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We recommend to have a Vrindavan based taxi pick you up from the airport or your hotel in Delhi and bring you to Vrindavan or Govardhan. If you need a taxi to go from Vrindavan to Govardhan or for parikrama, you can also phone the taxi companies directly, which are listed directly underneath this notice.
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From Kolkata airport, train station or Burdwan Junction you can book a taxi to Navadvipa for about 1300-2900 rupees, depending on which car you prefer and your orign. All types of vehicles, from cars up to buses including AC Sumo or Scorpio and Non-AC Sumo and Scorpio. This is the best option by far for most devotees.
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In this article updated for 2013, we have listed places to stay along with phone numbers and addresses.
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During festival time, devotees stay in the Math guest house, and also rent rooms in the homes of villagers. If you would like a hotel instead, here is a list we know of:
- Hotel City Pride CITY Station Road, Nabadwip, Nadia, Phone: +91-3472 239228 Mob: 900.231.7929. Web: hotelcitypride.co.in
- Tri Murti Hotel, behind Paramatala (downtown)
- Blue Ocean Hotel
- Nilama Hotel, Fanshitala Road
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A good place to stay in Delhi is our Sri Raman Vihari Gaudiya Math, where you can rest after your flight and get your bearings. The temple is located about 35 minutes by car from the airport and is only 10 minutes by bicycle rickshaw from the metro station. A taxi should cost you no more than Rs 350. The devotees at the Matha are very hospitable and the rooms very neat and clean. There you will get pure vegetarian prasadam meals and a beautiful darsana of Sri Sri Radha-Raman Bihariji.
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Some Western devotees in Vrindavan have been going to Dr. Munish Bhagirath, DDS, in Delhi for their dental care. I heard that he was Gurudeva's dentist and so also went myself. Dr. Bhagirath has much affection for Gurudeva and has been visiting him regularly at the math in Delhi. He also came to Govardhan during Kartik 2010 to take care of his dental needs.
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There is an infrequent commuter-rail train to Vrindavan. It leaves Mathura Junction from Platform 8 (which is on the side nearest the car park (parking lot) to the extreme left of the arrivals hall and ticket counter as you enter the station. There may be a booth on the platform where you can buy a ticket prior to boarding, otherwise you can also buy a ticket from the conductor on the train. The fare is Rs 6. From Mathura the trains depart at 6:20 AM, 8:55 AM, 2:55 PM, 4:55 PM and 7:25 PM, arriving at the Vrindavan railway station about 40 minutes later.
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If you stay at Sri Raman Bihari Gaudiya Math, prasad is abundant. Otherwise, after a while you will probably want to venture out to get something to eat. While there are a lot of pure veggie places around, most of them use onions and garlic in some of their preparations. The Light Restaurant is one such place. You can steer clear of the onion and garlic problem by ordering items that aren't made with onion and garlic (chappatis, any paratha and most of the sabjis). It's not difficult to make a filling meal of a few parathas and a sabji, and the total cost will be less than Rs. 50. They are open from 10:30 AM until 11:00 PM. From the Namaskar Hotel, walk to the main bazaar, take a right, it's down on the left about ten minutes walk.
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Changing money in India is not too difficult and can be done safely at the right place.
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With all rickshaws, you fix the price before you get in which generally involves some bargaining. Tell them where you want to go and ask how much. The Hindi word for "How much" is "Kit-na?" As in "Alka Hotel, P-Block, Connaught Place, Kit-na?" (well, that's not quite right, in proper Hindi, it's "is ki kimat kya ha?" but "Kit-na" works fine). Being a tourist you will always pay more, but should not pay outrageously more. You're expected to haggle a little bit using the strategy described above. Knowing the going rate is key. Sometimes (not often) the rickshaw wallah will actually quote the going rate, in which case there's no need to haggle, jump in and say "chalo bhai!" (which can mean "Get Lost", but in this case means "Lets get going!")
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There are some good internet places in New Delhi. The paharganj area is now loaded with cable-modem equipped internet cafes charging Rs. 20/hr. for a fast connection.
Good Internet places exist in Vrindaban and Mathura for about Rs. 30 per hour.
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Porters at the train station wear red uniforms and have badges that say "Porter". They are supposed to charge Rs. 40 per bag, but always want at least Rs. 50 per bag from a tourist or more if you clearly can't manage them yourself. You should fix the price before they touch your bags. I try to travel light and never use porters, though there have been times I wished I had.
