Bhopal travel guide

History

Legend suggests that Bhopal stands on an 11th-century site created by Raja Bhoja, who is believed to have built a pal (dam) which created the lakes. The modern city was developed by Dost Mohammad Khan, one of Aurangzeb’s Afghan governors, who planned to set out wide roads, adorn it with monuments and replant the gardens. After his death Bhopal remained almost an island state in Malwa. Loyal to the British throughout the 18th century, from 1857 until 1926, Bhopal was ruled by two Muslim women. It still retains a strong Muslim character. In 1984, the city hit international news headlines with the Union Carbide disaster when a poisonous gas escape killed and injured thousands of people.

Getting around

The town is quite spread out: it takes about 15 minutes to walk through the Old City centre from the railway station to the bus station. Local buses go to all parts of town but the best bet is an auto-rickshaw. You will have to pay a surcharge to go to the Shamla Hills or other points on the edge of town.

Ins and outs

Getting there

The airport is about 20 minutes by bus from the town centre. There are direct flights from Delhi, Gwalior and Mumbai. Bhopal is on the main train line to South India and is just seven hours by the Shatabdi Express from Delhi. There is an extensive bus network; the bus stand is on Hamidia Road.

Bhopal

Air

The airport is 11 km from centre. Transport to town by taxi, about Rs 200. Indian Airlines bus to the airport from City Office, 0700. Air India, GTB Complex, TT Nagar, T0755- 522 0666; Indian Airlines, Bhad Bhada Rd, T0755-277 8434, airport T0755-264 6123, flies to Mumbai daily via Indore; also Delhi (2 via Gwalior). Jet Airways, T0755-276 0371, airport T0755-264 5676, to Mumbai.

Bus

Hamidia Rd Bus Stand, T0755-254 0841. Daily services include: Agra 541 km; Gwalior 422 km, 0600, 1900; Indore 187 km, frequent, good a/c coach 0700, 1330, 4 hrs; Jaipur 572 km; Khajuraho better to take train to Jhansi; Nagpur 345 km; Pachmarhi 0230- 1615, a/c 0800; Sanchi 45 km, 1½ hrs, hourly; Shivpuri, 1130-1500. For Ujjain take bus to Devas (about 3 hrs) then jeep or bus to Ujjain. MP Tourism buses to Indore and Pachmarhi can be more comfortable, T0755-255 3076.

Car

MP Tourism (Transport) a/c and non a/c cars; full day Rs 575-750 non-a/c, Rs 800-900 a/c. Out of town: Rs 6-14 per km, depending on vehicle, plus night halt charge, Rs 250.

Taxi

Bhojpur and Bhimbetka cost about Rs 600 by taxi, 4 hrs round trip. Unmetered.

Train

City Booking T0755-255 3599. Railway Station, enquiry T131, reservation T1335. Booking office and tourist information on Platform 1. Agra Cantt: see Delhi, and deduct 4-5 hrs. Amritsar: Dadar Amritsar Exp 1057, 1520, 26 hrs. Bengaluru (Bangalore): Rajdhani Exp 2430, 0450, Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat, 26 hrs. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Exp 2622, 0805, 23 hrs. Delhi (ND): Chhattisgarh Exp 8237, 0720, 13¾ hrs; Punjab Mail 2137, 0915, 12 hrs; Dadar Amritsar Exp 1057, 1520, 13¾ hrs; GT Exp 2615, 1930, 11½ hrs; AP Exp 2723, 2210, 10 hrs. Gwalior: Punjab Mail 2137, 0915, 5½ hrs; Dadar Amritsar Exp 1057, 1520, 6½ hrs. Jabalpur: Narmada Exp 8233, 2335, 7 hrs; Amarkantak Exp 2854, 1545, 6 hrs. Jalgaon (for Ajanta/Ellora): Karnataka Exp 2628, 0700, 6½ hrs. Kolkata: Shipra Exp 9305, 0420, Mon, Thu, Fri, 28 hrs. Lucknow: Pushpak Exp 2533, 2155, 11½ hrs; Kushinagar Exp 1015, 1420, 11½ hrs. Mumbai (CST): Punjab Mail 2138, 17000, 15 hrs; Pushpak Exp 2534, 0615, 14½ hrs. Ujjain: Narmada Exp 8234, 0435, 5½ hrs, continues to Indore; Intercity Exp 9304, 1700, 3½ hrs (2nd class only).

Banks

Indian Overseas Bank, near Surya Hotel for foreign exchange.

Cultural centres

British Council Library, GTB Complex, Roshanpura Naka, New Market, Tue-Sat 1100-1900. English periodicals and newspapers in cool reading room.

Internet

Jehan Numa Palace Hotel (Rs 100 per hr).

Medical services

Ambulance: T0755-255 3355. Carewell Hospital, Mahadev Mandir Rd, T0755-254 3983. Mayo Hospital, Shahjahanabad, T0755-253 5584.

Post

Central GPO: TT Nagar; Sultania Rd for Poste Restante.