. Save it beside the RUTZ.IN desk number and the chauffeur's mobile.
Emergencies: dial 112
112 is the single emergency number for police, fire and ambulance anywhere in India, from any phone. Every RUTZ.IN chauffeur carries a charged phone and knows the nearest hospital on the route; the desk stays reachable around the clock.
Visa rules change; the portal linked above is the authority on eligibility, fees and validity on the day you apply. RUTZ.IN does not process visas.
Primary sources
Government of India
- IRCTCReservations for the Vande Bharat, Rajdhani and Shatabdi services our clients arrive on.
- Ministry of Tourism, Incredible IndiaOfficial destination information and tourist statistics.
- Indian e-Visa: apply onlineThe Government of India portal for the e-Tourist Visa (30 days, 1 year or 5 years) and the e-Business, e-Medical, e-Conference and e-Film visas. Apply at least four days before arrival.
- Indian e-Visa: check application statusTrack a submitted e-Visa application by application ID and passport number.
- Ministry of External Affairs: visa servicesRegular visas issued through Indian missions abroad, for nationalities and purposes the e-Visa does not cover.
- Bureau of ImmigrationImmigration rules on arrival, the designated airports and seaports for e-Visa entry, and stay conditions.
- e-FRRO, foreigner registrationThe online Foreigners Regional Registration Office for visa categories and stay lengths that require registration or extension.
- Indian Customs: guide for travellersBaggage rules, duty-free allowances and currency declaration on arrival, from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.
- Ministry of Tourism: tourist helplineThe Government of India 24x7 toll-free tourist helpline, 1800-11-1363 or short code 1363, in twelve languages, for information and assistance while in India.
- Emergency Response Support System, dial 112The single emergency number for police, fire and ambulance anywhere in India.
56 countries RUTZ.IN chauffeurs across India, Limousine Association International affiliates everywhere else
Book
Book the arrival; the tour is quoted
The airport transfer prices instantly. Send the itinerary through the contact page and a coordinator quotes the whole trip with the same chauffeur throughout.
Weddings, film units, multi-day chauffeur hire, outstation journeys and anything with more than one vehicle are quoted by a person: call (877) 860-3388 or send the outline and a coordinator replies with a written quote.