India Travel Tips: Taming Auto Rickshaw Drivers

Unlike Mumbai, New Delhi is known to have auto rickshaw drivers who’ll charge excessive fees. This is especially true if

An Auto Rickshaw in New Delhi

you are not a resident of Delhi or if you are a foreigner. The Delhi Government has rules and regulations that none of the auto drivers actually follow, well that is if you don’t make them! By law, auto drivers are supposed to go by the fare meter. The chargers are Rs. 10 for the first kilometer and then Rs. 3.50 for every extra kilometer.

Here are five India travel tips that’ll ensure you don’t get duped. Though these India travel tips have been extracted from years of experience of engaging auto rickshaw drivers in New Delhi, they apply to most parts of India.

Research on your destination: Before you jump in an auto rickshaw, make sure you have an idea of the distance to the destination. You can do this by reading a map or asking complete strangers (Yes, this actually works!). The trick to asking complete strangers is that you should always first opt for a couple or people working in a shop.

Communicate with knowledge: Most auto rickshaw drivers will know Hindi and many will also know English. Whichever, language you prefer, make sure you communicate in a non-tourist manner. For example, if you have to go to the Indian Habitat Centre from the Delhi Zoo, the auto driver will ask you where in the Indian Habitat Centre. Your response should be show that you know the area. You could say “I want to go to IIC, which is near the Lodi Gardens.” This response shows that you know New Delhi. Also, never show urgency, else the driver will automatically quote you a higher rate.

Insist on going by the fare meter: If you are a foreigner or a non-Delhite resident (your dialect will give you away), auto drivers will instantly quote an outrageous figure. For example, the distance from Lodi Gardens to the India Gate is about 5 kilometers. This means that you should be paying less than Rs. 30 if you go by meter. Auto drivers will quote you over Rs. 50. If you can’t find an auto driver who’ll go by the fare meter, look for a police van and ask for support. Delhi police is surprisingly responsive and they’ll actually flag one down for you.

Use a map: If you have a mobile, then install Google Maps. The suggested route and distance calculated by Google Maps is usually the shortest. However, the estimated journey time is not.

Avoid being too friendly: Use conversation to extract route information. For example, ask the driver the road names or the names of any large buildings. Your map will most probably display the information.

By following these India travel tips, you will save a fortune.

Image Credit: Personal collection of Rupen Sharma